Polina Valchanova-Metodieva

Dynamic professional with strong experience in people management, strategic planning, and project delivery. Proven leader in building, developing, and motivating high‑performing teams, fostering engagement, accountability, and a collaborative culture. Skilled in setting and tracking KPIs, aligning team performance with business objectives, and driving continuous improvement. Experienced in project management and data analysis, with a solid understanding of Salesforce to support decision‑making and operational efficiency. Recognized for influential communication, stakeholder management, and effective conflict resolution. Passionate about coaching, mentoring, and developing talent while enhancing customer service through innovative, people‑centric solutions. Committed to leveraging leadership and strategic expertise to optimize organizational performance and drive sustainable growth.

05/2016 – 07/2016 

• Played a key role in the successful implementation and stabilization of a large‑scale operational project

• Streamlined and documented processes, ensuring clear structure and consistency across operations

• Delivered training to a large portion of the team and supported execution over several months

• Overseen subcontractor performance tracking, ensuring alignment with customer expectations through proactive follow‑ups

• Managed escalations and engaged directly with customer management to resolve critical issues

• Participated in daily coordination calls with HP, ensuring alignment and smooth project execution

• Contributed to the transition and integration of the project into ongoing Control Center operations

• Ensured the project became a sustainable, core operational responsibility with stable performance

02/2018 – 12/2018

• Contributed to the successful implementation of an operational project, supporting both pre‑ and post‑go‑live phases

• Participated actively in end‑to‑end testing, representing the RMC team and ensuring operational readiness

• Collaborated closely with Dell and IBM project managers, field managers, and developers, ensuring strong cross‑stakeholder alignment

• Defined and documented operational procedures to support the new process and ensure consistency

• Supported project stabilization by working directly on operations during the critical first month after go‑live

• Identified process gaps and improvement opportunities, contributing to enhanced performance and efficiency

• Trained and onboarded three team members, ensuring effective knowledge transfer and continuity

• Successfully handed over operations post‑stabilization, ensuring the team was fully equipped to manage ongoing activities

03/2018 – 10/2018

• Organized and facilitated regular cross‑team meetings with the EMEA IBM SPO parts transportation team to review operational challenges, ensure process compliance and reduce costs

• Drove alignment across teams by addressing process gaps and inconsistencies through structured discussions and follow‑up actions

• Identified gaps in process awareness and execution, enabling corrective actions in collaboration with relevant stakeholders

• Promoted cross‑team collaboration and best practice sharing to improve operational efficiency and consistency

• Strengthened communication and alignment across geographically distributed teams supporting European markets

• Coordinated and hosted an on‑site meeting in Sofia, bringing together Control Tower and local Team Leaders and SMEs

• Enhanced regional collaboration, knowledge sharing, and operational alignment through face‑to‑face engagement initiatives

12/2019 – 02/2020 

• Selected to support onboarding of a newly established Lenovo PC RMC team, leveraging prior experience in PC project implementations

• Designed and delivered comprehensive training covering core RMC processes and Lenovo/RCMS B2B workflows

• Ensured effective knowledge transfer by providing practical guidance and strong operational context

• Built team readiness and confidence to handle new activities independently

• Supported smooth transition of responsibilities to project managers following the onboarding phase

• Ensured successful handover, with the team fully equipped to manage ongoing operations autonomously

02/2020 – 09/2020 

• Played a key role in the global transition of IBM toward Salesforce, supporting change management within the team and across stakeholder groups

• Prepared and guided the team through adoption of new processes, tools, and an entirely new operating model, ensuring continuity of operations

• Acted as T3 and France Super User, developing deep system expertise and driving knowledge transfer across teams

• Participated in cross‑functional coordination meetings, ensuring alignment, readiness, and smooth collaboration among stakeholders

• Conducted regular system testing, identifying issues and driving resolution through internal case management and follow‑up

• Supported a smooth transition during both pre‑ and post‑go‑live phases through close coordination with multiple teams

• Monitored performance, identified risks, and contributed to mitigation strategies to ensure successful implementation

• Supported B2B connection testing with suppliers, ensuring operational readiness and system integration

• Strengthened resilience, problem‑solving, and change leadership capabilities while managing a large‑scale transformation

01/2024 – 10/2024  
• Led AI and RPA initiatives within the Control Center Sofia, identifying and implementing automation opportunities across operations

• Delivered measurable efficiency gains by leveraging AI‑driven solutions and intelligent automation

• Drove process optimization and service performance improvements through innovative, technology‑enabled approaches

• Founded and led an internal AI Community to promote adoption and knowledge sharing across the organization

• Organized employee‑led training sessions and hands‑on workshops to enhance AI understanding and practical application

• Enabled Upskilling and increased awareness of automation capabilities, supporting a culture of continuous improvement and innovation