Project Propel: Increasing Affiliate Retention in Onsite Publishing Program

Organization
Amazon.com
Job Title
Sr. Risk Analyst
Functional Reporting Area
Operations
Organization Primary Focus
Affiliate Marketing
Approach/Methodology
Hybrid
Project Team Sizes
5 to 9
Project Budget
Classified
Time Spent on Project to Date
April, 2021 - August, 2022
Project Description
Project Propel was launched globally to increase the retention of affiliates in the Onsite
Publishing Program by reducing their rejection rate. The project aimed to identify key factors
leading to rejections and implement improvements to ensure a better experience for
affiliates, thereby increasing program retention. As the Project Lead, I was responsible for
the overall planning, execution, monitoring, and successful completion of the project. I led a
cross-functional team, managed stakeholder communication, and ensured that the project
was aligned with business goals. Initiation: Developed and obtained approval for the project
charter, outlining the project scope, objectives, and deliverables. Collaborated with key
stakeholders to align project goals with business priorities and secure necessary resources.
Planning: Created a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) to clearly define project tasks,
allocate resources, and set a realistic schedule with milestones. Developed a detailed
project schedule, identifying key deliverables and establishing timelines for progress
tracking. Execution: Led a cross-functional team of 8 Translation Specialists spanning
multiple global markets (EU5, US, JP, AU). Collaborated with a Business Analyst to analyze
weekly rejection trends, identify knowledge gaps among affiliates, and generate actionable
insights to improve rejection rates. Organized regular meetings and sent out newsletters to
ensure team alignment and maintain communication throughout the project. Monitoring &
Controlling: Implemented a hybrid approach to project management, incorporating both
traditional and agile methodologies to adapt to evolving needs. Tracked and reported the
rejection rate on a weekly basis, closely monitoring progress and identifying areas for
improvement. Managed scope changes through a Change Control Board (CCB), ensuring
that any alterations were carefully reviewed and approved. Reported regularly to senior
leadership, providing updates on project health, risks, and key achievements. Closing: The
project successfully reduced the rejection rate by approximately 1540 BPS, surpassing the
original target. Achieved a 30.69% increase in publisher retention in the program, resulting
in a significant improvement in overall program performance. Conducted a formal project
closure meeting with stakeholders to review final deliverables, confirm that all objectives
were met, and secure sign-off on the project’s success. Impact: Reduced the rejection rate
by 1540 BPS, exceeding the targeted reduction, which directly contributed to the improved
retention of affiliates. Increased affiliate retention by 30.69%, a key performance indicator
(KPI) that positively impacted the Onsite Publishing Program’s overall success. The
implementation of insights and improvements led to better process efficiency and a
smoother onboarding experience for new affiliates.
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Project LAB
Organization
Amazon.com
Job Title
Sr. Risk Analyst
Functional Reporting Area
Operations
Organization Primary Focus
Affiliate Marketing
Approach/Methodology
Traditional (Waterfall)
Project Team Sizes
20 or more
Project Budget
Classified
Time Spent on Project to Date
September, 2022 - January, 2024
Project Description
Objective: Project LAB was launched to educate the Trust, Safety, and Support (TSS) team
of 110 members on process improvements, reducing friction points, and enhancing
customer experience. The goal was to foster ideation, encourage team engagement, and
empower members to generate innovative solutions for operational efficiency. I led the
initiative from initiation through execution, designing the educational program, managing
team engagement, and ensuring successful delivery of the objectives. Initiation: I worked
closely with senior leadership and TSS management to define the project scope, objectives,
and deliverables. After developing and obtaining approval for the project charter, I ensured
alignment with business priorities, secured necessary resources, and set clear expectations
for the project’s success. Planning: During the planning phase, I created a Work Breakdown
Structure (WBS) to break the project into manageable tasks and assign responsibilities. I
developed a Risk Management Plan to address potential challenges like remote
engagement and idea submission delays. I also set up a project schedule, ensuring that key
milestones were tracked and achieved. Team Structure: I led a core team of 3 people, each
with specific responsibilities: Research: One team member was responsible for gathering
relevant information on process improvement techniques. Infographics Creation: Another
team member created infographics to visually communicate complex concepts in a user-
friendly format. Feedback and Engagement: The third team member facilitated gathering
and integrating feedback from the TSS team to ensure that learning materials were
engaging and relevant. Execution: In the execution phase, we delivered the educational
content. I organized and facilitated online learning sessions, integrating interactive quizzes
to encourage participation. We sent out educational emailers with infographics designed by
the team to explain key concepts of process improvement and customer satisfaction. These
emailers were tailored to various learning styles, ensuring broad team engagement. To
encourage continuous ideation, I shared success stories of team members who had
implemented ideas that led to real improvements, providing practical examples of how
innovation could drive change. Team Collaboration: We gathered team feedback regularly,
refining the educational materials based on input to ensure clarity and relevance. This
collaborative process ensured that the content remained aligned with team needs and
interests. Monitoring & Controlling: I tracked the project’s progress through weekly
engagement metrics, monitoring idea submission rates and team participation. Regular
updates were provided to senior leadership, ensuring visibility into the project's progress.
Any necessary changes to scope or approach were handled through the Change Control
Process, ensuring that the project stayed on track to meet its objectives. Results & Impact:
By December 2022, the project resulted in a 19.44% increase in idea submissions. The
submitted ideas focused on reducing non-value-added (NVA) activities and improving
operational processes, which led to enhanced customer satisfaction and efficiency. The
successful ideas were implemented, and contributors were recognized and rewarded to
further foster innovation within the team. Closing: At the project’s closure, I conducted a
formal review meeting with stakeholders to assess the results. Success stories were shared
across the team to highlight positive outcomes and encourage continued innovation.
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Global Fraud Detection & Prevention Initiative
Organization
Amazon.com
Job Title
Sr Risk Analyst
Functional Reporting Area
Operations
Organization Primary Focus
Affiliate Marketing
Approach/Methodology
Agile
Project Team Sizes
5 to 9
Project Budget
Classified
Time Spent on Project to Date
April, 2024 - In Progress
Project Description
The ongoing objective of this project is to identify and eliminate fraud rings within the
Amazon Affiliate Program globally. This initiative aims to detect and prevent fraudulent
actors from entering the system, ensuring the program's integrity, safeguarding affiliate
revenue, and enhancing overall program trust. I lead fraud detection efforts, manage a
cross-functional team, and ensure continuous improvement in detection tools, aligning our
efforts with business goals. I oversee a team of 5 professionals, including Risk Analysts,
Business Analysts, and Data Scientists, to track fraud patterns across global markets. I
ensure proper resource allocation, clear task ownership, and alignment with the project’s
objectives. I manage the identification and tracking of fraud rings, ensuring the team
monitors and analyzes data to detect suspicious activities. To avoid duplication of efforts, I
established a centralized fraud ring repository that records all identified cases, streamlining
the investigation process. I facilitate regular knowledge transfer sessions to keep the team
updated on the latest fraud detection tactics and methodologies, enabling them to adapt to
emerging fraud strategies effectively. Challenges & Solutions: Duplication of Efforts:
Challenge: Multiple analysts were sometimes investigating the same fraud ring, leading to
inefficiencies. Solution: I introduced a centralized fraud ring repository, allowing the team to
track all identified fraud cases. This ensured no two analysts worked on the same fraud ring
simultaneously, improving efficiency and reducing overlap. Adapting to Evolving Fraud
Tactics: Challenge: Fraud tactics continuously evolve, requiring us to stay ahead of
emerging trends. Solution: Using Agile methodology, we adapted quickly to new fraud
patterns. We iterated and refined our fraud detection tools, including the Autofraud
Detection Tool, based on real-time data and insights, ensuring its ability to identify new
types of fraud more accurately. Stakeholder Communication: I maintain regular
communication with senior stakeholders, including Senior Business Development
Managers, Account Managers, and the Policy & Legal teams, providing updates on fraud
trends, high-risk marketplaces, and new fraud patterns. These insights help refine fraud
prevention policies and improve business strategies. Results & Impact: Improved Fraud
Detection Accuracy: The project led to a 7.09% improvement in fraud detection accuracy,
resulting from enhanced data analysis and updates to the Autofraud Detection Tool.
Revamped Fraud Prevention Policies: Based on ongoing fraud detection insights, we
successfully revamped fraud prevention policies to be more adaptive to emerging fraud
patterns. Operational Efficiency: The centralized tracking system and improved detection
tools have enhanced the speed and efficiency of fraud identification, safeguarding affiliate
revenue and program integrity. Conclusion: This project has significantly improved fraud
detection capabilities within the Amazon Affiliate Program, protecting revenue and ensuring
the program’s integrity. Through Agile practices, continuous tool enhancements, and
effective team collaboration, we have built a dynamic fraud detection system that adapts to
new challenges.