Ina Kolarova
Project Manager
I’m a Project Manager with over ten years of experience leading digital and agile delivery work across teams, clients, and industries. I step in when complexity, unclear expectations, or delivery pressure require structure, direction, and steady coordination.I’ve led internal initiatives valued at over €100K and helped recover long-running client projects that resulted in more than $1M in renewed work. I’m known for bringing structure without rigidity, asking the right questions early, and keeping teams aligned when stakes are high.Alongside my delivery work, I actively explore applied AI in a practical way: testing tools, evaluating AI systems, and integrating AI-assisted workflows into project delivery and reporting. I see AI as a complement to strong delivery fundamentals, not a replacement for them.I care about how teams work together as much as I care about the delivery results. Clear communication, trust, and continuous improvement are central to how I work, because that’s how meaningful results are achieved and sustained.
Career Overview
I’m an IT Project Manager and Agile Delivery Lead with over a decade of experience helping companies turn complex goals into clear, actionable results. I bring structure, communication, and collaboration to digital and e-commerce projects — connecting people, processes, and technology so teams can do their best work.Most recently, I worked at Codurance, Spain as an Agile Delivery Manager and Information Security Coordinator (2023–2024). There, I led multiple client and internal projects across banking, HR, and hospitality sectors. I introduced proactive planning frameworks, executive dashboards, and Agile coaching programs that boosted team performance and visibility. Alongside my delivery role, I also coordinated the company’s ISO 27001 readiness — leading training, phishing simulations, and a full-scale disaster recovery exercise.Before that, I joined interop.io (2022–2023) as an IT Project Manager, combining Scrum Master and Product Owner responsibilities to build a new internal platform that brought over €100K in business value. I helped form and coach a new self-organized team, introduced Agile rituals, and established better documentation and communication standards company-wide.At Despark (2022), I managed multiple digital projects and successfully turned around an 18-month delayed legacy project, completing it in six months and securing $1M+ in renewed work.Earlier, as Digital Project Manager at Sofyma Web (2014–2021), I delivered over 50 web and e-commerce projects, implemented JIRA and Confluence, and transformed workflows through Agile practices. My focus on clear communication and client relationships led to repeat business and long-term partnerships.My journey began at NetElite (2011–2014), where I managed customer and vendor communication for a U.S. online store, and Lightspeed Research (2010–2011), coordinating US and Canadian market research projects.Across all roles, I’ve been passionate about creating alignment - between teams, stakeholders, and goals. I believe great results come from transparency, trust, and continuous improvement, and I bring those principles to every project I lead.
HOW I WORK
MY WORKING STYLE✔️Clarity first.
I make priorities, ownership, and next steps explicit. Fewer assumptions, fewer surprises, fewer misaligned expectations.✔️Practical and solution-oriented.
I identify risks and misalignment early and address them while they’re still manageable. Direct conversations, workable solutions.✔️Clear communication across roles.
I translate between technical and non-technical stakeholders, align expectations early, and keep discussions structured and focused.✔️Context over dogma.
I don’t impose frameworks for the sake of process. I help teams experiment, observe what works, and settle on practices that fit their reality.✔️Autonomy with accountability.
I support team ownership while keeping delivery transparent and predictable.✔️Continuous improvement
I prefer small, meaningful improvements over frequent resets and unnecessary change.WHAT I DON'T DO
❌I don’t hide problems.
If something is unclear, unrealistic, or off-track, I raise it early.❌I don’t add process for its own sake.
No rituals, reports, or tools without a clear purpose.❌I don’t micromanage.
I trust teams to do their work and expect ownership in return.❌I don’t rely on vague commitments.
Clear decisions, clear ownership, clear next steps.❌I don’t oversell certainty.
When things are unknown, I say so - then we decide how to move forward.👇🏻Below, I’ve included a snapshot from my Upwork working style assessment, reflecting how clients typically experience working with me.
PORTFOLIO
Business Continuity & Security Readiness ProgramRole: Agile Delivery Manager & Information Security Coordinator
Company: UK–Spanish IT ConsultancyContextAs the company scaled across multiple clients and industries, it became clear that while engineering delivery was strong, organizational resilience wasn’t formalized. Business continuity and security awareness existed in pockets, but there was no shared framework for how the company would respond to real incidents or disruptions.My RoleI took ownership of shaping a practical, company-wide approach to business continuity and security readiness, working closely with leadership, HR, People Operations, and technical teams.What I Did1. Built my own foundation in business continuity and operational resilience best practices, by completing targeted self-directed training and professional courses and consolidating learnings from formal coursework and industry standards into a pragmatic, company-specific approach2. Designed and documented a Business Continuity Plan tailored to how the company actually worked3. Defined clear roles, escalation paths, and decision-making responsibilities for critical scenarios4. Planned and facilitated leadership-level tabletop exercises based on realistic disruption scenarios5. Led structured discussions with the executive team to surface gaps, risks, and improvement areas6. Designed, ran and analysed phishing simulation campaigns to assess real-world security awareness7. Documented outcomes, learnings, and action items in a reusable and accessible formatImpact- Established the company’s first structured approach to business continuity- Improved leadership confidence and readiness when responding to simulated incidents- Created shared clarity across teams on responsibilities during critical situations- Raised overall security awareness and response maturity across the organizationRepresentative indicators:~90% leadership participation in tabletop exercises30–40% reduction in phishing interaction rates after awareness campaignsClear ownership defined for all critical operational scenariosKey OutcomeThe organization moved from reactive incident handling to a structured, leadership-aligned approach to operational resilience and security preparedness.
Learning Programs & Knowledge Infrastructure (Moodle)Role: Project Manager / Program Coordinator
Company: UK–Spanish IT ConsultancyContextThe organization was expanding its internal and external learning offerings and needed a scalable way to manage multiple training programs delivered through Moodle, without increasing coordination overhead.My RoleI led the organization and standardization of learning programs, while also contributing directly as a course creator.What I Did1. Designed standardized Confluence templates for all learning programs2. Built a centralized knowledge space as a single source of truth3. Defined timelines, ownership, and delivery phases for each course4. Created and delivered a course: Extreme Programming for Non-Programmers5. Ensured consistency, clarity, and accessibility across all learning initiativesImpact- Reduced setup time for new courses by approximately 40–50%- Improved visibility and coordination across teams involved in learning delivery- Enabled repeatable, scalable training without added complexity- Made it easier for instructors and participants to navigate programsKey OutcomeThe learning ecosystem became easier to scale and evolve, without increasing operational or coordination effort.
Enterprise Training Program (Financial Services Sector)Role: Project Manager
Client: Leading Spanish BankContextA large financial institution partnered with the consultancy to run multi-month technical upskilling programs aimed at strengthening internal engineering capabilities and improving knowledge sharing across teams.My RoleI coordinated multiple program editions, acting as the main point of contact between client stakeholders and delivery teams.What I Did1. Managed program planning, timelines, and delivery across several cohorts2. Coordinated trainers, schedules, and communication between client stakeholders and delivery teams3. Supported the preparation of final presentations and learning summaries4. Maintained continuous feedback loops throughout the program lifecycle5. Facilitated post-program discussions focused on scaling knowledge internally6. Supported follow-up initiatives aimed at expanding and embedding the program within the organizationResults- High satisfaction across participants and client stakeholders- Repeat engagements and expansion of the original program scope- Improved internal confidence and capability within engineering teamsRepresentative indicators:90%+ participant satisfactionMultiple follow-up programs commissionedIncreased internal capacity to cascade knowledge at scaleKey OutcomeThe program evolved from a one-off initiative into a repeatable, scalable learning model embedded within the client organization.
Internal SaaS Product Delivery (Recruitment Platform)Role: IT Project Manager
Company: Product & Professional Services Company (FinTech)ContextThe company relied on fragmented, manual recruitment processes that slowed hiring and limited visibility across teams. An internal platform was needed to streamline hire requests, approvals, and collaboration between HR, engineering, and leadership.My RoleI led the end-to-end delivery of a six-month internal product initiative, balancing Product Owner and Scrum Master responsibilities to ensure both business value and predictable delivery.What I Did1. Led the delivery of an internal SaaS platform aimed at improving recruitment workflows and decision-making2. Owned scope, priorities, and delivery planning, ensuring all project deliverables were completed on time and within agreed boundaries3. Balanced product discovery and delivery execution, applying pragmatic Agile practices rather than a rigid framework4. Facilitated sprint ceremonies, backlog refinement, and delivery tracking to maintain transparency and momentum5. Partnered closely with HR and product stakeholders to gather feedback and refine requirements based on real user needs6. Ensured continuous alignment between business goals and engineering execution throughout the project lifecycleImpact- Delivered a fully functioning internal SaaS platform within six months- Achieved an estimated business value exceeding €100K, based on improved recruitment efficiency and reduced manual effort- Improved visibility and collaboration between HR, engineering, and leadershipKey OutcomeThe organization replaced fragmented recruitment processes with a single, scalable platform aligned with real user and business needs.
Enterprise Platform Recovery & Delivery EnablementRole: Project Manager
Company: Digital Product Agency (part of a larger DCX group)ContextA complex enterprise platform initiative had experienced significant delays and delivery friction, impacting client confidence and future commercial opportunities. The delivery team required clearer structure, stronger alignment, and improved transparency to recover momentum.My RoleI took responsibility for stabilizing and leading multiple IT projects for the USA-based client, providing clear direction to cross-functional teams while managing stakeholder and vendor communication across parallel initiatives.What I Did1. Assessed and restructured the delivery approach, introducing a pragmatic mix of Agile and traditional practices tailored to project constraints2. Conducted a full backlog review and cleanup, removing outdated, duplicate, and low-value items, and re-establishing clear priorities aligned with business goals3. Introduced and facilitated structured agile ceremonies, including sprint planning, reviews, and retrospectives, to restore delivery rhythm and transparency4. Established clear backlog management and prioritization practices to align teams and stakeholders on scope and progress5. Led cross-functional teams of developers, designers, and QA engineers, promoting autonomy, ownership, and accountability6. Shifted the team from reactive execution to a calmer, more controlled delivery mode.7. Strengthened client communication through regular reviews and clear reporting, rebuilding trust and shared understanding8. Supported business development efforts by identifying upsell opportunities and contributing to proposals aligned with client objectivesImpact- Recovered and delivered a previously delayed enterprise platform within six months- Restored client confidence, contributing to over $1M in follow-on contracts- Improved team autonomy, delivery predictability, and stakeholder alignmentKey OutcomeA high-risk delivery was stabilized and transformed into a successful, repeatable engagement, strengthening the client relationship, improving the team morale and increasing the long-term business value.
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