About Me

Hello, I’m Carlos Blanco!

I am passionate about helping teams to embrace Agile Mindset and achieve their goals through iterative and collaborative work. In my previous roles, I have led teams to deliver successful projects using Agile principles, and have conducted training sessions to teach Agile methodologies to new team members.

I am a firm believer in continuous learning and improvement, and I actively seek out opportunities to expand my knowledge and skills. In addition to my professional expertise, I possess strong interpersonal skills and enjoy establishing meaningful connections with team members and stakeholders alike. My outgoing and approachable nature makes it easy for me to build rapport and collaborate effectively with colleagues at all levels.

I am always excited about the opportunity to bring my Agile expertise and passion for coaching to the teams, and to help drive the organization’s success through continuous learning and improvement.

Programming Languages

Java
Html 5
Python
SQL

Human Languages

Spanish native
English fluent
Catalan mid

Professional Skills

Agile
Scrum
Coaching
QA
System Administration
Photography
Video & Cinema
Test automation
Electronics

Tools & Technologies

Jira
Confluence
Microsoft Office
Adobe Creative Suite
Git
Cisco Networking
HP QC
Selenium/Cucumber
Jenkins CI/CD

Personal Skills

  • Teamwork
  • Positive Attitude
  • Proactive
  • Flexible
  • Self-Motivated
  • Critical Thinking

Courses and Certifications

  • Certified SAFe 5 Scrum Master
  • ISTQB Certified Software Tester
  • Restorative Practices and Group Facilitation
  • English Intermediate Level B1
  • Cisco CCNA
  • C++ and Java Developer

work experience

2022 - Present

Senior Delivery Manager

As a Senior Delivery Manager, I lead multiple international teams in delivering technology, tools, and products that meet our clients’ objectives. I collaborate closely with stakeholders to plan and develop solutions, utilizing Agile and Lean practices to ensure efficient delivery and GxP compliance.

I oversee program deployment and process improvement, maintaining delivery momentum through effective communication. Additionally, I design and supervise training programs that educate users, while also leading support and troubleshooting efforts.

With a focus on the entire life cycle of each project, I work to make processes work seamlessly and optimize team dynamics and collaboration. I also contribute to the agile transformation of the organization, implementing best practices and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

2017 - 2022

Agile Coach / Scrum Master

In my role as a Scrum Master and Agile Coach, I play a pivotal role in guiding high-performing teams towards achieving their goals. I provide the necessary support and guidance throughout the various stages of team development, ensuring that the team is well-equipped to deliver value consistently. Additionally, I facilitate self-organization by coaching the team on effective decision-making and collaboration techniques, empowering them to take ownership of their work and drive success.

2017 - 2020

Quality Assurance Engineer

During my time as a QA Engineer, I have gained extensive experience in various aspects of the testing lifecycle. I am proficient in designing, managing, and verifying test cases, and have a deep understanding of the principles of exploratory and regression testing. Additionally, I have a proven track record of identifying and analyzing defects using tools such as Jira and HP QC, and have a meticulous approach to validating and verifying problems.

I am well-versed in the use of continuous integration tools such as Jenkins and SauceLabs, and have experience with test automation using Selenium, Java, and Cucumber. I have leveraged these tools to streamline testing processes and improve the efficiency and accuracy of our testing efforts.

Throughout my career, I have worked with a variety of teams, applying Scrum and Agile methodologies to facilitate collaboration and ensure timely delivery of high-quality software. I am an effective communicator and collaborator, and have a proven ability to work with cross-functional teams to achieve common goals.

2017 - 2018

ISTQB Teacher

As teacher my approach to teaching the ISTQB (International Software Testing Qualifications Board) certification is comprehensive and practical. I guide students through the official material, supplementing it with helpful tips and tricks to aid their understanding. With a focus on exam preparation and certification, I ensure that my students are well-equipped to succeed in their assessments. Along the way, I provide ample support and motivation to help my students stay engaged and motivated.

2016 - 2017

QA Analyst

As a Senior QA Engineer working with a major bank client, I was responsible for ensuring high quality software delivery by performing the following tasks:

Reviewing functional and design specifications to identify test requirements and design test coverage plans.
Developing, documenting, and maintaining functional test cases, test data, data validation, and automated scripts.
Evaluating manual or automated test cases and reporting test results.
Facilitating test plan/case reviews with cross-functional team members and identifying any potential quality issues per defined process.
Ensure alignment and provide guidance on testing best practices.
Checking that validated deliverables meet functional and design specifications and requirements.
Isolating, replicating, and reporting defects and verifying defect fixes.
Utilizing HP ALM (Application Lifecycle Management) for test management and defect tracking.

2014 - 2016

Quality Assurance Engineer

As a QA Engineer in a startup, I worked using Scrum methodology and I was responsible for testing web and mobile apps across various platforms, including iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Windows 8, and BlackBerry.

My duties included creating test plans, managing and verifying test cases, running regression testing, reporting bugs, and analyzing defects using tools like Jira and GitHub. I also validated and verified problems, used deployment tools for QA environments, and employed continuous integration tools like Jenkins. In addition, I automated tests using Selenium IDE, WebDriver, Appium, AutoIT, and Postman + Newman for Rest API Automation.

In addition to my role as a QA Engineer, I had the opportunity to share my knowledge and experience by teaching in workshops organized by the startup for graduates. I facilitated sessions on test automation using Selenium and Appium, test case management, and Agile methodologies.

Furthermore, I was able to contribute to the growth of the startup in other areas. I collaborated with the DevOps team in systems and network management, ensuring the smooth operation of the company’s infrastructure. I also took on creative tasks such as audiovisual creation, graphic design, and photographic reports, which allowed me to apply my skills in other areas and bring fresh perspectives to the team.

Overall, my time at the startup was a valuable learning experience that allowed me to develop my technical skills, improve my communication and collaboration abilities, and gain a deeper understanding of the software development process and agile principles.

2010 - 2015

Freelance Photographer

Throughout my career as a photographer, I have honed my craft in various areas, including commercial, portrait, and event photography. I have a keen eye for detail and a passion for capturing beautiful moments that evoke emotion and tell a story.

In addition to photography, I have experience creating corporate videos, music videos, and short films. My creativity and technical expertise enable me to bring clients’ visions to life, delivering compelling visual content that engages and inspires.

Overall, my work as a photographer has allowed me to hone my skills in a range of disciplines, delivering exceptional results and building lasting relationships with clients.

2009 - 2013

Research Assistant and Computer Technician

During my time at the University of Valladolid, I gained extensive experience in network administration and computer systems, as well as information processing and database management. I also developed expertise in the repair and maintenance of computer systems, ensuring optimal performance and minimizing downtime.

In addition, I worked with the instrumentation of the LI-COR company to conduct field measurements and assist in the maintenance, calibration, and monitoring of implemented measures. I played an integral role in the management and organization of technical aspects within the group, utilizing my skills and knowledge to drive success and ensure efficient operations.

As a technical support specialist, I also provided assistance to researchers in various capacities, including troubleshooting technical issues and providing training on new technologies and software. My ability to work collaboratively with a diverse range of individuals and groups made me an asset to the university, and allowed me to make meaningful contributions to the success of research projects.

2008 - 2008

Localization QA

I gained valuable experience in localization quality assurance and game testing. As a junior member of the team, I wrote bug reports and performed regression tests to ensure that projects were delivered to the highest quality standards.

In addition, I contributed to the localization process by fixing typos and incorrectly translated text, working closely with my colleagues to ensure accurate translations and cultural adaptation.

Through my work, I developed strong attention to detail and language skills, as well as excellent communication and collaboration skills, enabling me to work effectively with colleagues from diverse backgrounds. Overall, this position provided me with a solid foundation in localization QA and game testing, which has served me well throughout my career.

Education

References

Antonio Alonso Herrero CFO at Solid GEAR

I have been working with Carlos for last two years. During these two years he showed me completely his skills and capabilities.

He is an effective and pragmatic person very focus on the final result. Moreover he owns strong capabilities as English language communication and technical skills, as QA and as Operations developer, very valuable for an organization.

It was my pleasure working with Carlos during these years.

Javier Arias Martín Quality Lead at Solid GEAR

I have had the opportunity to meet Carlos for more than 2 years in the position of Quality Software Engineer in the same project and I can affirm that he is an excellent worker, both professionally and personally.

He is a remarkable team player and strives to finish all his work and help his colleagues to complete all the tasks in the planned time. In addition, he has a desire to improve and is passionate about improving both processes and the use of tools that save time and effort to the team. His effort in automating the public API and UI of our product is remarkable and a professional guarantee that any company would be willing to have. In addition, the vision of the definition of test cases (TDD) that he performs is magnificent, being a great guide to identify all the defects of the product.
Personally, in addition to being a kind person and always open to others, he creates an excellent work atmosphere, which is highly valued by all his co-workers. He is also an open and communicative person, so the necessary direct relationship with the developers and with all the stakeholders associated with the project is excellent.

Given his experience and his ability, I have no doubt that Carlos is a person with a vocation who enjoys his work and is fully prepared to take care of the software quality of any product.

Vanessa Paredes Gómez PhD in Sciences at University of Valladolid

I have worked with Carlos in the same Research Group for two and a half years and I have to say that it has been a real pleasure. Carlos is a determined person, highly motivated and very easy to work with. His knowledge in Computer Science has greatly helped in the daily work of the group and his ability to face new challenges has allowed him to acquire extensive experience with various scientific instruments. Without a doubt, what would stand out the most is his positive attitude to work even in difficult times. Carlos, a great team player!

Interests

  • Travel
  • Photography
  • Cinema
  • Animals
  • Teaching
  • Science
  • Videogames
  • Snowboard
  • Reading

Blog

For those who are interested in latest trends in Scrum and Agile Methodologies may be found useful and interesting to read my Blog. I would be glad to any comment and will appreciate your questions and feedback.

Check out my Blog

Contact Me

Fell free to contact me in case of any question