Greece

Product Design

Customer Experience (CX)

Generalist Product Management

Technical Product Management

Growth Product Management

Data Product Management

Platform Product Management

Group Product Management

Product Marketing

Program Management

Project Management

UX Testing

UX Research

Business Transformation

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

Diploma (MEng equivalent)

Manolis Kokolakis

Head of Product

Public Speaking

Communication

Collaboration

Problem-solving

Time management

Critical-thinking

Empathy

Team player

Organisation skills

Presentation skills

Customer service

Conflict resolution

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Project management

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Advanced data analytics

Postman

Workable

Zapier

Amplitude

Figma

Google Data Studio

Hotjar

Google Analytics

PowerBI

REST API

Hibob

BambooHR

Mural

Tips for transitioning into a new role or company.

Changing roles

Strategies for maximizing your design internship or co-op program.

Getting the most out of my internship

How to successfully prepare and position yourself for a job promotion?

How to get promoted

How to ask for a promotion and negotiate for salary raise?

Negotiating a job offer

How to think about design career paths and what progression looks like for designers?

Design career path

Learn the career path and progression for product managers.

Product management career path

Practice HR, technical and behavioural interviews with mentors.

Practice mock interviews

Get actionable feedback on your resume or portfolio.

Resume and portfolio review

Learn the best ways to answer technical interview questions with frameworks

Acing technical interview questions

Talk to people who've broken into the tech industry and learn their stories.

Breaking into tech

Steps to building and maintaining a strong, cohesive and effective team.

Building an effective team

How to create a positive workplace culture that drives collaboration and productivity?

Fostering a good team culture

Understanding factors that lead to a motivated team - recognition, communication and more.

Keeping team members motivated

Learn the tips to successfully manage a team in a remote environment.

Managing a remote team

Understand the process of training, motivating and directing your team members.

Managing people

How to maintain trust, commitment, accountability deliver results while handling conflict

Avoiding common dysfunctions

How to determine what is a good balance of skill sets for your organization's needs

Building balanced teams

How to identify star candidates, evaluate technical ability, and close hires

Hiring software engineers

Decision making as a software engineer or lead - how to become better at making the right choices

Making better tech choices

Talk to people who have learned to manage their imposter syndrome.

Dealing with imposter syndrome

Learn essential burnout prevention techniques and replenish physical and emotional energy.

Managing burnout

Making remote and globally distributed teams work for you and your needs.

Working remotely

Navigating micro-aggression, getting paid what you are worth and finding a community.

Being a woman in tech

Introduce yourself, define mentoring expectations and goals. Learn and grow together.

General mentorship

How to set up the team for success by defining and measuring team's performance.

Choosing metrics and team goals

Ways to provide constructive feedback to team members.

Giving effective feedback

Learn how to properly present your work and share ideas and opinions.

Presenting your work with impact

Manage team expectations and get the most out of your meetings.

Running effective meetings

How to work with team members with different skill sets but towards a common goal?

Working cross-functionally

Managing being the only designer at your company and working with non-designers.

Being the only designer

Methods and models of exploring, deciding and delivering design.

Building a design process

Ways and resources to improve your design skills.

Improving design skills

Best practices for running productive design critiques.

Running effective design critiques

Navigating the working relationship with PM's and engineers as a designer.

Working with product and engineering

How to conduct interviews, what to ask, and how to analyze your results? (eg. user interview)

Conducting effective customer interviews

Explore different generative and evaluative research techniques. User research synthesis and presentation.

Conducting good user research

How to create personas, and leverage them in design.

Creating and leveraging user personas

Methods of prototyping and solution validation. When to use which kind of prototype (eg. Webflow, Notion, etc)

Prototyping methods and tips

How to define an ambitious product vision and how to best communicate it to stakeholders?

Creating a product vision

Identify and define potential product problems and generating possible solutions.

Identifying problems vs solutions

How to define and execute a successful launch and managing stakeholders expectations. (eg. MVP)

Launching new products or features

How to set up product analytics and metrics to track success?

Leveraging Product Analytics

What is a successful user onboarding flow and how to achieve it?

Onboarding new users

Tips on how to work and collaborate with designers.

Working with designers

Tips on how to work and collaborate with engineers and developers.

Working with engineers

Best practices for documenting projects, epics, and stories

Writing product requirement documents

Adobe Creative Suite

Adobe Illustrator

Adobe Photoshop

Adobe XD

Affinity

Adobe After Effects

Ahref

Airflow

Airtable

Apache Spark

Asana

Autocad

Axure

Balsamiq

BigML

Blender

Bravo

BrightHire

Bubble

Buffer

Bullhorn

Canva

ChatGPT

Carrd

CircleCI

Compa

Confluence

Crazy Egg

D3.js

Databricks

Datapeople

Docker

Facebook Ads

Framer

GitHub

GitLab

Glassdoor

Glide

Golang (Go)

Google Ads

Grayscale

Greenhouse

HTML

HubSpot

Geekbot is a personal assistant for your team operations in Slack/MS Teams that facilitates asynchronous team collaboration. 

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→ Led a team of POs (2 FTEs), SM (1 FTE) during e2e ideation, design & delivery of features in five (5) AI-based Intelligence & Data visualization SaaS tools (equipped w/ Machine Learning, NLP) that support the tender process -from discovery to winning to tracking results– for B2B Pharma Companies
→ Drove a QoQ product roadmap & its planning & work with the rest Business Stakeholders to define a Go-to-Market strategy for 2 new B2B Product offerings
→ Led the development of cutting-edge Search AI & Generative AI tech, including advanced search engines significantly enhancing product performance & CXP in a B2B SaaS env.
→ Practical experience in managing cross-functional teams to deliver AI-powered products, leveraging deep knowledge of AI and Machine Learning to guide product strategy, improve search relevance and enhance Natural Language understanding capabilities across diverse SaaS apps

→ Mentor & lead a team of POs (5 FTEs), PMs (1 FTE), PDs (4 FTEs) & PAssistants (4 FTEs) during e2e ideation, design & delivery of new S/W features
→ Define product vision, metrics & build consensus on prioritisation for a new product suite: i) Job board (marketplace) (~500k unique Monthly users), ii) ATS & iii) HRMS
→ Analyse the impact of various Greek/world competitors & constantly test product-market fit
→ Drive a yearly product roadmap & its planning & work with Marketing & Business teams to define a Go-to-Market strategy
→ Identify the most suitable methods to gather, measure & analyse results & prioritise & communicate my product roadmap
→ Explore opportunities for new features, new business models or M&As & engage C-level leadership/stakeholders to align on priorities

→ Lead my 5-person scrum team in the whole process of 3rd party integrations (via API or XML) across Booking Marketplaces/3rd party Listing sites in all Blueground Markets
→ Develop the product roadmap via using OKRs & build consensus on prioritisation which drives the product execution about new online Booking channel integrations
→ Monitor and suggest updates/improvements on managing % of the online Booking channels automatically in order to effectively reach the global market (US & EMEA)
→ Design & lead the implementation of algorithms that optimize the revenues having as a main KPI the Online deals from channels as % of total
→ Automate the heavy manual BAU processes in order to reduce runnings costs from the Marketing team & on the same time increase the overall business efficiency of my product area
→ Deliver automated solutions on all important 3rd party channels for uploading/updating listings' info

→ Lead my 7-person scrum team of full stack engineers & designers in the whole process of S/W development
→ Lead the ideation, research, design, development and launch of user-centric features addressed to the company’s central S/W hub
→ Develop product artefacts incl. Product Briefs, Product Requirement Documents (PRDs), wireframes, prototypes, user maps/journeys, process flows
→ Develop the product roadmap & build consensus on prioritisation which drives product execution for the company’s internal S/W platform
→ Work with my UI/UX team to rebuild some of the product features for better usability and CX
→ Communicate with my internal stakeholders about the product status, release notes and release dates
→ Ensure whether the under development features met customer requirements and provide feedback to my dev team
→ Define and analyse metrics that inform product success & establish a shared product vision and strategy for my product area
→ Organize Kick-off meetings & build consensus around the feature amongst the involved PED members 

Technical Tools & S/W: Atlassian suite (JIRA & Confluence), BDD, ProductBoard, Miro, LucidChart, Trello, Google Drive, Google draw.io, Skitch, Balsamiq, UML

→ Created Feature requirements in the forms of Epics, Themes & User Stories and provided the AC and ensure the Dev team is clear about the goal of each story. 
→ Backlog management, iteration planning & elaboration of the User Stories 
→ Led the Planning Product release plans & set the expectations for the delivery of new Software Features addressed to Apps that communicate with each other via RabbitMQ messaging broker 
→ Produced key documents for my Product Roadmap (related to the development of BackEnd code on Elixir/C#.NET & FrontEnd coding on Angular) including new Software Features, Project Plans & guidelines
→ Established and managed expectations within the business & drive my 7-person Scrum Team to achieve those expectations to a high standard
→ Provided vision & direction to my Development team throughout each Project's lifecycle
→ Act as an ambassador for my Product internally/externally & as the primary Technical contact for queries related to my Products' area & their business value
→ Participated in all Scrum ceremonies & worked closely with key Agile team members to ensure consistent & best-practice Agile processes and principles
→  Ensured that my Scrum team runs efficiently at a sustainable pace & with effective co-operation & delivers quality S/W according to the set specifications
→  Defined the sprint goals for each sprint and ensured my dev team has sufficient backlog to work on for the successive sprints
→ Defined Agile adoption & performance metrics for my team, monitor, assess & report them regularly & identified areas for improvement

Technical Tools & S/W: Atlassian Suite (JIRA & Confluence), BDD, LucidChart, Trello, Google Drive, Google draw.io, Skitch, UML

→ Responsible for the management & delivery process of Marketing & Technical initiatives in Voice Core Service domain
→ Lead as Engineering Demand & Delivery Manager the Projects relevant to Voice Core Network evolution
→ Provide the framework of the Project delivery starting from translating the High Level solution into detailed specifications, HLD finetuning, LLD  preparation, UAT testing, live features’ activation, rollout & project closure
→ Orchestrate the relocation of Network Functions to generic NFV servers (Network Function Virtualization) as a future deployment for Voice Core Network that reduces the CAPEX, OPEX, Space & Power consumption while accelerates the Time-to-Market of new services
→ Act as a Delivery Manager for the new Voice Quality Improvements' analysis & the required Software Feature developments that improve Customer Experience & Network KPIs
→ Combine Technical Knowledge with Project Management skills & act as a primary contact for translating high-level technical designs into solution analysis & deployment inside multicultural teams
→ Ensure that the new projects are delivered on time, within budget & meet the agreed scope while all targets are achieved
→ Launched S/W Upgrades that lead the Vodafone Voice network to be #1 Greek MNO during 2017 Quality Benchmark Campaign

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→  Technical Lead of Projects rollout like High Definition Voice, CYTA MVNO, e-Call 112, International Carriers & Cloud Infrastructure deployments
→  Delivery Manager of new functionalities' deployment (e.g. Voice Core Pool, 4G Voice) & different Platforms’ integration (e.g. VoiceMail, PrePay, IVR, SMS-C)
→  Orchestrated the Voice Core Network evolution strategy & supervise its’ planning rollout in alignment with the framework stated by Vodafone Group
→  Designed new Voice Network projects & closely monitored their service development by driving internal resources & external vendors 
→ Act as an Engineering Delivery Manager for the integration of International Voice Connect Network Carrier via SIP
→  Provided detailed level progress & status reports according to Project requirements & also was a point of Technical coordination
→ Plan the steps for VoiceMail, IVR & Mobile ONENET services' migration from Voice Core side & ensure zero incidents during BAU configuration activities
→ Specified functional requirements of Voice Core Network applications & translated them into technical specifications

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→ Integrated new Voice Core Network's nodes according to design requirements
→  Supervised the new Voice Core Elements integration & performed their Hardware Acceptance & Software Functionality Testing
→  Managed the Hardware & Software upgrade procedures, hands on testing & user acceptance processes of new applications &/or features
→  Headed Radio Nodes capacity planning, design & specifications’ preparation under Vodafone-WIND Radio Sharing Project
→ Participated in the activities related to 2G/3G/4G Network configuration & Testing 
→ Performed the Hardware and Functional Acceptance of new Ericsson AXE Nodes
→ Lead the relocation procedure of Voice Core elements & performed their H/W acceptance & Functionality Testing
→ Investigate & propose actions to improve Network resiliency & Service Quality

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→ Supervised the deployment of additional Enhanced Software Features in support of new Technical or Marketing requirements leading to Network simplification
→ Planned & verified the installation of new Features & Functionalities
→ Contributed to budget updates, local suppliers’ management & proposed the most efficient investment options during budgeting process
→ Plan activities with regards to SCM Purchase Offers' issuing towards vendors according to each domain's requirements
→  Owned different kind of Reports (e.g. Voice Core KPIs, Finance Interconnection/Accounting, Reconciliation Data) & simplified their creation on a weekly/monthly basis

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→ Configured various Voice Core elements e.g. MSC-Server, MGW, HLR/AUC, GMSC/Transit Server from integration point of view
→ Participated in the System Hardware & Software upgrade procedures (preparation, auditing & implementation of new application systems into the network)
→ Performed integration testing between MGW & MSC/GMSC nodes
→ Undertook the First Site Implementations (FSI) of new elements & verified functionalities
→ Contributed to other projects driven by Commercial, Regulatory or other Regional Vertical groups

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→ Participated in the proposal "Energy efficiency measures in the Municipality of Voula, Attica" (2009-2010) that was financed by the Programme "EXOIKONOMO"  -offered by the Ministry of Development of Greece- of the operational programme "Competitiveness and Entrepreneurship" for the period 2007-2013 | National Strategic Reference Framework (ESPA), 2007-2013

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→ Responding and ensuring optimum delivery of service to customer inquiries via the telephone, e-mail, fax or on-line web chat 
→ Delivering proposals for prospective customers

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→ Delivery of remedial courses for
the lesson "Special Electrical Installations" addressed to "Electricians of Installations in Buildings and Industrial Spaces" specialty

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Manolis Kokolakis🇬🇷

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