Sajad Vafaei
Summary
PMP-certified Program Manager with 16+ years of experience leading digital transformation across IT, telecommunication, and enterprise platforms in EMEA. Managing large-scale budgets and directing cross-functional teams of 60+ professionals to deliver high-value outcomes. Proven track record of delivering a Fiber Network Management System for a Tier 1 service provider, turning around a failing Big Data program, and steering 20+ Agile projects supporting mobile operators. Recognized for aligning IT programs with business objectives, building stakeholder trust, and empowering teams to perform in complex international environments.
Overview
17
17
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Senior Program Manager - Customer Success and Delivery
Datalmpacts
04.2025 - Current
- Direct client onboarding for AI and Geo-Intelligence solutions across DACH and Nordics, defining business cases and delivery roadmaps aligned with contractual agreements.
- Enable sales success through demos, RFI/RFP support, and development of product portfolios, technical documentation, and customer-facing materials.
- Orchestrate international partners and vendor communications, securing favorable contracts and ensuring seamless delivery of integrated solutions.
- Cultivated strong relationships with 5 exclusive solution providers, maintaining transparent communications, driving effective collaboration on joint projects and initiatives.
- Negotiate contracts with vendors, ensuring favorable terms and conditions for organizational needs and with mutual fair cost.
- Coordinate workshops and industry events, including Oslo Tech Show and Frankfurt AI event, generating 12 qualified leads in collaboration with sales teams.
- Implement structured communication and reporting systems, strengthening stakeholder alignment, customer satisfaction, and long-term retention.
Senior Program Manager - Solution Delivery
Sys4it
04.2024 - 03.2025
- Directed a multi-disciplinary team to design architecture and deploy a secure Apache Hadoop data platform with compliance and security controls, reducing data compromise risk and boosting security compliance by 30%.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams (security, monitoring, QA, business analysts, data engineers, service management) to deliver a 99% SLA over 12 months.
- Developed a data governance framework and deployed a metadata catalog and lineage solution on Apache Atlas.
- Engaged C-level stakeholders and customer teams across digital, network, security, and IT service functions for a mobile operator with 45M+ active subscribers.
- Mentored 10+ junior project managers and team coordinators, upskilled team members, and strengthened capabilities and workplace culture.
- Drove continuous improvement through KPI reviews, optimizing workforce allocation and reducing excess capacity by 20%.
Senior IT Program Manager
SAEI Group
06.2022 - 03.2024
- Spearheaded the €2.6M end-to-end delivery of a Fiber Network Management System (FNMS) for a Tier 1 Internet provider, managing full lifecycle from initiation, to execution and billing.
- Oversaw 20+ concurrent Agile projects on a customized Jira platform by developing roadmaps, assessing feasibility, and translating initiatives into work packages, ensuring effective portfolio and risk management.
- Led a 65-member cross-functional data team delivering BI and Big Data programs, driving enhancements and new developments to align with customer needs and benefits realization objectives.
- Formed and managed a 15-member DevOps team (~300 man-days per sprint) under Agile Scrum, reducing end-user test rejections by 30% through continuous improvement practices.
Senior Project Manager
SAEI Group
10.2018 - 05.2022
- Revitalized a large-scale, at-risk Big Data program by re-baselining scope, schedule, and budget, securing €4.5M in revenue and closing a four-year overdue initiative.
- Delivered 12 concurrent projects with integrated schedules, budgets, and KPIs, while implementing enterprise-wide risk management frameworks with mitigation plans, risk registers, and reporting.
- Partnered with sales teams on 40+ opportunities, drafting proposals and achieving a 60% win rate, contributing to 25% YoY revenue growth.
- Recruited and onboarded 35 specialists, launching mentoring and training programs to strengthen team capability and long-term performance.
Network Rollout Technical Manager
SAEI Group
03.2014 - 09.2018
- Executed national rollout of base stations for two mobile operators, deploying 5,000+ 3G/4G sites and upgrading 1,800+ mobile sites from 2G to 3G/LTE, improving reliability and traffic KPIs.
- Managed site surveys, design, build, and quality control under waterfall methodology; recognized with Golden Vendor Award twice for delivery excellence.
- Delivered training programs to enhance staff competency and enforced HSE standards and regulatory compliance to ensure personnel safety and operational security.
Network Technical Engineer
YEP
03.2009 - 02.2014
- Served as Regional Lead for telecom site construction and modernization in Northwest regions, coordinating 12 teams.
- Installed and integrated 2,000+ microwave links and base stations, deployed core/switching infrastructure in 15+ data centers.
Education
Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering -
Urmia University
02.2009
Skills
- Program and Project Leadership: Program & Project Delivery, Governance, Strategic Planning, Portfolio/Scope Management, Risk Management, Change & Release Management, Benefits Realization, Continuous Improvement, KPI Tracking, OKRs
- Stakeholder and Business Engagement: Stakeholder and Vendor Management, C-Suite and Client Engagement, Customer Relationship Management, Pre-Sales Support (RFI/RFP, Solution Presentations), Training, Mentoring and Team Development
- Methods & Frameworks: Agile (Scrum/Kanban), Hybrid Delivery Models, PMI/PMP Standards, PRINCE2 Foundation, Software/Solution Development Life Cycle (SDLC), ITIL, Governance Frameworks
- Technical Domains: Enterprise Digital and Data Platforms (Hadoop, BI, Big Data), Data Analytics, Telecommunication, Geo-Intelligence, Fiber Optic Networks, Transmission Systems, IT and Network Infrastructure
- Tools & Platforms: Jira, Microsoft Project, Microsoft Office Suite, Power BI, Canva, Apollo
Certification
- Project Management Professional (PMP) | PMI – Dec 2020
- Agile Mindset and Scrum/Kanban Methodologies | Rastak – Mar 2019
- Enterprise Data Lake (EDL) and Hadoop Ecosystem | Subex – Jan 2021
- PRINCE2 Foundation | Udemy – July 2025
- Generative AI for Project Managers (GenAI) | PMI – Aug 2025
- Earned Value Project Management (EVPM) | Rastak – July 2020
Languages
Deutsch (A2-Progressing)
English (C1)
Persian (Native)
Timeline
Senior Program Manager - Customer Success and Delivery
Datalmpacts
04.2025 - Current
Senior Program Manager - Solution Delivery
Sys4it
04.2024 - 03.2025
Senior IT Program Manager
SAEI Group
06.2022 - 03.2024
Senior Project Manager
SAEI Group
10.2018 - 05.2022
Network Rollout Technical Manager
SAEI Group
03.2014 - 09.2018
Network Technical Engineer
YEP
03.2009 - 02.2014
Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering -
Urmia University
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