Karen Kral
Summerville,SC
Summary
- Pursuing full-time role that presents professional challenges and leverages interpersonal skills, effective time management, and problem-solving expertise.
- Innovative technology professional with more than 25 years of diverse experience. Skilled in enhancing systems and aligning technical solutions with business objectives. Proven success in leading projects from start to finish and contributing to organizational growth and success.
- Detail-oriented individual with exceptional communication and project management skills. Proven ability to handle multiple tasks effectively and efficiently in fast-paced environments. Recognized for taking proactive approach to identifying and addressing issues, with focus on optimizing processes and supporting team objectives.
- Initiative-taking and goal-oriented professional with excellent time management and critical thinking skills. Known for reliability and adaptability, with swift capacity to learn and apply new skills. Committed to leveraging these qualities to drive team success and contribute to organizational growth.
- Demonstrates strong analytical, communication, and teamwork skills, with proven ability to quickly adapt to new environments. Eager to contribute to team success and further develop professional skills. Brings positive attitude and commitment to continuous learning and growth.
- Experienced project manager with more than 6 years of professional leadership, prepared to guide teams effectively. Strong focus on collaboration and achieving results, ensuring adaptability with changing needs. Proficient in project management, conflict resolution, and strategic planning. Reliable and flexible, fostering cohesive and productive team environment. Comfortable using the Agile and SCRUM framework within simple and complex projects.
- Team-oriented professional prepared to take on leadership responsibilities with focus on driving results and fostering collaboration. Proven success in managing teams, overseeing project execution, and adapting to dynamic work environments. Known for reliability, flexibility, and strong organizational skills, ensuring seamless team operations and achievement of goals.
- Organized Team Leader of more than three years, builds positive rapport, inspire trust and guide teams toward achievement of organizational goals. Strong facilitator adept at working cross-departmentally with co-management and top-level leadership. Excellent trainer and mentor.
- Team Leader experienced in directing activities of workgroups. Develops strategies, provides training, sets goals and obtains team feedback. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills. Big picture focus with excellence in communicating goals and vision to succeed. Problem solver, networker, and consensus builder.
- Experienced with leading teams to achieve project goals through effective management and strategic planning. Utilizes strong organizational and communication skills to foster collaboration and drive performance. Track record of successfully overseeing project execution and adapting to dynamic work environments.
- Business Analyst with more than 14 years of experience, skilled in data-driven decision-making, and process optimization. Strong focus on team collaboration and delivering impactful results. Reliable in adapting to changing needs while leveraging skills in stakeholder management, requirement gathering, and strategic planning. Recognized for analytical thinking, problem-solving abilities, and effective communication.
- Experienced with data analysis, process improvement, and stakeholder engagement. Utilizes analytical skills to identify inefficiencies and recommend solutions that drive business success. Knowledge of project management principles and methodologies.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Salesforce Team Lead / Sr Business Analyst / Sr QA Tester
Globe Life Insurance
06.2022 - 12.2025
- Led team of up to 10 software developers in achieving operational targets through effective coaching and performance management.
- Managed team priorities, initiatives, and resources, onboarding, and mentoring team members, and promoting their career development.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure software met functional requirements, leading to successful product releases and to streamline workflows, improving interdepartmental coordination, and achieving business goals collectively.
- Collaborated with management to develop and drive strategic initiatives aligned with company objectives.
- Coordinated releases to ensure that code was safely released into Production environments without error. Conducted root cause analysis on defects to improve development processes and product quality. Supported post-release activities including troubleshooting customer-reported issue and coordinating with the development team for quick resolutions.
- Coordinated user acceptance testing (UAT) sessions with stakeholders to validate system readiness.
- Created detailed documentation for business requirements, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
- Facilitated requirement-gathering sessions with stakeholders to define project scope and objectives, resulting in clear project objectives and deliverables.
- Functioned as the Subject Matter Expert for applications and platforms that my team were responsible for and provided support for both upstream and downstream applications.
- Led cross-functional teams for successful project execution while maintaining strong collaboration among team members, to enhance operational efficiency and achieve project goals, and to analyze business processes and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Managed risks and mitigated potential issues through proactive planning, monitoring, and timely decision making. Maintained positive customer relations by addressing problems head-on and implementing successful corrective actions.
- Managed stakeholder expectations through transparent communication and timely status updates, ensuring alignment between project deliverables and business objectives throughout the project lifecycle.
- Operated under Agile and Scrum frameworks to complete releases and well-organized sprints. Participated in agile development processes, contributing effectively to sprint planning and daily stand-up meetings.
- Performed risk assessments on potential projects to determine feasibility and viability before moving forward with implementation plans.
- Provided reports to stakeholders that included a variety of metrics and progress reports to all stakeholders and leadership. Monitored and tracked the progress of each project, communicated project status and issues, and supported all phases of testing.
- Provided strategic direction, coordination and tracking of Salesforce organization priority projects and large-scale Salesforce projects that involved both internal and external customers. Created project plans and schedules for application development, enhancement testing, and maintenance efforts.
- Reviewed technical documentation such as user guides and release notes for accuracy and clarity prior to distribution amongst end users.
- Conducted thorough regression testing of previous builds to verify bug fixes and maintain application stability. Provided timely feedback to developers on identified issues, enabling rapid resolution of bugs before launch deadlines.
- Developed detailed test cases and scripts for functional, regression, and performance testing. Led comprehensive test plans to ensure software quality and functionality across applications. Documented testing procedures for developers and future testing use.
- Managed bug tracking systems efficiently, ensuring all issues were logged, prioritized, and resolved in a timely manner. Monitored resolution of bugs, tested fixes, and helped developers tackle ongoing problems by providing QA perspective.
Technical Consultant / Project Manager & Lead / Engagement Delivery Consultant
Salesforce / Acumen Solutions
12.2020 - 07.2021
- Analyzed client feedback to identify areas for service improvement, leading to enhanced service offerings and client retention.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to complete complex projects on time and within budget constraints, meeting or exceeding project requirements.
- Conducted comprehensive needs analysis to identify client requirements and tailor technical solutions accordingly.
- Contributed to the continuous improvement of internal processes by sharing insights, suggestions, and lessons learned from past experiences with peers and management.
- Coordinated with software developers to tailor applications to client-specific requirements, ensuring maximum usability and satisfaction.
- Created comprehensive documentation detailing technical specifications, system configurations, procedures, and user guides for reference purposes both internally and externally for clients.
- Enhanced project management skills by defining and presenting system solutions and timelines for business needs or technical problems.
- Facilitated training sessions for clients, empowering them to leverage Salesforce features effectively for their needs.
- Implemented Agile methodologies to enhance team collaboration and stakeholder engagement while improving project flexibility and delivery timelines.
- Implemented security protocols to protect sensitive data from unauthorized access or breaches.
- Increased client retention rate by building strong relationships through effective communication, understanding their goals, and delivering tailored technology solutions.
- Led implementation of Salesforce solutions to optimize client operations and drive business growth.
- Managed multiple projects simultaneously while prioritizing deadlines effectively under pressure through meticulous organization skills and time management.
- Onboarded and mentored new team members to ensure continuity with project work.
- Optimized resource allocation, significantly reducing project completion times and increasing client satisfaction.
- Participated in industry conferences, workshops, or seminars for professional development opportunities that enhanced expertise as a Technical Consultant.
- Performed Scrum ceremonies including Daily Stand-Ups, Sprint Planning, Backlog Grooming, Sprint Retrospective and Release Management for 3-week Sprint Cycles.
- Provided post implementation support for the Salesforce platform and resolved deployment issues with development and configuration teams.
- Responsible for providing updates to stakeholders and teams, and met with various audiences to discuss progress, requirements, deployment, etc.
- Solicited business and technical requirements for acceptance criteria, created user stories and ensured requirements were met as specified in given documentation.
- Streamlined communication processes between departments, enhancing transparency and accountability in projects.
- Successfully managed multiple projects simultaneously by prioritizing tasks according to urgency, resource availability, and alignment with organizational goals.
Solutions Consultant/Project Lead Solutions Consultant/Project Lead
Envision Physician Services (via Data Fusions Specialists)
03.2018 - 08.2019
- Functioned as a functional liaison between business and IT teams to facilitate technology platform integration in hospitals and healthcare systems.
- Served as the technical liaison, facilitating effective communication and collaboration between business units and technical teams.
- Supported the design and rollout of system improvements to address customer requirements, optimize production processes, and produce necessary documentation for up to 6 facilities at a time (each facility ran as their own project).
- Provided comprehensive support during go-live, solution implementation, ongoing assistance, and transitional service phases.
- Facilitated weekly standup meetings to obtain team progress updates, identify obstacles, and proactively resolve any roadblocks.
- Met with stakeholders and subject matter experts to identify, analyze & understand user, business and system requirements for implementation and maintenance projects.
- Executed tests including Smoke, Regression, Functional, Compatibility, and User Interface to ensure quality.
- Led implementation of EHR systems to streamline patient data management and improve workflow efficiency.
- Developed training materials for staff on software tools, enhancing user proficiency and reducing onboarding time.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to identify process improvements, resulting in enhanced operational effectiveness.
- Provided ongoing support for software applications, resolving issues promptly to minimize downtime for users.
- Mentored junior consultants, fostering skill development and promoting knowledge sharing within the team.
- Drove strategic initiatives that aligned technology solutions with organizational goals, facilitating growth and innovation.
- Delivered high-quality presentations and demonstrations, showcasing the value of proposed solutions to prospective clients.
- Coordinated support responses to customer issues, verifying closure of concerns and correction of deficiencies.
- Developed and maintained long-term relationships with clients, fostering strong service bonds and encouraging return patronage.
- Developed post-sale technical processes for installation and technical support.
- Managed complex projects from inception to completion, ensuring timely delivery and meeting all client requirements.
- Increased client satisfaction by analyzing client needs and providing tailored solutions based on individual needs and industry trends.
- Provided expert guidance and support throughout the implementation process, resolving any technical issues promptly and efficiently.
- Worked closely with senior leadership to complete projects and solve complex issues on strict schedules and budgets.
- Troubleshot incidents reported by end-users to schedule system changes and identify permanent solutions.
- Offered input for complex documents to support client-ready final versions.
- Developed and implemented process improvements to enhance operational efficiency.
- Coordinated project timelines, resources, and deliverables for successful outcomes.
- Facilitated clear communication between internal departments, ensuring all parties remained aligned on goals throughout the duration of each project.
- Partnered with project team members to identify and quickly address problems.
- Ensured timely delivery of critical deliverables by closely monitoring progress against milestones and adjusting plans as necessary.
- Enhanced client satisfaction by consistently delivering high-quality projects within budget and on schedule.
Education
MBA - Project Management
Strayer University
Washington, DC01.2013
BBA - Information Technology
Bryant & Stratton College
Parma, OH01.2011
Associate of Science - Information Technology Programming
Bryant & Stratton College
Parma, OH01.2001
Skills
- Results-driven solution delivery
- Detail-oriented problem solver
- Agile project leadership
- Analytical thinking
- Salesforce Financial Services
- SQL / SOQL
- JIRA / ServiceNow / Azure DevOps
- MS Word Excel, Outlook, and Teams
Certification
Scrum Master Certification (April 2022)
Timeline
Salesforce Team Lead / Sr Business Analyst / Sr QA Tester
Globe Life Insurance
06.2022 - 12.2025
Technical Consultant / Project Manager & Lead / Engagement Delivery Consultant
Salesforce / Acumen Solutions
12.2020 - 07.2021
Solutions Consultant/Project Lead Solutions Consultant/Project Lead
Envision Physician Services (via Data Fusions Specialists)
03.2018 - 08.2019
MBA - Project Management
Strayer University
BBA - Information Technology
Bryant & Stratton College
Associate of Science - Information Technology Programming
Bryant & Stratton College