Curriculum vitae

Stepan Manookian

IT Project Manager

Dubai, UAE stepan@manookian.de
Portrait of Stepan Manookian

Overview

Results-driven IT Project Manager with a robust background in software development and over 12+ years of driving complex projects to successful completion. Demonstrates exceptional analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, coupled with a proven ability to lead and inspire multinational teams. Adept at leveraging Agile methodologies to optimize project workflows and deliver high-quality solutions that align with client objectives. Committed to continuous performance improvement, fostering strong client relationships, and exceeding project goals within and budget constraints

Experience

01/22 — present

IT MANAGEMENT, CONSULTING & FULL-STACK DEVELOPMENT

Manookian LLC, Dubai, UAE

MANAGEMENT AND CONSULTING

  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of both the business and technical requirements of clients by working closely with stakeholders to define project objectives, requirements, and success criteria.
  • Lead the planning, execution, monitoring and delivery of project development, including scope definition, resource allocation, and timeline management.
  • Identify and mitigate project risks, issues, and dependencies, and develop contingency plans as needed.Prepare Risk log report.
  • Project Delivery processes set up from scratch; guidance and coaching of the teams in adoption of PM methodologies practices and values.
  • Development and consolidation of delivery/progress status reports across projects with corrective actions if necessary.
  • Establish and communicate documented escalation procedures to clients, consultants, and managers.
  • Resources coordination/acquisition for the flawless execution of the project.
  • Manage issues, road-blockers and facilitate their resolution while ensuring all affected parties are informed.
  • Identify and manage project changes via change control board processes (CCB).
  • Development of delivery/progress status reports of product teams to the management accompanies with corrective actions if necessary.

FULL-STACK DEVELOPER / TECHNICAL LEAD

  • Architect and develop a specialized job portal web application using Node.js, Vue.js, Directus (headless CMS), MySQL, Docker, and n8n for workflow automation, enabling efficient employer-employee matching.
  • Lead full-stack development implementing modern frontend technologies (Vue.js, Tailwind CSS, JavaScript) and backend services (Node.js, RESTful APIs), ensuring responsive design and optimal user experience.
  • Establish DevOps practices including containerization with Docker, CI/CD pipelines, and automated workflows via n8n for seamless deployment and operational efficiency.
  • Drive performance optimization and scalability improvements, ensuring the application handles concurrent users and maintains fast response times under load.
  • Oversee integration of third-party services and APIs, implementing secure authentication, data synchronization, and real-time notifications for enhanced functionality.

12/2020 — 01/2022

SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER

Freelancer, Germany

  • Facilitate the adoption of Scrum framework in three cross-functional teams.
  • Coordinate with cross-functional teams to identify process bottlenecks and implemented automation tools.
  • Provide guidance and mentorship to project managers and team members to help them understand and adhere to Agile methodologies and best practices.
  • Complete projects on-time and on-budget while maintaining a customer satisfaction rating of at least 90%.
  • Monitor and report on project progress to stakeholders, including identifying and managing project risks, issues, and dependencies.

02/2016 — 02/2020

PROJECT MANAGER & SOFTWARE ENGINEER

Harman International, Garching, Germany

  • Windows App development in C# (.NET), XAML (WPF) and SQL
  • Use concepts such as: MVVM (Model-View-ViewModel), Clean Code, Unit Testing
  • Use INCA (Integrated Calibration and Application Tool) to link my software with the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) in cars to calibrate, acquire data, diagnose.
  • Work closely with the acoustic Engineers to Test and Integrate Software in the car
  • Use Scrum framework to create the software (acted as Scrum Master and Product Owner)
  • Facilitate bi-weekly meetings with Stakeholders to demo new functionalities and plan the next sprint
  • Lead an international team of 8-14 People
  • Act as a consultant and an advisor to stakeholders for new function implementations

11/2013 — 12/2015

HARDWARE & SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT

Ferchau Engineering, Schrobenhausen, Germany

  • Design circuit boards with Eagle
  • Build prototypes (soldered all the components) and tested them until a finished product was created
  • Connect all previously created hardware together using different connectors (RS-232, CAN, RJ-45, 50-pin headers
  • Create test cases and implemented them
  • Develop a connection points with the hardware to program them HMI (Human Machine Interface) - C/C++
  • Create a Desktop Software to control the test environment (LabView)

Education

Oct 2015 — Aug 2019

Master of Science in Acoustical Engineering

University of Applied Sciences, Munich, Germany

Oct 2007 — Sep 2012

Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology

University of Applied Sciences, Ingolstadt, Germany

Skills

Project Management

  • Strategic planning & project scheduling
  • Project delivery setup & governance
  • Stakeholder and resource management
  • Risk management & mitigation (CCB/change control)
  • Data management
  • Conflict resolution
  • Status reporting & escalation procedures
  • Performance & quality management
  • Communication & decision-making

Software Engineering

  • JavaScript, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, Tailwind CSS
  • React, Next.js, Vue, Astro
  • Node.js, Express
  • NextAuth, Stripe
  • Vite, ESLint/Prettier
  • Jest/Vitest, Playwright
  • PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite, MongoDB, Prisma
  • Vercel, GitHub Actions (CI/CD), Continuous integration and delivery
  • Flutter/Dart, C/C++, Python, LabVIEW
  • C# (.NET), WPF (XAML), SQL
  • MVVM, Unit Testing, Clean Code

AI & ML

  • Prompt engineering & system design
  • Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG)
  • Function/tool calling & structured outputs
  • Evaluation & guardrails/safety policies
  • Models/APIs: OpenAI, Anthropic, Azure OpenAI, embeddings

Hardware Engineering

  • PCB design & prototyping (EAGLE, soldering, bring-up)
  • HMI & test automation (LabVIEW)
  • Embedded C/C++; interfaces: CAN, RS-232, RJ-45
  • ECU integration with INCA (calibration/data/diagnostics)

Consulting

  • Agile and Scrum methodologies (Scrum Master/PO)
  • Agile coaching & team mentoring
  • Process analysis & automation tooling
  • Requirements definition & success criteria

Other

  • Operating systems: macOS, Windows, Linux (Ubuntu/Debian)
  • Version control: Git, GitHub/GitLab flow, Conventional Commits
  • Containers: Docker, Docker Compose
  • Dev tooling: npm, pnpm, nvm, Homebrew
  • Documentation: Markdown, MS Office, architecture diagrams (draw.io)
  • Collaboration: Slack/Teams, Notion, Miro
  • Jira/Atlassian, Asana, Azure

Languages

English
C2
German
C2
Arabic
C2
Armenian
C1

Certificates

Services

Project Management
Plan, lead, and deliver software projects with agile practices.
Technical Consulting
Advise on technical solutions and optimize business processes.
Application Development
Ship high-quality web, desktop and mobile apps end-to-end.

Volunteering

2020 — present

Mentor

Exercism

Help developers improve their coding skills through mentorship and code reviews