Portland, Oregon

Penn
Brimberry
Bringing order
to chaos

Over 25 years of making complex software understandable, and making the organizations that build it work better. I care whether the work actually impacts a real person. I build things that last instead of things that perform.


The longer version

For over 25 years I've worked at the intersection of complex software and the humans who have to use it. The goal has always been the same: make organizations work and make people feel enabled and supported.

That started at PeopleSoft and Oracle where, for over 20 years, I built large-scale online help systems for HCM and global payroll products. That work impacted real paychecks for thousands of people.

At Zoom, I came in as a senior technical writer and ended up spending two years in product operations owning Productboard governance, PDLC standardization, PM onboarding, and AI tooling adoption. I didn't plan that pivot, but it turned out the same instinct drives both: I want to know whether the work actually provided value for a real person. Did the doc answer the question? Did the process actually help the PM ship something, or did it just give them more boxes to check?

I execute without ego, and I thrive in a culture that values results over visibility. I build things that last instead of things that perform. And when someone earns my trust and gives me room to work, I tend to become quietly indispensable.

Outside of work: I live in Portland with my wife Gillian and our kids. I love running through Mt. Tabor Park to let my mind wander while my body works. I sing in an a cappella choir and do a solid karaoke cover of Stevie Wonder's Superstition. I cook simple comfort food well. My perfect evening is spent playing tabletop games with my friends and family.


Where I've been

2024 – 2026

Zoom Communications

Senior Product Operations Manager

Owned product operations tooling, workflows, and governance supporting all PMs across Zoom: Productboard governance, PDLC standardization, and PM onboarding. Drove AI tooling adoption as an internal AI Champion, running POCs with Figma Make, v0 by Vercel, Lovable, and Enterpret (where we demonstrated a 46% reduction in feedback aggregation time). Built the operational scaffolding that helped product managers focus on building instead of navigating process.

Product Operations Productboard AI Tooling PDLC

2021 – 2024

Zoom Video Communications

Senior Technical Writer / Content Architect

Wrote and architected documentation for Meetings, Phone, Contact Center, Whiteboard, and Conference Room Connector. Developed internal architecture diagrams, enterprise-facing Preview Notes, and contributed to style guide development. Worked directly with engineering and product teams in a fast-moving environment where accuracy and speed both mattered.

Technical Writing Architecture Docs Enterprise Style Guides

2005 – 2021

Oracle

Principal User Assistance Developer

Led large-scale online help development for enterprise products across PeopleSoft and Oracle Fusion, including Global Payroll, Enterprise Learning Management, and Oracle Fusion Permitting and Licensing. Owned information architecture, release delivery, and documentation quality for globally distributed product lines. The domain knowledge built here (particularly around payroll and HR systems) was deep and hard-won.

DITA / XML HCM Global Payroll Public Sector Online Help Systems

1999 – 2004

PeopleSoft

Principal Technical Writer

Produced instructional and technical documentation for enterprise HR and financial systems, serving as documentation infrastructure lead for a 60+ member writing team.

Technical Writing HCM Enterprise Software Documentation Infrastructure

Selected work

Documentation · Oracle

Oracle Public Sector Compliance and Regulation

Online documentation library for Oracle's PSCR cloud application suite: permits, inspections, licensing, code enforcement. I contributed substantially to this body of work during my Oracle tenure, including technical briefs and integration guides.

View documentation library →

Documentation · PeopleSoft / Oracle

PeopleSoft Enterprise Learning Management

Documentation for PeopleSoft ELM, Oracle's enterprise learning management platform within the HCM suite. Part of a 20-year body of work spanning payroll, HR, and workforce management documentation.

View documentation →

Documentation · Oracle HCM

Oracle HCM Global Payroll

Online help for Oracle's Global Payroll cloud application, a domain where documentation errors have real-world financial consequences. Deep expertise in payroll process flows, configuration, and implementation guidance.

View documentation →

Technical Brief · Oracle

Migrating Legacy Data to PSCR Using Oracle Integration Cloud

A technical brief I authored covering OIC-based data migration into Oracle Public Sector Compliance and Regulation: permits, inspections, attachments, fees, and more. Step-by-step integration configuration with annotated screenshots.

Available upon request

Technical Brief · Oracle

Configuring Credit Card Services for Oracle PSCR

White paper I authored detailing end-to-end configuration of CyberSource credit card payment processing within Oracle PSCR, from CyberSource profile setup through Fusion Payments integration, unit testing, and go-live checklist.

Available upon request

The Oracle documentation libraries reflect collaborative team contributions over many years. The two technical briefs listed as "available upon request" are documents I authored individually, and I'm happy to share them in the context of a hiring conversation.


The full picture

25+ years in one document. Technical writing, product operations, content architecture, the whole arc. Available as a PDF.


Let's talk

I'm actively exploring senior technical writing and product operations roles, particularly in tech, public sector, and mission-driven organizations. If something here resonates, I'd genuinely enjoy a conversation.

Portland-based, open to remote and hybrid arrangements.