Zachary J. Dixon Email and Phone Number

1. Improved throughput predictability by stabilizing team velocity2. Discouraged group think and reduced team member multi-tasking3. Worked with the Product Owner to clean up the backlog to make it realistic and manageable4. Guided feature and user story definition of ready and definition of done checklist development and ongoing management5. Started and facilitated feature refinement sessions to hand over prioritized, defined, and measurable features ready for team development6. Managed flow by helping minimize impediments or blocking issue delays after team members exhausted their options7. Tracked and managed cross-team dependencies to ensure they did not become future impediments to flow8. Encouraged developers and testers to work together instead of in silos

1. Used a variety of quantitative and qualitative retrospective analysis formats to drive continuous team improvements2. Confronted optimistic bias, discouraged group think, and reduced team member multi-tasking to decrease story cycle time by 17%3. Improved throughput predictability by stabilizing team velocity4. Utilized iteration boundaries, guided definition of done checklist development, and helped minimize impediments or blocking issue delays to create a team sense of urgency around getting work done5. Encouraged autonomy and open communication on an immature development team of introverts using a team-developed working agreement6. Grew geographically distributed team member relationships through weekly Fun Friday activities and a virtual team-building activity7. Emboldened t-shaped skill development by identifying skillset gaps and creating learning opportunities through pairing and training courses8. Supported and educated the Product Owner with refining and maintaining the backlog9. Compiled and facilitated seamless website migration launch plans for the organization's top brands from one platform to another10. Gathered and led launch day activities for a new business unit's website

1. Led a yearlong pilot initiative designed to develop a new way of working and achieve a strategic corporate objective2. Coached project teams to achieve on-time project deliverables for multi-million-dollar projects3. Identified end-user value and authored acceptance criteria to ensure teamwork focused on delivering minimum viable products that aligned to the organization's portfolio goals4. Drove and managed committed program increment goals and deliverables through planned and prioritized user stories5. Engaged with development teams to address scope and priority questions6. Worked in Microsoft Azure DevOps to develop, refine, and maintain team backlog 7. Ensured product deliverables satisfied scope and agreed upon acceptance criteria8. Communicated feature activity and status to key stakeholders, business owners, and product management9. Effectively communicated project activities, risks, and status to ensure transparency to key stakeholders10. Facilitated team meetings that included program increment planning, sprint planning, and sprint backlog refinement

1. Effectively synchronized the efforts of two functional groups to accomplish an organizational objective2. Led efforts in aligning multiple projects to a defined company goal3. Managed a project manager team with a diverse array of knowledge skills and abilities towards a common goal4. Planned, developed, and implemented milestone dates and management schedules that met project requirements5. Produced and communicated accurate and timely program status reports to key program stakeholders and management committee6. Analyzed program risks worked with key stakeholders to develop and implement risk response strategies

1. Collaborated with functional management to build effective project teams and assign roles and responsibilities2. Worked in Microsoft Project 2013 to develop, monitor, and control project schedules3. Facilitated weekly project status meetings with key project stakeholders4. Prepared, packaged, and distributed meeting agenda and meeting agenda minutes keeping all stakeholders informed5. Analyzed project risks and worked with key stakeholders to develop and implement risk response strategies

SELECTED ACCOMPLISHMENTS The Baltimore Sun Media Group: The largest newspaper organization in the state of Maryland, with a portfolio of more than 30-products that reach a local audience of over one-million readers a week.PROJECT MANAGER1. Coordinated the prioritizing, labeling, shipping, digitizing, cataloging and sales of over 800,000 archival Baltimore Sun photos generating $2.5M in five-years. Managed the project between four organizations and one in-house clerk.2. Championed the creation of the Baltimore Sun Store—a one-stop shop for photo collectibles, reprints, licenses, page reprints, custom reprints, plaques, books and back copies—leader of all nine-Tribune Publishing store properties in sales for four-consecutive years while generating $2M in that time.3. Negotiated the licensing sales of copyrighted content for all 30 Baltimore Sun Media Group properties generating $150k in three-years.4. Spearheaded the concept creation, research, design, publication, marketing, sales and fulfillment of five-retail books generating over $250k in new revenue in two-years.5. Created and implemented media campaigns and strategic plans for successful launch and promotion of new Sun Store products.6. Oversaw the advertising department's cost-per-lead program which grew at an annual rate of 13% for three-consecutive years generating $1.3M in new revenue.7. Represented the business development department on the Business Continuity – Disaster Recovery Planning Committee.MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS1. Selected content, designed and wrote advertising copy for newspapers, online ads, social media platforms and email campaigns while working closely with graphic designers to develop visually effective marketing campaigns.2. Sought out and negotiated trade agreements between organizations of similar backgrounds to aid with the promotion of products.3. Acted as a media spokesperson on a radio program to promote The Sun’s book “Man In The Street.”

1. Supervised four local retail sales support associates each responsible for two teams of four account executives.2. Assisted four teams of four+ account executives.3. Managed multiple advertising accounts for eight+ AE's. 4. Assisted with account management of over $6 million in advertising revenue. 5. Followed all AEs ad order tickets and agency ad schedules to correctly reserve ad space in TBS and it's special sections.6. Worked directly, on the AEs behalf, as a liaison between advertisers and TBS art department. i. Submitted creative requests to the art department for spec ads. ii. Gathered ad copy. iii. Forwarded spec ads to advertisers. iv. Communicated all advertiser's edits and revisions to the art department. v. Sought out ad copy approvals on-time and prior to deadline.7. Resolved billing discrepancies for AEs between advertisers and TBS billing department.8. Scribed the minutes during all meetings and sent them out to the sales teams in a timely manner.9. Tracked and reported actual revenue vs. revenue goals for all local retail sales teams. 10. Used Excel to organize revenue-tracking reports for AEs.11. Trained new AEs on the ordering process for ads.12. Trained new sales support associates.13. My Accolades: 2009 Support Person Sales Leader of the Year (Winner)

1. Assisted two teams of four account executives in two remote locations.2. Managed multiple advertising accounts for eight AE's. 3. Assisted with account management of $6 million in advertising revenue. 4. Followed AEs ad order tickets and agency ad schedules to correctly reserve ad space in TBS and it's special sections.5. Worked directly, on the AEs behalf, as a liaison between advertisers and TBS art department. i. Submitted creative requests to the art department for spec ads. ii. Gathered ad copy. iii. Forwarded spec ads to the advertiser. iv. Communicated all advertiser's edits and revisions to the art department. v. Sought out ad copy approvals on-time and prior to deadline.6. Resolved billing discrepancies for AEs between advertisers and TBS billing department.7. Scribed the minutes during all meetings and sent them out to the sales team in a timely manner.8. Tracked and reported actual revenue vs. revenue goals for both satellite teams. 9. Used Excel to organize revenue-tracking reports for all 8 AE's.10. Created the “virtual office” which enabled AE's to manage account files, download sale promos, and fill paperwork out electronically while out in the field. This was eventually adopted throughout the entire local retail department.11. Trained new AEs on the ordering process for ads.12. Part of a multiple award winning team that finished 105% to goal for 2008 fiscal year. 13. My Accolades: 2008 Support Person of the Year (Winner)4th Quarter 2008: Support Person of the Quarter (Nominated)3rd Quarter 2008: Support Person of the Quarter (Nominated)2nd Quarter 2008: Support Person of the Quarter (Nominated)1st Quarter 2008: Support Person of the Quarter (Winner)2007 Support Person of the Year (Winner)4th Quarter 2007: Support Person of the Quarter (Nominated)3rd Quarter 2007: Support Person of the Quarter (Winner)