Andrew Buck

Established Program Management practice within an Interactive Consultancy, with the objective of developing best-in-class project/program management oversight.

• Developed tools, templates, processes and procedures aimed at aligning multiple client projects into program-managed suite of initiatives.
• Successfully implemented delivery changes that resulted in improved customer confidence, retention of existing business and extending client penetration. Greatly improved overall client relationship.

Principal for Professional Services venture, specializing in Program and Portfolio Management, Technology Lifecycle Management, and full-scope consulting services as a female/minority qualified organization.

http://www.generalnational.com

Our core competencies include:

- Process-based consulting;
- Business Analysis;
-Program Management;
-Project Management;
-PMO (startups, reviews, management, consulting)
-Organizational design/Business Process Improvement;
-Technology assessment (including procurement and asset management);
-Portfolio Management;
-Skills assessment;
-Rightshoring - outsource vs. insource decisions, Off-shore vs. On/Near-shore decisions
-Application management
-Infrastructure management
-Governance

Established/staffed Center of Excellence (PMO, including sub-components) supporting multiple organizational divisions. Manage Global Project Portfolio and Operational activities for several major business units of major media and global financial data/information provider consisting of over 150 projects. Managed global initiatives across data centers on 4 Continents encompassing business in 3 major regions. Managed staff of 10 Project and Program Managers/matrix responsibility for over 150 FTE’s and contractors. Managed budgeting in excess of $50M USD. Developed and aligned business and strategic objectives for several portfolios of technology/business investment. Managed the implementation of project delivery methodologies, program management practices, reporting, and metrics.

• Managed rationalization of pre-merger entities into single operating model, including business and operational processes, staffing, and key decisions around technology, facilities, and overall staff alignment.
• Consolidated 7 major business verticals into single managed Project Office, resulting in better leverage of staffing, reduction of underlying headcount, and overall portfolio savings of over $2MM US.
• Managed turnaround of key global program components, including developing improved processes for delivery across 7 business verticals.
• Managed Global IT program financials directly to underlying costs and financial objectives, resulting in overall cost savings of 80% to organization.
• Managed large data center programs across global environment, including the build-out of primary North American ISO 9000/27001 compliant Data Centre to meet 5 year anticipated capacity requirements; overall consolidation of non-strategic data centers to primary Tier 1 facilities to address resilience, cost control, and efficiencies of scale.

Established divisional Project Management Office (PMO) supporting the Information and Data Services division of major exchange/securities information service provider. Directed business process oversight, as well as long-range business planning and project governance for the division. Evaluated and implemented Mercury ITG Suite as PMO/Portfolio Management Tool as organizational pilot. Implemented and extended methodology utilizing scaled Rational Unified Process (RUP) model, including improved business/use case and test case composition.

• Successfully implemented PMO portfolio reporting structure for key senior management stakeholders, including financial reporting templates, Earned Value Reporting, change management, risk assessment/management, and tools supporting RUP methodology implementation.
• Implemented a framework that delivered several key initiatives that were behind schedule, bringing these back in line with business strategy.
• Delivered best-practice Project Management process controls, including financial oversight; improved change control aligned to business strategy; implemented project governance committees based on financial and business-case justification; improved communication and risk management models.

Managed Life/Annuity Systems and Program Management for a major-market insurer and financial planning organization. Managed the group’s Project Portfolio including metrics, status, variances, and project progress, planning and governance, project justification utilizing benefit/cost analysis, business case justification, and strategic alignment. Managed, developed/mentored staff of 20+ FTEs/Consultants (on-shore/off-shore). Directed the strategic planning and business/IT impact assessments. Implemented process change and improvement models, including use of Six Sigma and CMMI to address refinements in existing process.

• Managed turnaround of under-performing and schedule-delayed $40MM enterprise Imaging/Workflow/Business Process application into a successful implementation.
• Reduced headcount associated with consultancy by delivering via internal talent pool on improved time-scale.
• Achieved Sarbanes-Oxley compliance 1 year ahead of schedule by Defining/developing/reinforcing departmental, corporate and compliance standards, including developing IT organizational road-map.
• Reduced development time/time-to-market by 75% and increased overall accuracy of development efforts by implementing a Change Management methodology for project-based structured development. This model became the organization template for change implementation.
• Reduced overall defect ratios and improved customer communications and acceptance by implementing formal release management methodology.