About me | Projects | Tech Stack | Experience | Education | Skills | Hobbies and Interests | LinkedIn

| UK Work Authorisation: Permanent

I am a creative and ambitious Full Stack Developer with commercial experience in product management, data analytics (stack: SQL/Python) and project management.

I have over 8 years of experience working across multiple countries and industries including tech, consulting, real estate and logistics. Most recently, I was the Product Manager for an E-learning platform at a small startup in London called Step Function, where I had a chance to work with great developers and understand the agile software development lifecycle. My strong passion for technical problem-solving and continuous learning, combined with an innate curiosity for how things work, inspired me to transition to software development.

I benefit from having a strong mix of commercial and technical experience including experience with data science and databases. I was fortunate enough to earn a competitive Forté Foundation Fellowship - Women in Business scholarship that partially sponsored my Master of Business Administration (MBA) graduate degree from IESE Business School, where my team and I won the Capstone Project Competition for our work with Hewlett Packard.

A quick learner with cross-functional team experience in both analytical and customer-facing roles, I can deliver user-centric and creative (yet practical) solutions that draw from my multi-disciplinary background and deep understanding of internal and external stakeholder needs.

• Programming languages (JavaScript, Java, Ruby, Python)
• Web Frameworks (React, Ruby on Rails, Next.js)
• Databases (PostgreSQL/MySQL/ActiveRecord)
• Object-Oriented Design (OOD), Controller Design Patterns, RESTful APIs, SOLID principles
• Test-Driven Development (RSpec, Capybara, Jest, Jasmine)
• Version control and CI/CD (Git/Github/Travis CI)
• Agile/XP (pair programming, stand-ups, retros, and sprint planning)
• Other (HTML5/CSS3, Heroku)

Step Function – E-learning Platform - London, UK (2020 - 2021)
Product Manager

• Developed product roadmap and defined vision and strategy for the e-learning platform.
• Identified user needs based on user research; worked with engineers to translate requirements into product features.
• Led re/prioritising the product backlog and creating user stories/epics in Jira.

Odlar Yurdu Enterprise – Real Estate Development - Baku, Azerbaijan (2017 - 2018 | 2019 – 2020)
Strategic Marketing Manager – Growth and Analytics Team

• Analysed and optimised campaign performance/spend via success metrics measuring, ROI analysis, and A/B testing.
• Streamlined customer acquisition and retention strategy based on advanced data analysis (lifetime value/churn prediction), customer segmentation and targeted lead generation using statistical models and tools (Excel, SQL, Python).
• Conducted marketing mix modelling (regression analysis) to quantify the impact of marketing activities on sales.

Gallup – International Data Analytics and Management Consulting - London, UK (2019)
Consultant – EMEA Partner Team

• Performed in-depth quantitative and qualitative research (inc. stakeholder interviews and competitive analysis) of Gallup’s software products; communicated findings to management via reports and presentations.
• Collaborated with internal and external stakeholders to gather business requirements, define project scope, and gain buy-in on project roadmap, key milestones, and deliverables.
• Managed stakeholder relationships within cross-functional matrix teams based in the US, UK, Germany and Bahrain.

Radiant Group of Hospitals – Private Healthcare Provider - Nairobi, Kenya (2017)
Project Management Consultant – MBA Winter Internship

• Worked as part of a 5-person project team to identify and fix operational inefficiencies and bottlenecks at a local hospital.
• Mapped and analysed patient flow to predict demand and improve the patient experience.

US – Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce – Investment Consulting Group - Washington DC, USA (2016)
Project Management Consultant – MBA Summer Internship

• Managed customer engagement strategy of the Chamber across multiple social media platforms.

Odlar Yurdu Enterprise – Real Estate Development - Baku, Azerbaijan (2012 - 2015)
Assistant Marketing Manager – Growth and Analytics Team

• Identified new business development opportunities through market research and trend analysis.

ASE Express, OCS & UTI Worldwide Logistics – Logistics/Supply Chain - Baku, Azerbaijan (2009 - 2012)
Account Manager - (2010 - 2012)
Senior Salesperson - (2009 - 2010)

• Increased B2B solution sales by >3% through effective growth strategies and relationship building.

A Leading Full Stack Software Development Bootcamp in London, UK

• Developed web apps using software design principles such as OOP, TDD, MVC, BDD and state-of-the-art technology such as React and Next.js.
• Worked in Agile project teams against tight deadlines using pair programming, Git workflow and XP values.
• Frequently pair programmed to solve problems efficiently in a fully remote and self-led learning environment, which improved my teamwork and communication skills.
• Mentored two aspiring software developers to help them achieve their personal and professional learning objectives.

Masters of Business Administration (MBA)

• Relevant Coursework:
  • Data Science with R
  • Quantitative Methods
  • Decision Analysis (Bayes/Probability/Monte Carlo Simulation)
• Awarded Forté Foundation Fellowship - Women in Business Scholarship (2015)

Bachelors in International Economics - Distinction (GPA 3.8/4)

Master of Arts in Diplomacy (International Relations and Politics) - Merit (2:1)

• CS50x: Introduction to Computer Science (inc. Web Programming with Flask Python) - HarvardX (2020)
• Data Nanodegree (Statistics, Python, SQL, A/B Test) - Udacity (2020)
• Advanced Google Analytics Individual Qualification - Google Academy (2020)
• Data Analysis Intensive (Python, SQL, Tableau) - Step Function (2019)
• Building Websites with HTML5 and CSS3 - City University (2018)
• Relational Database Design with Microsoft SQL Server - City University (2017)
• Introduction to SQL and Relational Databases with Oracle: - City University (2017)

Throughout my career I have benefitted immensely from my solution-oriented mindset and efficient problem-solving skills using a combination of analytical frameworks, data and creative thinking. Some examples include:

• Successfully delivered on one of the high-priority projects in Gallup, after quickly researching large amounts of data in multiple languages within a short deadline. See reference on my Linkedin page.
• Authored a research report on market analysis and macro-economic evaluation of US-Azerbaijan trade relationship while working at the United States-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce in Washington DC, USA.
• Successfully completed a data science project within a week using R programming language to perform sentiment analysis on Twitter data after scraping tweets using Twitter API Tweepy to predict who would win the Oscars in 2017.
• Scored a 690 (85th percentile globally) on Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) exam, a computer adaptive test intended to assess analytical and quantitative reasoning skills within a month of preparation while working full time.

Working in fast-paced project-based environments such as consulting, project management and marketing honed my project management and time-management skills. Some examples include:

• Managed the Unified Investment Platform project to help 12 US-based SMEs expand into the Black-Caspian Sea Region as a Project Management Consultant at USACC.
• Helped organise “Doing Good Doing Well” Conference to promote responsible business through Sustainable Development Goals.
• Organised two charity events (an exhibition-auction to support refugee children and a fundraising concert to fund treatment of children with Down Syndrome) during my finals - was included in the Dean’s Honor List for high GPA (94.8 out of 100).

I have extensive experience working with people from diverse backgrounds, solving problems in high-pressure team settings and presenting findings to both technical and non-technical teams. Some examples include:

• Won MBA Capstone Project Competition "Social Media (Enterprise Sales) Strategy for Hewlett Packard Enterprise", as part of a 5-member multinational team.
• Delivered multiple presentations in front of internal and external stakeholders as a consultant at Gallup while working closely with cross-functional project teams based in the UK, USA, Germany and Bahrain.
• Co-founded and led Youth Development Public Union, a fundraising NGO for underprivileged children.
• Successfully delivered multiple projects as a member of several agile software development teams while at Makers.

I take pride in my innate intellectual curiosity and genuine desire to understand how things work. The diversity of experiences I have been through taught me the ability to learn quickly and efficiently. Some examples include:

• Built a single-page map application within 10 days using an entirely new library (React) and framework (Next.js) with only limited previous Javascript knowledge. Presentation demo here.
• Taught myself how to manipulate databases using advanced SQL queries within a month for my job within the Growth and Analytics team.
• Earned a state scholarship for a masters program after 20 days of preparation.

• Worked with large and fragmented datasets using tools like Excel, SQL and Python as part of the Growth and Analytics team.
• Completed several evening classes on Relational Databases and Database Design with SQL offered by City University to improve my understanding of complex databases.

• Paddle Boarding - this was one of my favourite pastimes when I lived in Barcelona, Spain.
• Languages - I love learning languages and am fluent in four: English, Russian, Turkish and Azeri. During my MBA, I also had a chance to learn Spanish. Currently, I am learning French.
• Travelling - I think travelling is one of the best ways to expand our horizons. One trip that particularly stands out to me is the one to the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Southern Kenya, where I had a chance to meet some of the Maasai people.
• Other - Football (member of IESE Business School Women's Football team), Rowing, Reading, Cycling, Running and Yoga/Meditation.