Manuel Morales

Strategic operations leader with 15+ years of experience driving operational performance, revenue growth, and team leadership in customer-focused environments. Proven ability to manage large-scale programs and analyze financial performance to deliver exceptional customer experiences. Experienced in forecasting, stakeholder leadership, and process optimization.

MBA-trained leader skilled at improving service delivery, increasing revenue, and ensuring operational excellence in complex organizations.

Business Operations – Digital Products at Reliance, Inc. (2025-07 – Present)

Lead enterprise digital initiatives supporting 1,500+ internal users, improving operational efficiency and customer service capabilities across multiple departments

• Conduct financial and operational analysis supporting executive decision-making and investment prioritization.
• Identify emerging technologies to improve service delivery and operational performance.
• Partner with leadership teams to implement solutions improving employee productivity and internal service operations.

Business Operations - Innovation at Reliance, Inc. (2020-08 – 2025-07)

Founded and led the company's national innovation program supporting 300+ operational locations, identifying new technologies to improve operational efficiency and customer experience.

• Designed and launched four innovation pilots annually, reducing implementation costs by 50% through structured testing and analysis.
• Advised senior leadership on budget planning, forecasting, and operational strategy for technology initiatives.
• Delivered enterprise-wide presentations on innovation strategies and operational improvements.

Product Manager – Guest Technology & Connectivity at Carnival Corporation (2016-11 – 2020-08)

Extensive experience supporting global hospitality operations across 30+ cruise ships, improving guest satisfaction, launching revenue-generating services, and partnering with executive leadership to optimize operations.

• Led cross-department initiatives improving onboard guest connectivity services, increasing ancillary revenue by $5M+ annually.
• Delivered an $8 increase in per-guest spending through new service offerings.
• Introduced an industry-first crew internet program, improving employee satisfaction and operational communication.
• Conducted guest journey analysis to improve onboarding and service access, reducing service registration time by 25%.
• Partnered with operations leadership to ensure seamless service delivery across global fleet operations.

QA/IT Business Analyst at National Notary Association (2012-02 – 2016-11)

Collaborated with business leaders and product teams to improve digital services, operational workflows, and service delivery systems.

• Improved release cycles from bi-monthly to twice per month, increasing service improvements and operational responsiveness.
• Coordinated production support and quality assurance teams to ensure consistent service delivery.
• Led multiple small-to-medium operational improvement projects.

IT Analyst at TRIAD International ResMed Motor Technologies (2011-02 – 2011-10)

Coordinated IT operations in a manufacturing setting including researching issues, providing desktop support, and maintaining the organization's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.

• Coordinated IT operations in a manufacturing setting including researching issues, providing desktop support, and maintaining the organization's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.
• Audited and enhanced the security procedures within Vantage ERP resulting in increased data and network security.

Business Analyst - CRM at SFW, LLC.

Worked closely with the CEO to support and take on the various responsibilities in a start-up environment. Involved in requirements gathering, training, the sales process, and customer service support.

• Facilitated communication between front-end users and management by pinpointing issues with the product. This enabled the development team to create a solid software development roadmap to address the main concerns.
• As the manager of the customer relations department, we improved communication with clients by establishing a suite of communication channels. This allowed the company to receive constant feedback and maintain its commitment of quality customer service.
• Reduced client implementation timelines from one month to two weeks.

Master of Business Administration in Business Administration – California State University, Northridge

Bachelor of Science in Information Systems – California State University, Northridge