Career Experience

Senior project manager with 28+ years in business operations, technology implementation and process improvement across the Twin Cities.

Ahadu Legesse’s career follows a steady path from project support to senior project leadership, all inside large Minnesota organizations. Each step added responsibility: first collecting the data and keeping the records, then coordinating schedules and meetings, then owning projects outright, and finally leading cross-functional work that changes how whole departments operate.

The industries changed — retail, banking, medical technology, healthcare — but the core work stayed the same: get people from different teams to agree on what is being done, by whom and by when, then keep that agreement current as the project moves. That continuity is why his experience transfers so well between sectors, and it is the foundation of his project management expertise.

Career at a glance

Ahadu’s career, drawn the way he would plan a project: one row per organization, one bar per role.

  1. Target Corporation Operations Analyst / Project Support Specialist (1998–2004) Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Operations Analyst / Project Support Specialist: February 1998 – May 2004
  2. U.S. Bank Project Coordinator (2004–2007), then Project Manager (2008–2012) Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Project Coordinator: June 2004 – December 2007
    Project Manager: January 2008 – July 2012
  3. Medtronic Project Manager, Operational Excellence (2012–2020) Fridley, Minnesota
    Project Manager, Operational Excellence: August 2012 – March 2020
  4. UnitedHealth Group Senior Project Manager, Business Operations (2020–now) Minnetonka, Minnesota
    Senior Project Manager, Business Operations: March 2020 – Present

Roles and responsibilities

  1. March 2020 – Present Minnetonka, Minnesota

    Senior Project Manager, Business Operations UnitedHealth Group

    Leads cross-functional projects that improve internal business operations, technology adoption and administrative workflows.

    • Develops detailed project plans, milestones, timelines and resource requirements.
    • Coordinates project activities across operations, information technology and business support teams.
    • Monitors project risks, budgets and schedules, and reports progress to department leaders.
    • Supports the implementation of new business systems and updated internal processes.
    • Facilitates project meetings, documents decisions and keeps stakeholders informed.
    • Mentors junior project coordinators and supports consistent project management practices.
  2. August 2012 – March 2020 Fridley, Minnesota

    Project Manager, Operational Excellence Medtronic

    Managed internal improvement projects focused on operational efficiency, workflow standardization and department coordination.

    • Worked with business leaders to set project objectives, deliverables and implementation schedules.
    • Reviewed existing workflows to identify delays and unnecessary steps, then recommended practical improvements.
    • Coordinated cross-functional teams through planning, execution and completion.
    • Prepared project updates, management reports and process documentation.
    • Supported change management and helped employees transition to updated business practices.
  3. January 2008 – July 2012 Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Project Manager U.S. Bank

    Managed internal business operations projects, technology updates and administrative process improvements.

    • Managed project schedules, task assignments, documentation and stakeholder meetings.
    • Worked with department managers to identify operational needs and set project priorities.
    • Monitored milestones, tracked risks and assisted with resource planning.
    • Kept projects within approved scope and timelines and reported progress to management.
  4. June 2004 – December 2007 Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Project Coordinator U.S. Bank

    Supported project managers with planning, scheduling, reporting and documentation.

    • Organized team meetings, maintained action-item lists and tracked project deadlines.
    • Coordinated communication between departments and external service providers.
    • Prepared project summaries and maintained organized records.
  5. February 1998 – May 2004 Minneapolis, Minnesota

    Operations Analyst / Project Support Specialist Target Corporation

    Supported business operations through reporting, administrative coordination and process documentation.

    • Collected and organized operational data for internal management reports.
    • Assisted supervisors with departmental projects, schedules and performance tracking.
    • Prepared spreadsheets, project records and recurring business reports.
    • Took part in internal process reviews and identified ways to improve administrative efficiency.

Core competencies

Tools

Education: B.S. in Business Administration, Metropolitan State University (1997).

Frequently asked questions

What is Ahadu Legesse’s current role?

Senior Project Manager, Business Operations at UnitedHealth Group in Minnetonka, Minnesota, a position he has held since March 2020.

Which industries has Ahadu Legesse worked in?

Retail (Target Corporation), financial services (U.S. Bank), medical technology (Medtronic) and healthcare (UnitedHealth Group).

Which project management tools does he use?

Microsoft Project, Jira, Excel, SharePoint, Teams, PowerPoint and Outlook, along with process mapping, risk tracking and operational reporting.

Starting out in project management?

Ahadu is happy to talk with people entering the field, Twin Cities professionals comparing notes, and anyone with an idea for The Steady Progress Podcast.

Send Ahadu a message