Maria Sokolova

About Maria Sokolova

SUMMARYI am a team lead in Operations Program and Project Management, with over 15 years of experience in progressively responsible positions with Cisco Systems. I foster high performing teams and maximize operational efficiency in highly complex cross-functional environments. I have built a career track record of valuable contributions to key programs and initiatives, including a measurable impact on strategic billion-dollar sales solutions and on enterprise processes and systems. Trusted leader with experience in managing direct reports and contractors effectively; successful program manager on cross-functional teams of up to 100. Exceptional relationship builder who fosters collaboration and communication among team members, stakeholders, and executive leadership. Respected mentor and coach who provides guidance and support for career development and growth Skilled process designer who defines large complex processes, drives adoption, and navigates teams through change. Effective facilitator who leads process workshops, leadership sprints, and other communication vehicles to unify efforts:Enterprise Transformation Governance; Program Management; Team Building & Leadership; Mentoring & Coaching; Budget Planning & Administration; Team Training & Development; Change Leadership; Strategic Partnerships; SOX Compliance; Capability Design & Enablement; Stakeholder Management & Engagement; Performance Management/Constructive Feedback; Control Design, Implementation, & Testing; Financial Planning & Analysis; Forecasting & Modeling; Management Reporting :Jira Align, Jira Software, Aha, Smartsheet, SharePoint, Essbase, MS Office Suite

Experience

1. Leader, Project and Program Management Commerce Experiences

   Cisco

   Jan 2021 — Present

   Total Tenure: 2001 to Present. As Leader, Project and Program Management, I lead the team that provides comprehensive support for the Sales Ops work portfolio of Cisco Buying Programs, representing $6B in annual bookings and 35% of total Cisco software. My team provided data-driven governance for a team of 100 product managers and owners, overseeing portfolio data and reporting as well as leadership activities involving VPs, Directors, and Senior Managers. Among the team\'s achievements:Built the work portfolio data model from scratch, integrating central and internal attributes essential for day-to-day processes. Managed database,~100 customized reports and governance trackers.Directed team of 100 through multiple overhauls of capability enablement process/data model for Cisco Operations. Investigated and documented process, designed and taught live training, drove adoption with team, facilitated leadership cadences for ongoing execution.Documented and maintained internal operating model and processes for Product Manager and Product Owner team, including continual live training, job aids portal, and direct individual support.

Education

• The University of Chicago Booth School of Business

  Master of Business Administration - MBA

• Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU)

  Master of Science - MS, Quantitative Economics

Skills

• Essbase
• Corporate Fp&a
• Sox
• Program Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Forecasting
• Financial Analysis
• Finance
• Stakeholder Management
• Process Improvement
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Cross-Functional Coordination
• Financial Modeling
• Business Process Improvement
• Analysis
• Business Transformation
• Revenue Recognition
• Strategic Financial Planning
• Mentoring
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Risk Assessment
• Sarbanes-Oxley Act
• Hyperion Enterprise
• Business Process Design
• Variance Analysis
• Communication
• Project Management
• Acquisition Integration
• Enterprise Resource Planning (Erp)
• Team Building
• Internal Financial Reporting
• Internal Controls