Ran Junaid
Program Lead
Columbia
Summary
AI & Technology Leader with extensive experience in managing and deploying AI-driven solutions in the tech industry. With a strong foundation in Computer Science, I've successfully led cross-functional teams to deliver innovative solutions for global enterprises across the healthcare, finance, and telecommunications sectors. My passion lies in leveraging AI to build smarter systems that drive efficiency and improve customer experiences. I take pride in my ability to manage complex projects from concept to completion, ensuring seamless execution and high-quality results.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
Work History
Associate Director
Afiniti
01.2025 - Current
- Led teams of up to [Number] personnel, supervising daily performance as well as training and improvement plans.
- Established strong relationships with key industry partners, creating mutually beneficial opportunities for growth and collaboration.
- Mentored junior staff members, providing guidance on professional development opportunities and career progression paths within the company.
- Identified and communicated customer needs to supply chain capacity and quality teams.
- Used industry expertise, customer service skills and analytical nature to resolve customer concerns and promote loyalty.
- Controlled resources and assets for department activities to comply with industry standards and government regulations.
- Cultivated positive rapport with fellow employees to boost company morale and promote employee retention.
- Evaluated employee performance and conveyed constructive feedback to improve skills.
- Leveraged data and analytics to make informed decisions and drive business improvements.
- Successfully managed budgets and allocated resources to maximize productivity and profitability.
- Established team priorities, maintained schedules and monitored performance.
- Set aggressive targets for employees to drive company success and strengthen motivation.
- Maintained compliance with industry regulations while adapting to changes in legislation or best practices as needed.
Senior Manager, Product Management & Delivery
Afiniti
10.2021 - 01.2025
- Led the end-to-end deployment of Afiniti Mega, the company’s flagship solution designed to handle 100,000+ concurrent calls for enterprise contact centers. Collaborated with DevOps, Telephony Engineers, Infrastructure teams, Network Engineers, and QA testers to optimize system performance, call routing, and high availability. Deployed Mega using Azure, Kubernetes, Docker, and Terraform.
- Executed cloud-based Proof of Concepts (PoCs) across global enterprises, ensuring seamless deployments:
- Sabio France & Embratel Brazil: Implemented Azure-based PoCs leveraging Kubernetes for service orchestration, F5 for load balancing, and Cisco NextGen Firewalls to enhance network performance and security.
- Claro Columbia & Web Help Turkey: Led strategic deployments, fostering strong stakeholder relationships to ensure PoC success.
- Led security & compliance initiatives, achieving PCI DSS & ISO 27001 certification for the Afiniti Mega platform, ensuring full compliance with industry security standards. Directed security patching efforts, collaborating with security teams and cloud architects to mitigate vulnerabilities and maintain a zero-downtime deployment strategy.
- Drove pre-sales and client engagement efforts, presenting Mega’s multi-channel capabilities to industry leaders globally.
- Partnered with business development teams to craft tailored business cases for enterprise clients.
- Conducted market research to track industry trends, competitor offerings, and emerging AI-driven solutions, optimizing Afiniti’s market positioning.
Program Manager, Digital Agent Solutions
Afiniti
08.2020 - 10.2021
- Led the development of a custom solution for United Health Care (UHC), enhancing digital agent capabilities by managing the entire project lifecycle from requirement gathering to final deployment, ensuring alignment with UHC’s operational needs and strategic goals.
- Directed a cross-functional team of scrum masters, developers, QA specialists, and architects, leading the integration of Afiniti’s intelligent solutions with Genesys systems to drive improved digital interactions.
- Implemented Agile methodologies to enhance flexibility and responsiveness, utilizing:
- Detailed project roadmaps, schedules, and Agile-specific work breakdown structures, ensuring progress tracking and on-time delivery.
- Sprint-based execution, optimizing efficiency and adapting to evolving project requirements.
- Drove innovation by setting a new standard for digital customer service solutions, with the UHC project’s success leading to its adoption by LivePerson, supporting 8,000 agents.
Technical Account Manager, Global Service Delivery
Afiniti
06.2019 - 07.2020
- Successfully managed the technical relationship with American Movil, Telcel Mexico, ensuring seamless operations, service delivery, and strong client engagement.
- Took full ownership of high-priority incidents, leading swift issue resolution efforts to minimize downtime and maintain uninterrupted Afiniti services.
- Led a team of Technical Support Engineers, overseeing system performance monitoring, troubleshooting technical issues, and ensuring reliable call routing.
- Implemented Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to enhance service quality, maintain system reliability, and streamline operations.
- Deployed Grafana-based monitoring systems to track real-time system health and signal integrity, enabling proactive issue detection and resolution.
- Managed and executed system and build upgrades, creating and implementing Method of Procedures (MOPs) to ensure smooth deployments with minimal disruptions.
- Developed and rolled out weekly performance reports, providing stakeholders with actionable insights into system stability, issue trends, and optimization opportunities.
- Ensured compliance with ITIL and ITSM frameworks, optimizing technical service management processes to improve operational efficiency and reduce downtime.
- Acted as a technical SME, mentoring junior Technical Account Managers (TAMs) and providing oversight on client escalations to ensure high-quality service delivery.
- Drove continuous improvement initiatives, advocating for standardized processes and enhanced system reliability across global service teams.
Project Manager, AI Behavioral Pairing
Afiniti
02.2018 - 06.2019
- Successfully managed multiple projects simultaneously by prioritizing tasks based on urgency, resource availability, and alignment with organizational goals across American Movil (Telcel Mexico), Claro Columbia, and Sprint.
- Planned, designed, and scheduled project phases for large-scale deployments, ensuring seamless execution and on-time delivery.
- Led the deployment of Afiniti’s Enterprise Behavioral Pairing (EBP) solution at American Movil, driving a 9% increase in digital upselling and cross-selling and enhancing customer retention by 12% through strategic planning and execution.
- Managed a critical IT system upgrade at Claro Columbia, coordinating vendor selection, cross-border team collaboration, and infrastructure integration while ensuring compliance with technical and operational standards.
- Implemented AI-driven solutions by integrating the EBP system with Genesys at Sprint, outperforming Genesys’ own predictive routing technology and significantly improving customer retention.
- Identified required resources and developed actionable plans to meet project objectives, ensuring smooth execution from initial scope to final delivery.
- Monitored project performance, identified areas for improvement, and adjusted workflows to enhance efficiency, leading to ahead-of-schedule project completions.
- Strengthened cross-functional collaboration by working closely with Telcel Mexico’s team, learning basic Spanish to improve communication and workflow efficiency, which contributed to faster project delivery.
- Handled logistics and technical deployments for Claro Columbia, successfully shipping configured systems internationally while navigating shipping regulations and customs processes.
Project Management Analyst, AI & Behavioral Pairin
Afiniti
12.2016 - 06.2018
- Led the deployment of Afiniti’s Enterprise Behavioral Pairing (EBP) solution at American Express, driving a 5% increase in Platinum and Gold card sales through strategic project management and innovation.
- Directed the implementation of SHA-2 encryption, significantly enhancing data security and protecting PII/ANI data across systems.
- Utilized advanced project management tools to streamline execution and improve efficiency:
- Created detailed project schedules and Gantt charts using MS Project, improving project tracking and execution.
- Managed task tracking and progress monitoring with Atlassian JIRA, enhancing team efficiency and milestone accuracy.
- Developed weekly performance reports and presentations using MS Office Tools and SQL, enabling data-driven strategic decision-making.
- Executed complex data analyses and performance tracking in MS Excel, supporting key project management functions.
- Executed Agile project management methodologies, including, Work breakdown structures, resource capacity planning, and sprint management, improving flexibility and team responsiveness.
- Engaged and collaborated with key stakeholders at American Express, delivering detailed presentations and reports to maintain strong professional relationships and ensure alignment with project objectives.
- Managed project budgets and resource allocation, optimizing costs and ensuring maximum project value and ROI.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Computer Science
Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institue
Topi 05.2001 -
Skills
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Strategic Consulting
Data-Driven Decision-Making
Workflow Optimization
Product Strategy Development
Strategic planning
Critical Analysis
Strategic Relationship Management
Coaching and mentoring
Timeline
Associate Director
Afiniti
01.2025 - Current
Senior Manager, Product Management & Delivery
Afiniti
10.2021 - 01.2025
Program Manager, Digital Agent Solutions
Afiniti
08.2020 - 10.2021
Technical Account Manager, Global Service Delivery
Afiniti
06.2019 - 07.2020
Project Manager, AI Behavioral Pairing
Afiniti
02.2018 - 06.2019
Project Management Analyst, AI & Behavioral Pairin
Afiniti
12.2016 - 06.2018
Bachelor of Science - Computer Science
Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institue
05.2001 -
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