Melody Playford

am experienced in technology and project/product leadership within well-known, high-growth organizations in the private sector, healthcare industry, and public sector. History of engineering right-fit solutions to accomplish tangible business outcomes while delivering innovation and maintaining daily operations. 

I embrace IT and business growth by assessing support decisions and budget trade-offs. I drive revenue by teaming with the business and championing change. I encourage transparent communication, eliminate silos, and devise solid strategies. By concentrating on the intersection of technology, strategy, and business, I can achieve competitive advantage and unparalleled results. 

I have led cross-matrixed teams of 300+ resources and $300 million budgets. I delivered multiple, concurrent large projects. Seamlessly liaise between stakeholders, colleagues, and professional staff to meet objectives and ever-changing priorities and needs. As a leader, I mentor and coach my direct reports and cross-functional teams while delivering a technical foundation to transform the organization’s ability to provide services to customers. 

As a visionary, I can see the big picture and identify opportunities to improve, develop roadmaps, and deliver solutions. My analytical and consultative skills allow me to transform shared vision into actionable insights and design platforms for matrixed organizations. Maximizing effectiveness and profitability by assuming ownership of enterprise-wide initiatives. 

My experience includes infrastructure, application development, product management, project management, and short- and long-term strategy. I have optimized system development and reimagined mission-critical applications. 

WHAT SETS ME APART?
✺ My innovation mindset and focus on the customer
✺ A talent for strategizing, executing, & collaborating on key corporate initiatives
✺ My passion for building talent, leveraging stretch assignments, evaluating staff ability, and mentoring others to achieve success

WHO AM I?
➨ Driven, focused, collaborative
➨ Trustworthy, consistent, professional, and easy to work with
➨ Good active listener & communicator

KEY COMPETENCIES:
Collaborative Cross-Functional Leadership | Strategic Planning & Tactical Execution | Project Management
Strategic Internal & External Relationships | Technology & Enterprise Information Management
Business & Operations Process Optimization | Developing High Performing Teams 
Transformation & Change Management | Customer-Centric Cultures & Solutions

Chief Information OfficerChief Information Officer

Hytrol · Oct 2021 - Present · 3 yrs 3 mos  Arkansas, United States · Arkansas, United States ·  

Driving Hytrol’s digital transformation to revolutionize operations and deliver enhanced value to customers. Focused on aligning technology with business goals through innovation, efficiency, and building a skilled modern workforce.

Key Achievements:
• Spearheaded the transition to a cloud-based infrastructure with Microsoft Azure, enhancing scalability, security, and operational efficiency.
• Implemented Agile Software Engineering practices to accelerate delivery and improve collaboration across teams.
• Deployed Microsoft Azure DevOps to streamline development workflows and enable continuous integration and deployment.
• Introduced product management frameworks to prioritize internal customer needs, align technology development with business objectives, and deliver measurable value.
• Led AI initiatives, including:
o Engineering Automation and Configuration to streamline processes and reduce time-to-market.
o Bill of Material Accuracy and Audits to enhance precision and reduce errors using machine learning.
• Built a comprehensive Data Lake to centralize data and enable advanced analytics and decision-making.
• Directing the implementation of Epicor Kinetic ERP, transitioning from a legacy AS400 system to modernize and standardize business processes.
• Established a robust analytics ecosystem, fostering a data-driven culture organization-wide.
•M Cultivated a modern, skilled technology talent pool to support digital transformation and ensure long-term success.

Passionate about leveraging technology, product management, and innovative practices to support Hytrol’s vision and core values while maintaining leadership in the conveyor solutions industry.

Missouri Southern State University