Project Manager Management

Karen Parsons

Name Karen Parsons

Nationality New Zealand (Permanent UK Residency status)

Contact Email: *****@********-***.***

Security Clearance SC Cleared

Karen has over 24 years in IT and her depth of experience is unique, in that she has an extensive

understanding, insight and experience of both business and technically oriented aspects of IT across

many industry sectors including Government, Finance, Telecommunications, Pharmaceuticals,

Energy, Utilities, and Mining. For the last 15 years Karen's focus has been on performing senior

strategic and architecture roles on large corporate change programmes primarily in Government

(Home Office, DWP, HMC&E, IRD and NZES) and Telecommunications (ntl: Incorporated, Cable and

Wireless, Telecom NZ and Telstra). Her specialist areas of expertise include IS/IT Strategy and

Architecture (from inception to implementation), business architecture, procurement, organisational

design, planning and set-up, and methodologies. Whilst Karen is a generalist, her areas of technical

expertise include EIM, MI/BI, integration, legacy transitioning, SOA, application/service design and

development, Data Architectures and Data Warehousing.

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE - SUMMARY

September 2007 July 2009 Home Office UK Border Agency (UK BA)

Lead Enterprise Architect ICW Programme

April 2004 June 2007 DWP The Pension Service (TPS) IS/IT Directorate

Senior Enterprise Architect

September 2003 December 2003 ntl: Incorporated

IT Transition Manager

May 2002 February 2003 Anglian Water Services (AWS)

Strategy Consultant and Project Director

September 2001 March 2002 Her Majesty s Customs and Excise (HM C&E)

Strategy and Architecture Transition Manager

Lead Enterprise Architect

March 2000 July 2001 IBM/Cable and Wireless Global (CWG)

Solutions Strategist/Architect IBM Strategic Programme

January 1999 February 2000 KPMG UK Limited, IM Practice

Executive Consultant and Senior Enterprise Architect

December 1996 November 1998 Inland Revenue Department (NZ)

Lead Enterprise Architect IM IS/IT Strategic Programme

Programme Manager DW/DSS Programme

May 1997 June 1997 Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) of NZ

Consultant/Enterprise Architect New Technology Project

April 1996 December 1996 New Zealand Employment Service (NZES)

Enterprise Architect Data Warehouse Programme

September 1994 April 1996 Telecom New Zealand

Project Manager and Senior Solution Architect - PROBE

February 1993 September 1994 Telstra (Telecom) Australia, Mobiles (MICA)

Project Manager and Senior Technical/Solution Architect

November 1984 - July 1992 NZPO, Caltex, Union Shipping, NZIB, Paxus, Texaco, IBM

Telecommunications Technician, Analyst Programmer,

Project Manager, Account Manager, Technical Architect and

Senior Technical Architect

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Karen Parsons

INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE - DETAILED

Home Office UK Border Agency (UKBA) (2007 2009)

Karen's role on the Immigration Case Work (ICW) Programme was as Lead Enterprise Architect

managing a team of Enterprise Architects within the ICW Design Authority. Karen was also

responsible for Enterprise Architecture deliverables. ICW is a large business transformational

change programme (?200M+) including the deployment/replacement of IT for the entire UKBA,

including the International Group (approximately 25,000 users). In summary Karen's responsibilities

included:

Aiding in the development and set-up of the ICW Roadmap including cost/benefit analysis,

business case development, organisational design and portfolio planning

Set-up and management of the Enterprise Architecture Team

Procurement and contractual negotiations for the ICW Systems Integrator (IBM)

Evaluation and procurement of SOA components including Siebel, Oracle Policy Automation (Haley

Rules), Oracle BPM (BEA Aqualogic), Vignette EDRM, and Oracle ESB.

Business Architecture including development of the UKBA Target Operating Model, UKBA

Capability Model and capability/service oriented Process design

Development of the ICW Enterprise Architecture Framework and Target Architecture including

Channel Architecture, Integration Architecture, Security Architecture, Integration Architecture and

Information Architecture

Development of component level architecture and design approach for the management of

Customer Information

Set-up and implementation of various methodologies and concepts within the Design Authority and

overall ICW programme including Capability Modelling, the use of DOORS for requirements

management, and the use of MEGA for EA management

Development of Business and Technical Service Models

Aiding in the development of the strategy and architecture for Pan-Government and Home Office

wide re-use of IT assets Engagement with Home Office IT (HOIT), the Office of the CIO (OCIO),

Identity Passport Service (IPS), e-Borders, and the Foreign Commonwealth Office (FCO) to ensure

architectural and design alignment for future integration

Architecture and design assurance of ICW Projects, Strategic Work Streams and Release

Management deliverables to the Future State Target Architecture (FSTA) and ICW Enterprise

Target Architecture

Mentoring, advice and guidance to the overall ICW programme on methodologies employed by

ICW (TOGAF, Capability Modelling, Service Modelling, Process design), ICW target architecture,

and SOA

Stakeholder engagement including requirement identification, ratification and elaboration.

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) (2004 2007)

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was created in June 2001 to deliver the UK

Governments welfare reform agenda, within which the modernisation programmes played a primary

role. Karen's role within The Pension Service (TPS), Pensions IS/IT Directorate Strategy and

Architecture group was as Senior Enterprise Architect. Primarily Karen worked alongside the

Pensions Chief Architect providing input to the design, development, implementation and

maintenance of the Enterprise IT Architecture (EITA) for DWP using methodologies such as TOGAF

and Zachman. In addition Karen performed an Architecture Assurance role, and ensuring IT

solutions; complied with the EITA; were strategically aligned with business objectives; and that

business and financial objectives/requirements were technically sound. The main focus for TPS was

the Pensions Transformation Programme (PTP), which in addition to the EITA was used as the

delivery vehicle for all subsequent DWP developments. During the last two years of her time at DWP,

Karen had an additional role to work directly with and support TPS Business Design Directorate

Change Strategy Team and the DWP Change Programme.

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Karen Parsons

Development of TPS IS/IT Strategy and the architecture roadmap for the delivery of TPS

transformation and modernisation through to 2015

Architectural proposals in support of the SR07 funding round, including business case and

cost/benefit analysis and estimation for projects circa 1.5M to 89M

Technical advice, guidance and support for initiatives within the Business Design Directorate (BDD)

Change Strategy Team (CST) including The Pensions Reform agenda, Varney Common Change of

Circumstance, Extended Working Lives, HB/CTB (Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit), predictive

operational analytics, Local Service, and Customer Information Management (CIM)

Liaising with suppliers (EDS TREDSS, Siebel, Accenture, BAH), OGDs and partners (HMRC, Home

Office (IPS, IND, ICW), LAs) with regards transformation and modernisation objectives and

deliverables

Liaising with DWP client groups (Working Age, Disabilities and Carers, Child Support and

Corporate Shared Services) at management and architecture level ensuring cross client group

working and adoption of EITA principles and concepts around reuse, common components etc.

Maintaining a watching brief on Working Age client group modernisation programme - Benefit

Processing Replacement Programme (BPRP), ensuring impacts on TPS were understood and

managed and options around re-use and alignment fully explored

Investigation and recommendation into options available to TPS for continued modernisation using

PTP as the delivery vehicle for further improvements, including IT solution and roadmap for TPS

Local Service incorporating diary and scheduling capability, intelligent benefit processing, joint

teams (cross government agenda, working with Local Authorities), and mobile working

Investigation and recommendation into options available to TPS around Legacy system

replacement and Legacy system evolution and encapsulation or re-purpose. Research into

products such as Seagull and Blue Phoenix to aid legacy transformation

Developing the IT strategy and solution for TPS Management of Information (CIM), addressing data

organisation, processing and usage (including the data sharing strategy within DWP and external

public and private sector organisations)

Business and technical architecture and design assurance for new initiatives and projects, and

specialist input on IS/IT.

ntl: Incorporated (2003)

Karen's role at ntl was as a Transition Manager, working directly with the CIO and IT Directors, to

aid ntl group IT in driving in efficiencies of service through formulating and implementing a logical

centralised/federalised organisation. A Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) exercise was used as a driver

in setting the transition/transformation strategy. Target efficiencies were to reduce the IT budget

overall by over 40% by optimising IT resources (headcount, hardware, software) distributed across

the business divisions, through consolidation, rationalisation and clean up activities including

contractual re-negotiations with incumbent suppliers. Karen successfully managed/performed the

TCO exercise and restructuring proposal that would later enable ntl: Group IT to reduce costs by 92M

per annum, and consequently ensure ntl: Incorporated were able to meet their Chapter 11 directives

and become a more attractive investment. Karen also worked closely with the IT Director of

Strategy and Architecture to produce the Strategic Architecture Framework, the Operating Plan and

the ntl: group IT Roadmap.

Anglian Water Services (AWS) (2002 2003)

AWS, a leading provider of water and wastewater services in the UK, servicing the needs of over 5

million industrial, commercial and domestic customers. AWS was undergoing a shift in their business

model, towards a service provider scenario (decomposition of AWS into autonomous service

provision units). The IS/IT function of AWS was therefore required to perform a different role in this

new business structure to that performed historically. Working with senior AWS IS/IT representatives

and ITSP partners (CSC and Logica), Karen's role as Strategy Consultant was to initially perform a

review of the existing AWS IS function IS strategy, and formulate proposal options for the future IS

function and strategy. The proposal included a new IS/IT organisation structure and re-deployment of

resources focusing on delivery of IS service through a primary IS outsource partner. The

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Karen Parsons

recommendations specific to IS/IT Future State, IS Outsource contract Re-Negotiation and IT

Developments around Integration Architecture/Infrastructure were taken up and worked through

business case and project initiation, and Karen's role changed to that of Project Director performing

a strategic assurance role.

Her Majesty s Customs and Excise (HM C&E) (2001 2002)

At HMC&E Karen was the Strategy and Architecture Transition Manager, and her responsibilities

were two fold and included the set-up and management of the team (made up of senior IS/IT

strategists, assurers, and Enterprise/Solution/Technical Architects) and performing the role of Lead

Enterprise Architect. The primary responsibilities of Karen and her team included the development

of a future IS/IT Strategy, development of the Strategic Target EA (and all incumbent hardware,

networks, software and conceptual components) and a Roadmap for transition to and assurance of

the Strategic Target EA. To further the transition of legacy systems from the existing complex

environment to a cohesive development and implementation of a single integrated architectural

framework Karen developed and implemented the Technology Transition Strategy and Roadmap

(budget for the overall programme was ?350M). HMC&E employed approximately 27,000 people,

and collected about 40% of total government revenues for the UK, and at the time was focusing

efforts on the Modernising Government Agenda. Implementing e-business services was dependent

on the transition of Business and IS/IT to a single integrated future state architecture.

IBM/Cable and Wireless Global (CWG) (2000 2001)

Within the IBM/CWG Strategic Programme Karen's performed the role of Solutions

Strategist/Architect. CWG was engaging in the transformation of their business to the new

Telecommunications business model around the ASP (Application Service Provider) and eSP

(Electronic Service Provider) markets i.e. transitioning from provision of traditional voice products and

services to Data and IP related products and services such as xDSL, VoIP and Web Management

and Hosting. Rapid business transformation was achieved using a solutions led approach in which

the CWG processes would be based on the functions within the core applications rather than

bespoke design. The focus of the Strategic Programme was on providing a global IT strategic

solution comprising a limited number of world-class package applications within a common,

integrated technology framework. Core packages included WebEnterprise, Siebel and Broadvision,

Architel s OMS and Objectel, Kenan s Arbor BP, SAP, and Clarify (Operate and Assure Processes).

Scope also encompassed a global deployment strategy and additional infrastructure components for

EIM, EAI, Enterprise Workflow and E-business enablement. Karen's primary role was to provide

guidance to senior and Board level management on strategic and architectural solutions across all

business and technical functions, specialising in the areas of EIM, DW/DSS and BI, and EAI.

KPMG UK Ltd. (1999 2000)

Karen's role within the Information Management practice was as Executive Consultant within the

senior management team. Her primary responsibilities were to aid the set-up, development and

growth of the practice by providing mentoring, skills transferral, development/implementation of

practice methodologies, and to lead/support sales bids. In addition to her role in Practice

Management, Karen performed the roles of Strategic Advisor, Programme Manager and Senior

Enterprise Architect on client engagements for various FTSE clients including Billiton, AstraZeneca,

Telewest, and BT Cellnet. All of these programmes were considered successful, and two were

delivered on a global scale.

Inland Revenue Department (IRD) NZ (1997 1998)

At the IRD Karen was the Lead Enterprise Architect on the Corporate Strategy Programme where

her primary responsibility was the establishment of the IM Strategy and Architecture (2, 5 and 10 year

Roadmap). Later Karen was the Programme Manager and Lead Enterprise Architect of the DW/

DSS Programme, which successfully delivered on time and on budget, the architectural and business

foundation for all DSS and BI processing nation wide within the IRD.

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Totalisator Agency Board (TAB) NZ (1997)

Karen provided Consultancy (Senior Technical Architect) services performing a readiness

assessment for the New Technology Group, which resulted in the successful delivery of an Enterprise

Data Warehouse. Her responsibilities included providing a series of seminars to the TAB Board of

Directors and senior management, in-depth requirements analysis, functional and technical analysis

and design, research of BI tools, strategic alignment, and programme scoping, cost/benefit analysis,

planning and final recommendations.

New Zealand Employment Service (NZES) (1996 1997)

At the NZES Karen was as a Senior Technical Architect and the Architecture Lead on the Data

Warehouse Programme, which successfully delivered the NZES EDW and BI tools to hundreds of

end-users nation wide, replacing the legacy MI applications with best practice DW technology and

techniques. Karen's responsibilities were wide and varied from the initial set-up and scoping of the

programme to research and investigation, product evaluation and selection, contractual set up of

ITSPs, strategic planning, data architecture and modelling, technical architecture, detailed design

and the education and mentoring of business and technology participants.

Telecom Australia (Telstra), Telecom NZ (1993 - 1996)

At Telstra, Karen was the Lead Technical Architect and Project Manager of the Mobile Integrated

Customer Accounts (MICA) MI and Data Warehousing programme. Her responsibilities included the

set up and management of a team that successfully delivered both operational and strategic

management information specific to Telstra mobile telephony. Continuing within the

Telecommunications sector Karen worked with Telecom NZ on the Pro-active Business Enablers

Programme, the major objective of which was to re-engineer and transform the Marketing and Sales

Services business unit of Telecom NZ, and deliver supporting IT solutions. As a Senior Technical

Architect and Project Manager with Telecom New Zealand, Karen successfully delivered the 0800

Call Plan Analysis system and the Data Warehouse and Segmentation decision support system

through the full project design and development life cycle to implementation and operations.

NZPO, Caltex Oil, Union Shipping, NZIB, Paxus, IBM UK (1984 1992)

Karen started her career as a Telecommunications Technician at the NZ Post Office whilst

studying for a NZ Certificate in Engineering (NZCE), then as an Analyst Programmer responsible

for development of MI and CRM applications with Caltex Oil whist studying for a NZ Diploma in

Computer Programming. Karen then progressed from Analyst Programmer to Senior Analyst and

Project Leader with the Union Shipping Company and was responsible for design and development

of Financial and Customer Information applications. Karen then moved into the financial sector

working for the NZ Insurance Bank and Paxus Financial Systems Ltd, and progressed to the position

of Technical Architect and Account Manager responsible for the design and development of

Merchant and Retail Finance systems. During 1990 Karen moved to the UK where she worked as a

Technical Architect with Texaco responsible for the detailed design and development of Financial

applications, and then as a Technical Architect with IBM UK where she architected and design

IBM's CRM system and later led the architecture, design, development and implementation of the MI

'Process Data Warehouse' (PDW) Project.

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