Managing Member
Project Doctor
مجموع سنوات الخبرة :35 years, 1 أشهر
Support clients with PMO optimisation, project management methodology and project management maturity improvements.
Managing the Business Case Phases of the mainframe modernisation programme. The programme aimed to move all Sanlam legacy systems off the mainframe in order to mitigate its resource risks, contain escalating mainframe costs, and future proof the Sanlam systems. The project developed the required future architectural landscape, and mapped an application landscape that would move the legacy applications over to the new architecture.
The first phase, i.e. the delivery of the Stage 0 business case was delivered in November 2014, after which approval was obtained to progress to the next stage. The outcome of Stage 1 was a Level 1 Business Case and strategic plan to move Sanlam off the mainframe onto an open systems platform. The work involved extensive management of local and offshore vendors to find the best solution for a very unique context which had no similar experience world-wide.
On returning to South Africa, I took some time out traveling and addressing some health issues, and slowly resumed activities through Project Doctor, supporting clients with their PMO needs. These were mostly small consulting initiatives, ranging from maturity assessments to PMO process optimisation, as well as Portfolio Management System consulting. Project Doctor is a consulting partner for PPO (Project Portfolio Office) in the Western Cape.
3 Month contract establishing an EPMO at a major telecommunications corporation in Saudi Arabia. This assignment involved:
• performing an assessment of the client's maturity in portfolio, programme and project management,
• defining a PMO model, organogram, roles and responsibilities,
• defining PMO and project management KPIs,
• implementing an integrated organisational project management framework and methodology (incorporating portfolio, programme and project management), including all templates,
• defining all governances,
• policies and procedures,
• organisational project manual,
• training of all organisational stakeholders,
• complete rollout and communication plans,
• improvement plans.
The client elected to get all the design work done by the consultant, and then take ownership of the implementation phase as a long-term project.
Managing PMO and overall program as the lead vendor in a consortium, implementing a new MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) application and processes to manage the aircraft maintenance which forms the entire SAEI business.
The program consisted of vendors from Switzerland, India and Saudi Arabia, all of which needed to be tightly managed in order to achieve coherence at all times.
The program had the following main objectives:
• Implementation of a new MRO application,
• Assessment of all SAEI as-is processes and developing the to-be processes within the new environment
• Designing and building a new main and disaster recovery data center, complete with network and security infrastructure.
• Running a change management campaign throughout the organization
• Training of approximately 6000 staff members
• Defining a new SAEI organization required to operate and support the new environment and assist with recruitment of key individuals.
• Conclude SLAs with vendors for post implementation support.
• Manage a structured knowledge transfer program.
I started Project Doctor as a platform to consult in the discipline of project/programme management. Our services include ad-hoc project/programme management consulting, managing client projects and performing project health checks and recovery.
I performed a programme management role at Old Mutual Investment Services, particularly looking after a strategic projects portfolio.
I performed a Project Delivery Capability assessment at The Biovac Institute. I then developed a project management methodology, and rolled it out to the entire organization. I then implemented PPO (portfolio management software) and they outsourcing their entire PMO to us. I subsequently set up the Biovac PMO infrastructure, assisted with capacity building, training, knowledge transfer, and recruitment and monitoring of their in-house project management staff until we finally handed over the PMO to a fully empowered Biovac team after 18 months.
I was the programme manager on the Old Mutual Role Design Programme (RDP) in December 2006. This programme moved staff of the old grading system in favour of a generic role concept that governs staff relative positioning in the organization, staff mobility and earnings. It also included moving staff onto a Total Gross Pay concept.
I regularly assisted the Cape Winelands District Municipality (CWDM) with their performance management process. I subsequently got involved in the same process at another 10 municipalities.
I performed Project Health Checks for the Sanlam Project Management Centre. This role continues for more that a year, and was part of their project recovery process.
I facilitated a handover of the Employee Benefits IT Project Office from the previous Programme Manager to a new recruit. the role included management and improvement of the project office while the handover was taking place.
I performed a Project Office process reengineering project for Riyad Bank, Saudi Arabia. This resulted in a a set of redesigned PMO processes.
I was employed onto the senior management team by Old Mutual Bank to turn their bank launch programme around after it ran into implementation problems.
The Old Mutual Bank Launch programme was responsible for launching the new bank into the market place. It consisted of 18 projects, and (amongst other things) dealt with the bank’s strategy, developing the bank’s product range, building a new internet-enabled information system and infrastructure, creating back office and call centre infrastructure and capability, managed all training, and dealt with all marketing activities. The programme took 18 months from the time I took over its management.
During this process, I did a complete audit of the programme, which resulted in me getting involved in re-structuring the delivery teams and organisation structure to align with the bank’s vision. Part of the task involved taking ownership of the business, systems and process analysis function for an interim period while recruiting a business solutions manager. I then appointed a programme manager to focus specifically on the bank launch while I developed an Enterprise Programme Management Office (EPMO).
I performed the Programme Manager/ Portfolio Manager role for the bank’s project porfolio. I was also responsible for managing the EPMO. This involved managing a dedicated team of project managers and project administrators in the EPMO, as well as various project managers and administrators seconded from the business units. The EPMO was responsible for project management methodology, standards and governance, as well as the management of the bank’s complete project portfolio. Part of my role was to ensure that the project portfolio was constantly aligned to the organisational strategy.
I was appointed by Southern Life as a systems analyst. During my 10 year stay, I progressed to positions of senior systems analyst and project manager. My roles included:
- Employee Benefits scheme accounting system: project management, business and systems analysis and design.
- Employee Benefits Ledger System: project management, business and systems analysis and design.
- Employee Benefits Commissions System: requirements analysis
- Employee Benefits Finance System Enhancements: project management
- Employee Benefits Terminations Project: feasibility study and analysis
- Systems Systems Development Methodology: developed an in-house methodology
- Workflow development: I created a workflow environment on Complete PME for all Employee Benefits business processes.
- Multiple Lives Project: Project Manager
- Finance team manager: manager of the Individual Life Financial Systems team.
- During my latter years at Southern Life, I became involved in some dysfunctional teams, where my role included team building, improving team members’ morale, and turning these teams around into productive/high output teams. This became one of my key strengths.
Group Stores System:
This was a development of a new Stores system for the entire Diamond Division (nationally). My roles ranged from developing an interactive menu and access control system, a set of framework online programs, development of programming standards, as well as performing the analysis and design. The project lasted 20 months. The platform was Datacom/ Ideal.
Maintenance Management System:
I performed the analysis of requirements for a system to manage the maintenance of all plant equipment, machinery and vehicles at the mines. The specification was completed and signed off before I left the company,
Systems Development Methodology:
I developed an in-house systems development methodology over a period of 3 months. This was done using the Maintenance Management systems analysis as a pilot project.
I was employed as a junior programmer immediately after I completed the Cobol programming course. During my stay I was promoted to programmer, senior programmer and analyst/programmer.
Satellite systems:
Over a period of 2 months, I developed various satellite and reporting systems using Easytrieve and COBOL.
Transaction Processing front-end:
Developed a system to reformat all input records from the Mohawk format and automate all validations. This system replaced the Input Control Department of 20 people. The entire SDLC was performed as a one-person project and lasted for 2 months. The platform was COBOL.
On-line Receipting System:
I developed National Mutual’s first on-line system, i.e. a Cash Receipting system for use by the cashiers. This system handled all aspects of receipting payments, reconciliations, banking, etc. The platform was COBOL and the duration was 4 months. This was another one-person project where I personally did all analysis, design, coding and testing.
Maintenance:
I headed up the programming team responsible for maintenance and enhancements of existing systems. I also played the role of 2IC to the Application Support Manager. This role lasted 12 months. My team consisted of 6 people.
Computer Operator:
I operated the IBM System 370 computer using the OS/VS1 operating system for about 12 months.
Job Scheduler:
I was responsible for setting up all production JCL and scheduling production runs. This role lasted more than 12 months.
I studied a BCom (Honours) in General Management.
