CAREER SUMMARY

 

                                     BUSINESS PROFICIENCES

 

Seasoned professional, with outstanding project planning, execution, monitoring and resource balancing skills with ability to support multiple simultaneous projects in a matrix organizational structure.

 

·   Excel at communicating with stakeholders to provide accurate reporting and information regarding the ongoing projects and initiatives. Experienced in coordinating, negotiating and motivating outside vendors and off-shore resources in support of time line and product deliverables

·   Effectively training, motivating and mentoring onsite and offshore junior managers, marketing reps, engineers, developers and technicians

·   Detailed understanding of the business functions comprising the service industry Effective at quickly analyzing overall business requirements, identifying appropriate solutions, establishing goals, developing plans, and managing and coordinating activities that ensure implementation and operational success

·   Ability to direct and manage a large number of people simultaneously

·   Experienced at establishing strategic and tactical internal and external partnerships. Keen understanding of overall business dynamics and the importance of influence by involving all organizational departments to achieve success

·   Effective at maintaining technology currency to ensure appropriate application is applied to business requirements

 

AREAS OF EXPERTISE

 

Ø       Program/Project Management Life Cycle     Marketing Strategy      

Ø       Business Analyst    Budgeting P&L       

Ø       Change ManagementTechniques    Policies & Requirements Definition   

Resume of Qualifications
Karen T. Nelson

 

 

 

                                        EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATES

 

·   BS Management Information Systems

·   MBA

·   MS PM (Master Science Project Management)

·   MS IT (Master of Science in Information Technology)

·   CPM (Certified Project Manager)

·   HIPAA Compliance Certified

                        BUSNINESS PROJECT & APPLICATION PROFICENCY

 

DATABASE (S): Access, ORACLE, RDB
OPERATING SYSTEMS: DOS, UNIX, Windows XP, Vista, Windows 2010
NETWORK: DECnet/Ethernet, LAN/WAN, TCP/IP, Novell, SAN
APPLICATIONS: Microsoft Office 2013, Sharepoint, Microsoft Project, Lotus Notes, Prisim, IVR, Active Directory,VM Ware, Hp OpenView, SAP Business Suite 7 (7.0), Big Brother, Sonet, Remedy, Clarity, Altiris, Solaris, Ross Systems Financial, Manufacturing, HR Payroll, LCE, Colleague, Datatel, Ceridian (eSource, Self-Service, SourceTime), Practice Partner, PeopleAdmin and IDX, Barracuda, Primavera P6, Salesforce com, iPerform

Quality Control: ReqPro, Quality Center, HP ALM, WinRunner, HIPERSTATION

PLATFORMS: Mainframe, Client Server, Web applications

                                           WORK EXPERIENCE

 

1911 Solutions(Consultant)

Director Program Management 12/14 to 2/16

 

·   Responsible for the Program Management Office (PMO) to ensure IT programs and projects meet organization goals and requirements

·   Develops and implements PMO processes and policies

·   Directed project management staff, and worked with other department leaders to define, prioritize, and develop projects and programs

Resume of Work Experience

Karen T. Nelson

 

·   Supervised and coordinated day-to-day project activities

·   Developed a business vision and implemented corporate values

·   Responsible for ensuring that company programs were effectively executed

·   Ensured positive customer experience and excellent support options

·   Analyze programs to increase profitability

·   Participated in mentoring sessions to improve subordinates' morale and abilities

 

 

Insight Global (Consultant)

Sr. Program/Project Manager                     02/13 to 12/14

Product Development & Management

 

·   Responsible for guiding and implementing go-to-market product strategies for WiFi along with on-going lifecycle management activities  

·   Support launch strategy of Cox WiFi and Cable WiFi services for Residential and Business Customers

·   Responsible for anticipating customer needs, tracking/analyzing product performance, managing ongoing pricing strategies, providing ongoing cost analysis, formulating concise product positioning and packaging strategies, conducting competitive analysis

and differentiation strategies, managing resolution of product lifecycle issues, and recommending service enhancements and new products to grow the business

·   Track financial expenditures against budget and drive project deployment against timeline and program budget of $33M

·   Develop operational strategies while performing impact assessment and risk management

·   Oversee RFI/RFP and field test initiatives required for vendor evaluations

·   Led and perform Salesforce.com product implementations and customizations specializing in (but not limited to) FinancialForce.com's Professional Services Automation (PSA) product.

·   Documented software defects using bug tracking system (ReqPro and Quality Center) and reported defects involving program functionality, output, online screen and content to software developers through Salesforce CRM

·   Delivered thorough QA testing reports that determined product quality and release readiness.

·   Work closely with 3rd parties, vendors and internal teams to deploy and support our products

·   Worked closely with Cox’s MSO’s Wireless & Internet Providers(Sprint, AT&T, T-Mobile Comcast, Cablevision, Time Warner) to provide WiFi and Internet service to Cox’s Residential and Business Customers

·   Developed reports related to WiFi hotspot utilization against customer / business demographics to assist with the identification of new locations for WiFi builds

·   Develop reports / charts of trending history related to customer proximity to hotspots and propensity to utilize services

·   Development and launch a Single Sign On to various COX Web Portals (SmartBill, Order Entry and Trouble Ticketing System, Broadsoft Audio Conferencing Portal, and Local Backhaul Networks Performance Management platform) associated with Fairfax County Public Schools and FairFax County Government     

·   Collaborated with the residential development, technology, and MyAccount platform architecture teams, and the converged web services teams to leverage a common architecture across lines of business to develop and launch the Cox Business branded versions and the business centric customer experience

·   Gather input from customers and lead users in order to find and address product weaknesses or market opportunities

Resume of Work Experience

Karen T. Nelson

 

·   Move ideas through a project funnel from ideation to concept to trial to development and to deployment as the champion and owner of the initiatives

·   Lead cross functional teams to build profitable business cases supporting new product development that can be integrated into the company’s financial plan

·   Manage development and product release with all relevant functional groups to include Engineering, Marketing, Billing, Customer Care, NOC, Legal/Regulatory, and Sales

·   Created Use Cases and Test Scripts

·   Worked with QA Team and participate in UAT testing

·   Provide leadership and insight in competitive product analysis, commercial customer use behavior, emerging trends and applications

·   Lead and manage product enhancements and migrations to new technology platforms

·   Coordinate with, and provide leadership for, project managers and cross-functional groups on project schedules/deliverables

·   Manage resolution of development issues

·   Supervised and coordinated day-to-day project activities

·   Developed a business vision and implemented corporate values

 

Pyramid Consulting(Consultant)

Sr. Project Manager 03/12 to 02/13

 

·   Drive effective product launches in each system and facilitate training rollout plans

·   Ensure that commercial products are accurately represented in the customer support process

·   Launched projects in order to support the successful implementation of an IVR Upgrade supporting client’s objectives for Consumer Credit Cards and Mortgage

·   Client Services and Optimize Contact Center Operations project to support SunTrust’s Internal Call Centers

·   Maintained integrated product roadmap supported by market, customer, and competitive data of the banking industries

·   Closely monitored project budget of $1.3M

·   Maintained P&L, reported key performance metrics and product performance

·   Work closely with LOBs to enhance operation efficiencies, increase sales and customer excellence

·   Responsible for implementation of IVR architectural strategy of SunTrust applications within network design

·   Utilize expertise and leadership skills to direct staff, set project priorities, resolve issues and risks, and to ensure project goals and requirements are met according to the timeline

·   Maintained SunTrust Information Technology Security based on accepted practices, procedures, standards and guidelines

·   Exercised a leadership role, assembled a project team, identify appropriate resources, and develop a schedule to ensure timely execution/launch of project within defined time-lines, budget controls and quality standards  

·   Developed planning and implementation methodologies, working with project team, external consultants, and vendors as necessary

Resume of Work Experience

Karen T. Nelson

 

·   Worked with Architect team and STOLI Agents (customer care/sales agents) to identify which reports they require from Salesforce com migrated into iPerform

·   Provide one-way replication services between Salesforce com (SFDC) Orgs and local databases at SunTrust

·   Communicate with the vendor Salesforce com to maintain restoration of service priorities

·   Perform all tasks related to the day-to-day operations of a large implementation of Salesforce.com PSA, including managing users, maintaining custom objects and fields, managing bulk data migration, maintaining page layouts, and installing and supporting app exchange applications

·   Manage a fast-paced queue of support requests and resolve all issues while focusing on customer satisfaction and efficiency

·   Maintain and demonstrate 100% compliance with all written policies and change management controls

·   Wrote test cases for IVR implementation

·   Managed QA onshore and offshore QA Staff

·   Executed automated software test plans, cases and scripts to uncover, identify and document IVR software problems and their causes

·   Ensured all Problem Reports (PR) were logged, verified, and closed properly

·   Ensured appropriate QA checkpoints were identified and adhered to for the team

·   Conducted risk assessments, facilitated communication across operational groups,

·   and ensure compliance with FCC mandates

·   Responsible for delivering and analysis of status reporting to management; uploading files and data in SharePoint, summarizing resource utilization as well as how project plans are performing against critical schedules, budgets, quality and risk

 

3i People(Consultant)

Sr. Program Manager07/10 to 03/2012

 

·   Manages the development and implementation of projects/programs to meet business process initiatives, process improvement, product launches, other strategies and objectives  

·   Manage all projects and program related activities and have responsibility for execution and final delivery and release of Cox’s products and services (new enhancements and more)

·   Monitored Program Budget of $10M

·   Guided the supply chain management team in developing strategic planning, project implementation and execution of Cox products  

·   Develop and articulate plans to implement go-to-market strategy for new and existing products

·   Develop effective processes and tools to support multiple Sales channels

·   Develop operational strategies while performing impact assessment and risk management

·   Communicate project status and tasks to key stakeholders

·   Develops and manages detailed project schedules, project estimates, resource plans, deliverables and status reports; tracks risks and issues, key project milestones

·   Develops and executes management plans for time, cost, scope, quality, communications, risk, human resources, procurement and integration

·   Designed and implemented automated testing tools and programs addressing areas including database impacts, software scenarios, regression testing, negative testing,

Resume of Work Experience
Karen T. Nelson

 

error/bug retests and usability.

·   Documented software defects using bug tracking system (ReqPro and Quality Center) and reported defects involving program functionality, output, online screen and content to software developers through Salesforce CRM

·   Delivered thorough QA testing reports that determined product quality and release readiness.

·   Identifies and gains allocation of project team resources

 

·   Communicates major milestones and identifies potential project risks; conducts regular status meetings to review project activities; manages prioritization procedures with input from the application managers, business partners, and project team

·   Sets and manages client expectations, managing and escalating issues and changes

·   Measures progress toward goals and revises program objectives; documents applying change control procedures

·   Anticipates and identifies tasks required to support change processing including performing change impact analysis, project changes as defined in the change management plan, and facilitate customer acceptance

·   Provides recommendations for operational efficiency and process improvements subject to management review in support of change

·   Evaluates the impacts and risks of changes from multiple perspectives, assigns tasks that are necessary to reduce or eliminate those considerations, determines tentative implementation dates, and tracks results of the implementation

·   Develops methods to measure customer satisfaction; obtains feedback at critical milestones and at project completion to ensure that project efforts meeting customer expectations for time, cost, and results

 

Marta  (Contractor)

Manager of Client Technology11/09 to 07/10

 

·   Manages and provide directions daily for a Staff of 14

·   Provide directions to staff that is responsible for Help Desk, Desk Top Support, Service Support and NOC for Marta’s internal employees

·   Responsible for timely problem recognition, research, isolation, resolution and follow-up for Marta’s End User

·   Meet with IT Management gathering Call Center/Help Desk Business Needs

·   Develop and maintain formal procedures for consistency and increased productivity

·   Implement methodologies to improve first call resolution, manage customer perceptions, and build strong internal relationships

·   Choose appropriate technology and other resources to maximize help desk effectiveness

·   Manage and evaluate hardware and software upgrades, decommissions and deployments

·   Resolve project issues by involving the subject matter experts, customers, and vendors as required

·   Analyze help desk performance through various statistical and reporting methods

·   Ensure processes are aligned towards achieving committed SLAs

·   Responsible for asset management and software licensing for new and existing hardware and software also, troubleshoot, maintains and evaluate new hardware 

·   Responsible for rollout of new software, software upgrades and hardware

·   Provide installation, upgrades and maintenance Desk Top Support

Resume of Work Experience
Karen T. Nelson

 

S. L. King                          

Sr. Program Manager                                     11/08 to 11/09

 

·   Responsible for operation of the NOC (24/7 hours surveillance of the network required)

·   Verified network performance reports were generated as desired pattern and delivered on time

·   Participate in recruitment interviews

·   Recognized training requirements for staff and provided coaching where applicable

·   Launched multiple new innovation products as part of HIJA (Hartsfield-Jackson International   Worked on products that span both hardware and software experiences

·   Lead team to define & execute product experience, go-to-market & business plan

·   Communicated product benefits across execs, internal stakeholders, partners and customers

·   Accountable for KPI’s including acquiring funding, build/buy/partner decisions, negotiating terms with partners, and managing multi-million dollar budget

·   Developed project scopes and schedules

·   Specialized in system design during the renovation and construction of existing or new IT Initiatives throughout the HJIA (Airport) and providing turn-key solutions

·   Managed based processes (Initiation, Planning, Execution, Control, Close Out)

·   Reconstructed and staffed new Help Desk and NOC Roles and Responsibilities

·   Staffing the help desk and monitoring performance to special projects and marketing the Help Desk to organizes all project material and provided strong, centralized communication for new initiative program

·   Perform gap analysis between vendor proposal and RFP requirements

·   Identified, measured and monitored the PMP Project Servers to avoid risks that threaten the safety and soundness of various projects throughout HJIA

·   Served as the primary point of contact overseeing service provision, special projects and initiatives and contract compliance  

·   Prepared responses to RFQs. Negotiated contracts with outsources suppliers and vendors

·   Worked closed with Product Team to anticipate customer needs, tracking/analyzing and product performance

·   Assist in planning for subsequent implementation projects

·   Created IT Security, Risk Management, Change Control and Help Desk Policies and Procedures

·   Ensured International Security Standards were met and delivered to the highest Customer Service Standards achievable

·   Committed to continual process improvement as a means of further enhancing the security product delivered

·   Provides status and time reporting on a regular basis

·   Maintained leadership and accountability for defining and managing business objectives, budget, and timelines for assigned client implementation project

·   Prepared Quality Assurance documents for projects

·   Implemented projects with Project Life Cycle Management (LCM) methodology and Agile methodology processes

·   Resolve project issues by involving the subject matter experts, customers, and vendors as required

Resume of Work Experience
Karen T. Nelson

 

Perfecting Technology                            (Morehouse School of Medicine)

Director of PMO                                                                    11/07 to 11/08 

·   Create business justifications, designs, requirements and cost estimates for projects (People Counter, IVR, Real Time Conference Room Scheduler)

·   Managed hardware and software upgrades, decommissions and deployments

·   Weekly updates of the MS Project Server web site with the current project status for review by Executive Team and departmental managers

·  Managed Staff of (10) responsible for technology project management, system selection, implementation and close-out using the PMBOK methodology and later Agile project

·   Planned and directed the hiring, training and development, and/or dismissal of personnel, appraised subordinates and administered promotions and salary reviews


·   Managed business process redesign, benefits realization and project planning

·   Successfully worked with data migration team to migrate legacy data from multiple data sources to one consolidated source and converted into one web based solution


·   Developed and maintained all project management documentation including all project plan components and artifacts using both Agile and PMBOK methodology. 


·   Developed the functional and technical requirements including development of Use Cases, and the redevelopment of the business process 


·  Developed and planned IT Initiatives plans for future of your technology; looking at the long-term goals and objectives of Morehouse School of Medicine

·   Successfully worked with data migration team to migrate legacy data from multiple data sources to one consolidated source and converted into one web based solution

·   Ensure that the issues and action items are assigned to team members for timely resolution

·   Performed QA testing reports that determined product quality and release readiness

·   Transition Plan documentation for delivery of the project to Operations

·   Developed strategies, evaluating user and programming requirements  

·   Acts as a first point of contact for escalation of issues for both the Business and project teams 

·   Established measures designed to ensure the integrity of system operations and information stored in SharePoint

·   Responsible for defining regulatory standards and requirements for medical records privacy and security rules mandated by HIPPA

·   Planed and design Microsoft SharePoint environments

·   Configured Microsoft Office SharePoint

·   Create, modify, and deleted SharePoint accounts as directed and in compliance with all standard operating procedures

·   Configure SharePoint services and settings

·   Assist individuals in maximizing the potential of SharePoint as it relates to their job function

·   Document SharePoint configurations and architectures

·   Updates P&L budget, as necessary, to reflect the final expected fiscal results for the project

·   Manages day-to-day project management correspondence

·   Design and develop various applications for the Director of Curriculum and Instruction to measure student achievement

Resume of Work Experience
Karen T. Nelson

 

·   Lead weekly project meetings with Stakeholder, suggests options to resolve, manage expectations with senior management on departmental strategic direction

·   Cultivates and maintains strong relationships with Morehouse School of Medicine management and project teams  

·   Created IT Security and Help Desk Policies and Procedures

·   Manages day-to-day project management correspondence

·   Design and develop various applications for the Director of Curriculum and Instruction to measure student achievement

·   Lead weekly project meetings with Stakeholder, suggests options to resolve, manage expectations with senior management on departmental strategic direction

·   Cultivates and maintains strong relationships with Morehouse School of Medicine management and project teams  

·   Created IT Security and Help Desk Policies and Procedures

Emerging Technology                         (APS, DTAE and Fulton County)
Director Program Development & Marketing          11/99 to 11/07                                                   

 

·   Managed new business development and strategic planning to maximize growth and profitability

·   Defined operational plan, strategy and processes

·   Planned, coordinated, and attended tradeshows throughout the U S

·   Devised a "service team" approach for company's top 10 accounts creating a consultative sales process

·   Provided turn-key solutions

·   Provides leadership and direction for 8 Program Managers and 30 Technicians

·   Updates P&L budget, as necessary, to reflect the final expected fiscal results

·   Negotiated APS vendor and 3^rd party contracts

·   Establish and manage the most critical relationships with customers and outside vendors in the K12, Federal, state and local government

·   Liaised with Customer Service Managers developing a QC reporting process across all categories

·   Streamlined the sales presentation process through the creation of a "product development database" providing sales managers with immediate access to product progress, features and pricing information for the company

·   Develop the work process flow for the Enterprise Program Management Office (EPMO) to include the project Tollgates

·   Managed operating system upgrades and deployment for 2,200+ PC desktops for Fulton County              Responsible to drive projects to successful implementation with high degree of customer satisfaction 

·   Manage day-to-day activities of the Technical Programming Team, Project Managers in the development and maintenance for the Department Technical Adult Education (DTAE) for the State of Georgia

·   Wrote and executed Y2K test cases for Baseline, Year 2000 Century and Leap Year for on-line

·   Hired, trained, mentored, and managed QA staff. 


·   Executed Y2K scripts using the HIPERSTATION and WinRunner test tools 


·   Performed database queries using OLQ for batch test cases under a VM environment using CICS, DB2 and 
REXX. 


·   Ensured all Problem Reports (PR) were logged, verified, and closed properly. 


·   Ensured appropriate QA checkpoints were identified and adhered to for the team. 


Resume of Work Experience
Karen T. Nelson

 

·   Work with the Product Management team to successfully spearhead and create inter-agency integration of a billable software application

·   Monitor, coach and train junior level project managers

·   Responsible for successful hand off to the Professional Services group while maintaining customer relationships for new and existing contracts  

·   Work with Independent Verification & Validation vendors to ensure delivery of quality assurance services for various State and Federal Agencies

·   The combined contracts at Fulton County and DTAE total estimated revenue of $8M Developed proposals and RFI, RFP and RFQ responses and responded to E-Rate RFP

 

Global View Technologies           

VP Business Development & Sales                                   5/97 to 11/99

 

·   Senior executive responsible for delivering and sustaining revenue and profit gains within highly competitive markets. Exceptional communicator with a consultative sales style, strong negotiation skills, exceptional problem solving abilities, and a keen client needs assessment aptitude. Aggressively identify opportunities, develop focus, and provide tactical business solutions.

·   Responsible for delivering technical, operational management, service delivery, project management, and business-development disciplines underscores expertise in engaging decision makers and devising winning sales strategies and solutions

·   Wrote and implemented Service Level Agreements (SLA) and Change Orders with vendors for contracted work

·   Secured relationships with OEM’s and VAR’s

·   Develop, track, monitor and report on metrics for school district PMO Project ($5M budget)

·   Identifies trendsetter ideas by researching industry and related events, publications and announcements; tracking individual contributors and their accomplishment

·   Worked closely with CIO, vendors and subcontractors to prioritized projects and prepare budget needs

·   Responsible for scheduling installations, upgrades and deployment teams

·   Held weekly status meeting with Staff and CIO, COO and districts PMO

·   Developed business enterprise, diversifying principal market product to incorporate systems integration, network design, turnkey solutions and multi-floor voice and data network in the K-12 market, state and local government

·   Developed functional specifications, project charters, Service Level Agreements, business requirements, conceptual designs and technical blueprints for 20 Key Customers

·   E-Rate Specialist for Global View and liaison between school districts in Michigan

·   Lead multiple projects for Purchases and Acquisition for two (2) companies

·   Responsible for prioritize and select project investments, as well as plan, manage and control projects and project portfolios using real-time data

·   Managed design/builds to national LAN/WAN installations and complex campus

·   Managed the Southeast Regional Technology Infrastructure Office

·   Established exceptional liaisons with major manufacturers and distributors

·   Managed software upgrades

·   Responsible for assigning Project Managers for accounts

·   Maintained budgets and schedules of Project Managers

 

REFERENCES FURNISHED UPON REQUEST