OVERVIEW

Experienced Configuration/Release Manager with excellent systems development, deployment and integration experience with Blue Chip vendor and end-user companies across Consultancy, Finance, Insurance, Treasury, Life Sciences & Pharmaceutical industries as well as Public Sector. Adept at developing, adapting and applying Change, Configuration and Release Management processes on major development and integration programmes.

KEY SKILLS

Configuration/Release Management/Quality Management, IT Process Improvement, Quality Assurance, Test Team Leadership, Interface Testing, Design and Development. ITIL certified to Foundation level.

Current Employment:

[snip]

June 2004 to present

18-month contract, renewed for 6 months based in Reading, Berkshire Release Manager (Systems Introduction)

The agency is engaged in a vast programme to redefine business processes and systems in line with fundamental regulatory changes being made in the EU to the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). At the systems level, the major supplier is Accenture. In addition to the development of new systems there are changes to legacy systems and new interfaces. The programme will deliver the changes in a number of major Releases, the last of which will complete towards mid-2006.

[snip] is one of 2 Release Managers on the RPA side. He provided the main input to the definition of the Release Management process for the Change Programme. The responsibilities of the Release Management team are as follows:

• To co-ordinate all plans of the member projects, including End-to-end Testing
• To co-ordinate the activities of all work streams as well as the Business and Training with regard to the delivery of each release
• To create, maintain and monitor a Release Plan for each Release, which represents a high level view of the development of the key deliverables for that release
• To report on progress on a weekly basis to business directors
• To develop various products relating to the Releases, including the Overall Release Approach, the Rollback Plan and the Release Closure Report
• To create and monitor a Countdown Plan for a release when it is within a month of delivery
• To maintain a Lessons Learned Log and to track the actions arising from the recommendations
• To ensure that all projects, agencies and the business participate in the definition and rehearsal of a detailed and comprehensive Deployment Plan
• To manage the secure deployment of each release including the minimisation of disruption to the business.

In addition, [snip] has provided consultancy to the RPA on the adequacy of the projects’ Configuration Management processes to provide assured delivery and successful hand-over to Support.

CAREER HISTORY

[snip]

August 2003 – May 2004

9-month contract based in Poole, Dorset, Release Manager

Poole is an ITIL-based organisation supporting core retail banking systems in 11 African countries, plus Cyprus, Gibraltar and Caribbean. A complex operation divided into Live Systems Support and Development & Integration. The Release Manager role spans both. Main tasks:

• Defining and implementing procedures around Release Manager role
• Change and Configuration Management process improvement to include control of all deliverables, i.e. software (systems and applications), infrastructure and documentation and to link changes to deliverables.
• Wrote CM Strategy, which defines how CM supports release management following ITIL approach. Requires central CM Plan to be written and updated for each project that introduces new deliverable types.
• Creation of and maintenance of overall Release Management Plan (RMP), which [snip] implemented using a programmer to construct a VBA application in Excel to present planning data extracted from various planning tools; this is instrumental in the overall planning of projects to avoid conflicts and to utilise mutual benefits efficiently
• Day-to-day management of releases and patches to be implemented in countries, version control of software changes; ensuring that all countries are at the same patch level for ease of maintenance
• Assistance to projects in Configuration Management discipline and maintenance of central Configuration Management Plan and in writing Release Plans and Installation Plans, QA of plans to ensure successful delivery of software as well as infrastructure change.
• Provision of Implementation Management to projects that lack this role. Working as part of project teams and running workshops to define implementation tasks and responsibilities.
• Production of a Code Control Procedure, which is the core element of the overall Release Management process and results in the creation of a Patch.

[snip]

IT Process Advisor 2001-2003

Senior Consultant 1992-2001

Large system developments and integration projects in Blue Chip environments

IT Services & Outsourcing Vertex: Release Manager

Release Management of Project Green, implementing major system improvements for TXU.

• Support Siebel CRM application during busy Integration testing, Mock Production and Implementation phases.
• Process definition of detailed release management procedures for each agency involved in delivering database update, parameter configuration and software elements
• Tracking forms for controlling agency to document hand-off from one delivery to the next
• Execution of controlling agency activities for delivery to Test and Live environments

[snip] (internal) Change/Configuration Management

Accelerated Delivery Centre (ADC) Change & Configuration Management Stream

Delivered:

• Terms of Reference for Aston ADC CM Stream
• Configuration Management Plan for The Coal Authority Proof of Concept project
• Two reusable CM presentations at RUP Academy
• Substantial revision to existing ADC Generic CM Plan, including design of Basic CM Process, acting as a blueprint for generic configuration and scripting of Rational ClearCase for use by ADC projects
• Implementation of Rational ClearQuest for Change Request Management and assistance to MSO in defining Change Control Procedures
• Identification of CCM issues and deliverables for purposes of developing a rounded ADC CM Stream service

[snip] (internal): Bid Team Member

Bid support Consultant

• Research into relevant [snip] experience, contributions at bid review meetings.
• Documentation for Systems Integration, Quality Management, Configuration Management and Data Migration.
• Project effort estimating.

[snip]: Configuration Manager

Configuration Manager for Manufacturing SAP ERP Solution programme 2000-2001

• Wrote overall CM Plan and five subsidiary CM Plans in consultation with programme work-streams
• Defined CM process and procedures, implemented in PVCS Dimensions using Process Modeller
• Controlled all deliverables including documentation
• Change control and Incident Management process synchronisation and linking to change documents (Change Controls and Incident Reports); manual interface with test tool (Mercury Test Director)
• Baselining and Release Management of deliverables using PVCS Dimensions
• Formal test planning and execution to verify tool configuration consistent with requirements as required by Computer Systems Validation authority
• PVCS Dimensions CM tool rollout to programme (approx 50 users) including creation and delivery of training course and materials
• Managed CM issues on programme and assisted in definition of Change Control, Document Management, Incident Management; Test Management; Requirements Traceability Procedure
• Managed 2 Configuration Administrators

[snip]: Systems Integration Methods Consultant, SAP R/3

Methods liaison on second phase of SAP R/3 implementation (subsequently ERP Project), involving roll-out to further sites as part of Global ERP strategy.

• Reported directly to [snip] Technical Stream Project Manager. Responsible for preparing Systems Integration team for new procedures and reporting issues to Integrated QMS project team
• Member of Quality Review Board Steering Group for all project quality and compliance.

[snip]: Management of Support Standard Operating Procedure Team

• Writing procedures defining support processes for newly integrated manufacturing system.
• Co-ordination of multiple client teams, contractors (including SAP UK) and Cap Gemini Applications Management people in setting up Standard Operating Procedures
• Editorial assistance and management of SOPs through approval process.

[snip]: Quality & Compliance Officer

Systems Integration team in multinational pharmaceutical company systems integration project 1998-1999

• Organised and delivered role-specific training in Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to 70+ team members
• Sampled SDLC documentation to ensure consistent interpretation of SOPs
• Interfaced with central Compliance Team to ensure adherence to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) regulatory standards
• Wrote Cap Gemini Configuration Management Plan controlling CM process for the Systems Integration team
• Enforced CM discipline with regard to the maintenance of deliverables using the PVCS Dimensions CM tool.

[snip]: Test Project Leader, PeopleSoft implementation

Finance Improvement Programme.

• Managed link and non-functional testing of interfaces for first cut-over, working with a team of 11 test analysts.

[snip]: Lead Technical Designer

System interface and automated data migrations of further cutovers of the MRPII systems integration programme.

[snip]: Data Migration Team Leader

Automated Data Migration for the first Cutover of the MRPII project. Reviewing functional specifications, liasing with client data owners, controlling technical specification and build of programs, writing Computer Systems Design, providing support to the business during their acceptance testing and live migration runs.

[snip]: CASE Tool Consultant

Defining standards, as part of Systems Architecture team, on MRPII Programme to implement the SDW CASE tool in production of Functional Specifications. The specifications were adapted to the description of electronic interface functionality.

[snip] (internal): Business Analyst, internal accounting systems

• Evaluating packages in Project Accounting, Ledgers, Billing and Invoicing.
• Identifying requirements in Billing and Invoicing, and Fee Rate Analysis component of Project Accounting. Billing and Invoicing needed automation, and Fee Rate Analysis was a new business process.
• Workshops and interviews with potential users, documented using SDW.

[snip]: Business Analyst/Test Manager

Development and implementation of a new Airtime Sales system

• Functional Definition analysis: responsible for design and specification of the Financial Management system.
• System Testing Phase Manager.
• Set standards for test planning within SDW (the specification tool used)
• Co-ordinated Business Testing using [snip] project management.
• Ran a team of 20 analysts and programmers, delivering all programs on time.
• Received OTACE (On Time and Above Customer Expectation) award.

[snip]: Technical Consultant

Represented CGEY, winning [snip] technical review of their strategic AS/400 Client Database System.

• Detailed appraisal of database structure and selection of 16 RPG programs.
• Performance improvement recommendations, future change consolidation.
• Provided technical documentation

[snip]: Systems Analyst and Designer

Invoicing and Payments system

• Trained client staff in Synon/2E.
• Functional Systems Design team member, producing design to tight standards
• Analyst in charge of setting up Logical Data Model.

[snip] Systems Analyst and Synon/2E DBA

• Member of six-person Project Management Team with responsibility for Data Modelling sub-project
• Database Administrator, managing Synon/2 data model and development environment

1987-1992 [snip]  (UK-wide software house)

Analyst/Programmer

IBM S/38 and AS400 analyst/programmer using Synon/2E

Earlier experience available on request

EDUCATION

BA Hons University of the Witwatersrand 1971 (Philosophy)

BA University of the Witwatersrand 1969 (Philosophy, Psychology)

PERSONAL

Married, 2 children

INTERESTS

Chess, tennis and reading

My chess skills have contributed well towards problem solving:

• Former South African Champion, representing SA internationally; International Master of Chess Problem Solving; FIDE Master
• Five times British Chess Problem Solving Champion, representing GB in World Solving Championship team.
• Co-wrote book [snip] (Batsford, 1995)
• Currently “[snip]” columnist in British Chess Magazine