Product Professional based in Germany

Olá! I'm a fusion of Portuguese roots and African rhythms, raised in Portugal’s highest mountains, always dreaming of travelling the world. This dream took off in my 20s during my law studies in Genoa, leading to an unexpected decade-long adventure in Düsseldorf. I've made a surprising switch from law to tech, drawn to the fast-paced, innovative tech world that suits my quick and innovative thinking style. Merging law and tech, I've found a unique harmony in these seemingly different paths.

Professional Experience

Packiro (Siegwerk Ventures GmbH)

Product Owner (June 2024 – currently)

Get in GmbH

Product Manager (December 2023 – April 2024)

At Get in GmbH, I shapped the product strategy and vision for two innovative platforms designed to revolutionise the tech recruitment process. The platforms inverted the traditional recruitment model, empowering tech talents by having recruiters apply to them.

  • Initiated and led the product discovery

  • Conducted in-depth market research and competitive analysis.

  • Development of first AI integration prototype

  • Responsible for platform quality assurance

  • Created and implemented a new process for handling XML feeds, optimizing job ad responsiveness. This reduced response times to under 24 hours, improving operational efficiency and execution.

Women in Tech: Joana, Developer

Eyeo GmbH

Product Manager (May 2019 - November 2023)

Developer (December 2017 – May 2019)

Eyeo GmbH is a software development company known primarily for creating Adblock Plus, one of the most popular ad-blocking applications on the web. The company focuses on making the internet experience smoother and less intrusive by developing tools that block disruptive ads and enhance online privacy. They also advocate for sustainable advertising, encouraging a balance where ads support free content without negatively affecting the user experience. After one year and a half working as a developer, I was promoted to the role of Product Manager.

  • Directed a 14-person team in hybrid and remote settings, cultivating a high-performance culture and driving team efficiency.

  • Enhanced ad filtering technology, improving ad relevance and user experience, which in turn increased value to users and partners.

  • Guided strategy, roadmap, and compliance initiatives for software quality features, consistently meeting and exceeding KPI goals.

  • Served as a key driver between cross-unit projects, balancing community needs and company objectives through forums, open source initiatives, and global conferences.

  • Developed and refined operational and training procedures, improving team capabilities and process efficiency.

  • Worked closely with engineers to develop new features and internal tools for the community, enhancing engagement and automation mechanisms.

Empowering Women in IT: Stories from Industry Leaders

As a developer (filters) my responsabilities and achivements include:

  • Conducted in-depth research and analysis of anti-adblocking software, leading efforts that persuaded companies and websites to discontinue the use of such software, contributing to a healthier web environment.

  • Managed the creation and approval of publisher requests, ensuring full compliance with Acceptable Ads criteria, which minimized over-blocking and maintained essential ad revenue streams.

  • Authored and maintained scripts in Node.js, along with CSS, HTML, and JS adblocking filters, to finely tune ad visibility balancing user experience with publisher needs.

  • Provided technical support for Account Managers and legal consultations, ensuring operational alignment with industry standards and compliance requirements.

Career Transition

May 2017 - December 2017

trivago

Operations Specialist based in Spain (May 2016 - May 2017)

Operations Specialist (June 2015 - May 2016)

Inside Sales representative (April 2015 - June 2015)

RMW&C

Jurist (September 2014 - February 2015)

Zurich

Jurist (July 2013 - September 2014)

Radio of Coimbra University

Radio Broadcaster (August 2011 - September 2012)

Packiro packaging solutions are designed to make the packaging world more digital and, above all, more sustainable.

As the product owner for the shopbackend team my responsabilities are:

  • Translate the pains and needs of our customers to new feature requests that improve overall user experience.

  • Coordination and alignment with other platform software tools and stakeholders.

I took a strategic half year career break to deepen my technical skills. During this period, I dedicated myself to studying web development, master new programming languages and understanding the latest industry trends. Additionally, I did some travelling and settle down in Germany after a year in Palma de Mallorca (Spain).

Trivago is a leading global hotel search platform, connecting travelers with the best hotel deals. The company is committed to providing innovative solutions to enhance user engagement and satisfaction.

In my role at Trivago, I was responsible for:

  • Collaborating closely with product, data, UI, and marketing teams to identify client needs and co-design innovative product features, significantly enhancing user engagement.

  • Supporting the creation of a new department in Palma de Mallorca (Spain) implementing agile methodologies for training, and mentoring regional teams to foster a high-performance culture.

  • Efficiently diagnosing and resolving technical issues reported by account managers, minimising the need for engineer intervention and accelerating issue resolution.

  • Driving community collaboration initiatives, delivering best practices that increased content generation for our products and boosted user interaction.

  • Administering social media accounts, ensuring a response rate of less than 24 hours, which enhanced user satisfaction and brand reputation.

In my inside sales role at Trivago, I:

  • Proactively established and strengthened relationships with hoteliers through onboarding and commercial education, consistently closing contracts each week.

  • Transitioned from sales to operations, focusing on financial management and supporting customers in content integration on the platform.

RMW&C is a consultancy law firm specializing in tax and trademark services for international clients. The firm is dedicated to providing comprehensive support to businesses and investors across Brazil and Germany.

At RMW&C, my responsibilities included:

  • Providing tax consultancy for international clients in Brazil and Germany.

  • Overseeing trademark registration processes and achieving a 10% decrease in on-hold processes.

  • Managing client relationships with international investors.

  • Writing, designing, and delivering marketing activities such as newsletters, events, and workshops.

During my time in Zurich, I took on a mini job that provided valuable professional experience in office management and insurance-related matters.

In this role, I was responsible for a variety of tasks, including:

  • Handling insurance matters such as dispute resolutions, legal advice, formal and administrative procedures, and financial issues.

  • Managing office operations to ensure smooth workflow.

  • Conducting data analysis for stakeholders.

Radio University of Coimbra is a volunteer-driven radio station where students gain hands-on experience in broadcasting. It provided a unique platform for students to develop their skills in a professional setting.

This experience marked my first significant commitment. My responsibilities included:

  • Training in communication, storytelling, voice work, advertisement, jingles, and broadcast engineering.

  • Leading a broadcast radio segment for several hours a week, managing the programming table independently.

  • Writing content for weekly chronicles.

Education

University of Coimbra

Master’s in Legal and Judicial Science (September 2013 - March 2015)

Bachelor in Law (September 2008 - September 2013)

University of Genoa

Erasmus Program (September 2012 - June 2013)

I furthered my studies at the Universidade de Coimbra by pursuing a Master's in Legal and Judicial Science. This advanced program allowed me to deepen my expertise in legal theories and judicial practices, preparing me for specialised roles within the legal field. More information about the master's program is available here.

Grade:15 out of 20 (German: 1,7)

I completed my Bachelor in Law at the esteemed Universidade de Coimbra. This comprehensive program provided a solid foundation in various areas of law, including civil, criminal, and administrative law, equipping me with critical thinking and analytical skills essential for legal practice. More details about the program can be found here.

Grade: 13 out of 20 (German: 2,3)

As part of my academic journey, I spent one year on an Erasmus exchange at the University of Genoa. This experience broadened my legal perspective by exposing me to different legal systems and practices, and enhanced my adaptability and cultural awareness.

Certifications & Courses

Agile Scrum Alliance℠

Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) - January 2020

University of Alberta

Software Product Management Specialization (July 2020)

University of Michigan

Interactivity with JavaScript

Google (coursera)

Project Management

Gained expertise in Scrum practices, enabling effective product backlog management and maximizing team productivity.

Achieved comprehensive skills in managing software products, including product lifecycle management, planning, and stakeholder engagement.

Developed advanced JavaScript skills, enabling the creation of interactive and dynamic web applications.

Enhanced project management skills, including initiating, planning, executing, and closing projects efficiently and effectively.

Volunteering

REDi School of Digital Integration

Teacher (May 2023 – June 2023)

ReDI School of Digital Integration is a non-profit tech school providing access to free digital education. As a volunteer teacher, I supported women in developing their digital skills through the Digital Women Program. This program empowers women by enhancing their digital skills for life and work, fostering social inclusion and employability. My role involved creating a supportive learning environment and addressing the specific challenges women face in accessing education.

Analyzed and reported on a sample of tweets sent to 1,000 women politicians and journalists to expose sexist, racist, and other forms of abuse against women. This work contributed to highlighting the prevalence of online harassment and advocating for women's rights.

Helped improve the accuracy of home identification computer vision algorithms for use in rural contexts and electrification. Developed a training dataset of rural homes in sub-Saharan Africa to train an object detection algorithm, which will be used to identify homes in georeferenced satellite imagery for electrical system planning. This method aims to enable cheaper and easier electrical system planning in underserved areas.

Amnesty international

Decoder (May 2020 - July 2020)

Zooniverse

Researcher (May 2020 - July 2020)

Luciano Garcia School

Online Safety Educator - Cape Verde (West Africa) - October 2017 - November 2017

Dedicated my time to empowering children from underserved backgrounds with essential digital literacy skills. Focused on teaching them how to navigate the internet safely, raising awareness about its potential dangers, and guiding them in responsible online behavior.

Skills

  • ProgrammingPlanguages - Python, R

    Web Development - HTML, CSS, Javascript

    Data formats - XML, JSON

    IDE - Visual Studion Code

    UI design

    Product discovery, strategy and delivery

    Roadmapping

  • Stakeholder Management

    Public Speaking

    Leadership

    Empathy

    Diplomacy

    Listening Skills

    Teamwork

    Critical Thinking

    Ability to Work Under Pressure

    Organizational Skills

  • Microsoft Office Suite (Productivity)

    Canva, Figma (Design)

    Tableau, Power BI, Looker Studio (Data Visualization)

    Asana, Trello, Atlassian tools including Jira (Project Management)

    Google Analytics (Web Analytics)

    Git, GitLab, GitHub (Version Control)

    Storytelling (Communication & Presentation)

    Writing Technical Documentation

  • Native level - Portuguese

    C1 - English, Spanish, Italian

    B1/B2 - German, French

Interests and hobbies

  • Arts, Crafts & upcycling

  • History

  • Nature

  • Music and Concerts

Testimonials from Colleagues

Sabine H. S. - Frontend Developer

“Her infectious positivity and proactive mindset were truly inspiring, fostering a dynamic and motivated work environment.”

Krzsyztof S. - Product Owner

“It is rare to find someone so consistent in delivering early or on time”

Elena P. - Data

“What stands out about Joana is her dedication to advocating for our products and our team. She's incredibly supportive and motivating, encouraging us to grow and excel.”

Mateusz F. - E-commerce specialist

“…consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, strategic thinking, and a deep understanding of product management.”

Get in touch