Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Certification
Timeline
Generic
Irina Zbuzhinskaya

Irina Zbuzhinskaya

McLean

Summary

Accomplished technology leader with 15+ years of experience driving enterprise platform strategy, architecture, and operations. Expert in Salesforce, SmartSimple, SharePoint, and integrated web systems, with a track record of delivering secure, scalable, and innovative technology solutions. Adept at leading cross-functional teams, modernizing systems, and aligning technology with organizational priorities to advance mission-critical initiatives.

Overview

11
11
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Associate Director, Technology Infrastructure

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
04.2022 - Current
  • Set and execute enterprise technology strategy across programmatic, executive, and operational functions.
  • Lead design, development, and lifecycle management of platforms, including Salesforce, SmartSimple, SharePoint, and integrated web systems.
  • Provide solution architecture leadership, translating complex business requirements into secure, scalable technical platforms and integration pipelines.
  • Drive system modernization initiatives, adopting cloud-based platforms and next-generation tools to improve efficiency and scalability.
  • Oversee system integration strategy with middleware solutions to ensure seamless interoperability and reduce point-to-point dependencies.
  • Manage release planning, deployments, and risk mitigation for production transitions.
  • Establish and enforce governance, security, and compliance standards in collaboration with Information Security.
  • Promoted AI literacy across teams and leadership by translating AI concepts into practical business applications, identifying opportunities for responsible adoption, and leveraging AI-driven tools to enhance efficiency, governance, and decision-making.
  • Lead QA and testing operations to ensure performance SLAs and compliance requirements are met.
  • Provide oversight for customer support and enterprise platform operations, including capacity planning, performance monitoring, and recurring maintenance.
  • Act as a strategic partner to business stakeholders, shaping digital transformation initiatives and innovation pilots.
  • Manage vendor selection, RFPs, and contract negotiations, evaluating technical alignment and cost-effectiveness.
  • Build and lead a cross-functional team of 8 direct and 10+ indirect reports, including developers, QA engineers, architects, Scrum Masters, and DevOps managers.
  • Coach and develop staff, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous learning.
  • Represent DIGITAL leadership in executive forums, bridging organizational and technology priorities.
  • Oversee website operations, including code management, deployments, backups, and vendor coordination.
  • Support enterprise initiatives including Data Lake enhancements, Master Data Management, and Enterprise Architecture.
  • Ensure Agile alignment, guiding iterative planning, delivery, and continuous improvement.

Senior Project & Operations Manager

Salesforce
09.2014 - 06.2022
  • Partnered with IT Director to align Salesforce and integrated systems with organizational priorities.
  • Defined and executed the Salesforce technology roadmap, incorporating AppExchange solutions and integrations to enhance functionality.
  • Collaborated with architects, vendors, and stakeholders to deliver scalable platform capabilities.
  • Established best practices for architecture, project execution, and team training.
  • Directed Salesforce developers, administrators, and project teams within an Agile framework across multiple concurrent projects.
  • Managed full lifecycle of Salesforce implementations: design, configuration, testing, training, deployment, optimization, and post-go-live support.
  • Engaged stakeholders with transparent communication, mitigating risks and articulating project value.
  • Oversaw vendor relationships, contracts, procurement, and invoice approvals.
  • Implemented system security best practices and ensured compliance with governance and regulatory requirements.
  • Maintained data quality, asset classification, and information governance policies.
  • Established structured intake, incident tracking, and issue resolution processes to improve service reliability.
  • Led, coached, and mentored Salesforce staff, managing workloads, priorities, and resource allocation.

Education

MBA - Economics & Financial Management

Moscow State University
01.2010

BS - Electronics & Automation

Moscow Institute of Radio Engineering
01.2007

Skills

  • Strategic Leadership
  • AI Literacy & Application
  • Enterprise Technology Strategy
  • System Integration & Architecture
  • Agile Project Management
  • Data Governance & Compliance
  • Coaching & Mentoring

Websites

Certification

  • Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy – MIT Sloan Executive Education, Aug 2025 (ID: 159023097)
  • Breakthrough Customer Experience (CX) Strategy – MIT Sloan Executive Education, Oct 2023
  • Cybersecurity for Managers: A Playbook – MIT Sloan Executive Education, Dec 2022 (ID: 64015223)
  • Persuasive Communication – The Johns Hopkins University, Aug 2021
  • Moving from an Operational Manager to a Strategic Leader – American Management Association, Oct 2020 (ID: PDCS#21-VA3G7)
  • Jira Server Administration – Atlassian, Nov 2019
  • Leadership in Action – Johns Hopkins Carey Business School, Nov 2019
  • Project Management Professional (PMP) – Georgetown University, Jun 2019
  • Intacct Development Integration – Marcum Technology, Apr 2019
  • ITIL Foundation Certificate in IT Service Management – ACQUIROS, Inc., (ID: 1001085256)

Timeline

Associate Director, Technology Infrastructure

Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI)
04.2022 - Current

Senior Project & Operations Manager

Salesforce
09.2014 - 06.2022

BS - Electronics & Automation

Moscow Institute of Radio Engineering

MBA - Economics & Financial Management

Moscow State University

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Irina Zbuzhinskaya