Hi, I'm Zoe!

Agile Product Owner

Based in Athens

Fueled by passion, dedicated to product excellence, leading teams with unwavering commitment and compassionate guidance.

- About

Zoe Marmara

Product Owner & Curious Learner Tech Geek Growth-Driven Team-Player

I am a certified Product Owner with a master's degree in IT Project Management and a Bachelor's degree in Mobile Development. I have extensive product experience in various roles, including 10+ years in web design and web/mobile development.

As a Product Owner I'm able to identify user needs, understand and prioritise valuable roadmap items and work with cross-functional teams to organise product releases.

- My BACKGROUND

Career Profile

  • -2021 - 2023

    Product Owner

    -Openbet

    Driving the vision and development of Openbet’s Digital Sportsbook and collaborating with multiple teams to maximize the business value of the team's deliverables.

    • Worked in close collaboration with the Product Manager to maintain, prioritise and communicate the status of the Product Backlog.
    • Partnered with Sportsbook teams and business stakeholders to develop new features, such as the eSports Scoreboards, effectively maximising the value of the digital product.
    • Provided an active role in the successful product release upgrade of major EU and US Operators.
    • Collaborated with cross-functional remote/hybrid teams and defined clear and concise initiatives, epics and user stories, ensuring all stories were fully elaborated.
    • Developed user journey maps and wireframes for shareholder validation.
    • Provided best-practice recommendations, templates and training to improve processes.
    • Coordinated and optimized the upgrades process and delivery workflow, leading to performance benefits for the organization.

  • -2021

    Chief Product Owner

    -Phaistos Networks

    Worked with glomex as a Chief Product Owner to clarify business requirements, remove roadblocks, constantly communicating, and supporting alignment around product strategy.

    • Collaborated with C-level stakeholders to build and shepherd the CEO's vision and priorities across glomex and Phaistos Networks.
    • Managed Phaistos Networks' product teams to ensure alignment on timelines and business goals.
    • Owned and maintained the EURO 2020 and Copa America roadmaps, guiding initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure of the projects for glomex.
    • Oversaw and supported the glomex product vision and partnered with CEO/CFO for the documentation and assessment of business processes.

  • -2015-2021

    Business Analyst (BA/UX)

    -eWorx

    Senior consultant with 4+ years’ conducting user research and managing projects using Agile methodologies within a UX team for European Agencies and other EU bodies (CEDEFOP, CEPOL, CPVO, EASA, EASO, ECDC, ECHA, EIGE, EIT, ETF, EUROPOL, JRC).

    • Member of the PM Team and responsible for maintaining a prioritized backlog and communicating user requirements and business goals to the Development Team.
    • Planed and conducted research, including focus groups, interviews, usability testing, card sorting, heuristic reviews, survey data analysis and ethnographic studies to identify user requirements.
    • Collaborated with Product Managers and internal teams to develop strategy and roadmap, refine plan for successful delivery and ensure the most value is being delivered.
    • Communicated strategic vision and presents project outputs to clients.
    • Monitored web digital KPIs to ensure the realization of planned project benefits.

  • -2008-2015

    Web/Mobile Developer

    -Globo, Zoetrope Visual House

    Implemented awarded mobile solutions for clients such as TUI, INTRACOM TELECOM, the Greek Ministry of Finance, Peugeot and Citroen, using top front-end development frameworks.

    • Contributed to all phases of the development lifecycle and ensured quality standards were adhered to.
    • Developed applications using Object-Oriented programming and development principles within the .NET framework using C#, VB.Net and MS SQL Server.
    • Skilled in Javascript, jQuery, React.js, Node.js, Bootstrap, Material.io.
    • Facilitated team adoption of Agile methods and practices.

  • -1999 - 2008

    Web Designer, Multimedia Applications Developer

    -Compupress

    Developed a versatile design skillset by creating web and desktop applications, digital marketing campaigns, corporate videos and Flash games.

    • Coordinated and optimized the design process and delivery workflow, leading to performance benefits for the organization.
    • Worked with design and verbal concepts for various projects to communicate a compelling product vision.
    • Gained a solid understanding of designing for the web, with expertise in UX Design, visual design, copy-writing, and brand development.

  • -2000-2006

    Magazine Journalist

    -Compupress

    Communicated effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience of Greece's premier PC GAMES magazine. Author of game reviews, walkthroughs and the "Web authoring" column.

    • Published articles on a wide variety of digital and print publications, including consumer titles such as "PC MASTER", "Digital Living", "Cinefan", "e-Market", "Computer For All", "PC MASTER GOLD", "Hot Games", "Top Games", "PC Games" and "Adventure Gamer" magazines.
    • Author of game reviews, walkthroughs, guides, and the "Web authoring" column for the "PC MASTER" magazine.
    • Created and managed gaming and consumer technology feature articles and social media content for gaming portals (Gameweb, The 4th Coming MMORPG) and magazines (PC MASTER).
    • Developed strong editing, proofreading, and writing skills.
    • Focused copy and content creation on driving engagement and brand loyalty.

- What I'm not up To

So, what I'm not up to, you ask?

  • 2023-

    Seeking new Opportunities

    I'm snug as a bug in my current role as a Product Owner at Netcompany-Intrasoft, basking in the glory of tasks tackled and projects conquered.

    I'm motivated by personal development and I see it as an ongoing journey rather than a destination.

    I aim to make a bigger impact at work, by leveraging my skills and the business knowledge that I acquire in my MBA studies.

  • 2023-

    Become a Super Hero

    No, I'm definetely not training to become a super hero - I tried wearing a cape once, but it just got caught in the subway. Occasionally, you will find me helping old ladies, without a cape.

    I'm always willing to help others by sharing experience and kindness, providing support when needed. I'm making a positive impact to my workplace, by having a positive attitude, treating my colleagues with respect and showing appreciation, as this fosters mutually beneficial relationships.

    Increasingly worried on the economic disparities that Greeks face, I'm keen to offer mentorship and support colleagues, particularly those who may face unique challenges or barriers in career advancement.

  • 2023-

    Conquering Triathlons

    Instead of swimming and running, I'm diving headfirst into MBA textbooks, desperately trying to stay afloat in a sea of business case studies.

    I enjoy many sports, amongst them, running, skydiving, horse riding and wind surfing. As a secretary for Crete's Mountaineering Association I met some amazing people, did a lot of hiking and climbed mount Olympus together. I have run in mountain races, competed in swimming and tandem (double) kayak races and in the future I see myself participating to my first Triathlon.

Spetsathlon 2023

- Books I read

Entrepreneurship, leadership & AI

- Books I read

Words for inspiration

- I write about

Tech, strategy, planning & growth

  • The tech industry is currently grappling with an ongoing mental health crisis that has garnered significant attention in recent years. The demanding nature of the work, coupled with long hours, high expectations, and intense competition, has created an environment where mental well-being often takes a backseat.

  • Benefits Realization Management: A Practice Guide, a PMI publication to help businesses drive more successful outcomes and better strategic alignment, contains practices and universal principles that can be applied at project, programme and portfolio level. However, the Guide lacks the practice-oriented knowledge.

  • I first heard of the goal-setting theory of motivation back in 2011 when I took a management course at Bilkent University in Ankara. The theory was developed by Edwin A. Locke in the 1960’s. In my mind it is linked with two very important terms in job design: Specificity and difficulty.

  • Imagine you are an executive looking for strategies to move your business department forward. You schedule a meeting with business owners, organizational leaders, and other stakeholders and you are excited to hear about current and future projects. A PM comes in to talk about a website and says “The site will have a multi-layered architecture with hot standby facility.”