Project Management Manager

Summary of Qualifications

Knowledgeable and results-focused Senior Business Analyst highly skilled in the development of plans, systems and tools that redefine accuracy and efficiency utilizing proven competencies in the following areas:

Software Implementation: Completed over twenty full software development life cycle (SDLC) projects, working as a Senior Analyst for the past eighteen years. SDLC projects using the Agile and Waterfall methods. Proficient with the creation of User Stories.

Business System Analyst/Project Manager: Responsible for project scope, requirements gathering, technical specifications, fit/gap analysis, project plans and resource management. Involved through all phases of the software implementation and post-production support.

Testing of Software: Played an integral role in the testing effort of the SDLC projects including unit, system, parallel, regression, integration, Q/A and user acceptance testing.

Employee/Client Training and Communication: Facilitate training programs for new or updated systems applications, fully responsible for creating the training documentation.

Proficient using the MS Office suite of products. Experience with the Thunderhead communication package.

Professional Experience

Self Employed Independent Contractor – Chicago, Illinois March 2013 – Present

Senior Business Analyst

Currently helping a major national corporation with administering an Early Retirement Program including all system changes. Ensuring that all eligible participants receive a correct early retirement subsidy along with the applicable correspondence and benefit election forms.

Mercer – Deerfield, Illinois October 2009 – March 2013

Senior Systems Analyst

Provide system analytical and testing expertise in the full life cycle development of customized Pension Plan administration software. Responsible for the overall setup and implementation of a customized pension administration system. Worked with colleagues covering the entire USA and offshore employees.

Chicago Consulting Actuaries, LLC (CCA) – Chicago, Illinois

(Subsequently acquired By JP Morgan Compensation and Benefit Strategies) April 2001 – October 2009

Senior Systems Analyst / Project Manager

Defined Benefit Project Management, System analytical and testing expertise in the full life cycle development of customized Pension Plan administration software. Responsible for the overall setup and implementation of a customized pension administration system.

Charged with overseeing the system related changes and plan administration for a major communications firm, with over a dozen pension plans. Work with a team of four individuals, including two Benefits Analysts.

Responsible for the implementation of newly designed system.

Protected company from disastrous consequences by initiating and managing a full data clean-up prior to the start of the current implementation, to correct inaccuracies and gaps in data used to calculate benefits and account balances.

Created MS Excel spreadsheets to enable internal calculation of benefits for employees that will generate significant savings in the long run by supplementing simple calculations offered by our new system.

Provided overall project management in the full life cycle analysis, development, testing and implementation of customized Pension, Benefits and Health & Welfare plan administration software for key clients. Defined and managed project scope, plan and budget. Assigned project tasks; wrote and executed test plans; troubleshot issues; and served as primary client contact for questions, changes and support.

Reduce duplicate effort and increased consistency by creating templates for project management guides and testing documents typically prepared by consultants for each client.

Interacted closely with up to three clients per week to quickly develop an expert understanding of unique plan rules and administration processes in order to develop thorough, accurate technical specifications.

William M. Mercer, Inc. – Deerfield, Illinois October 1995 – April 2001

Calculation Specialist/Analyst & PeopleSoft Implementation Project Manager

Promoted from Calculation Analyst to Associate Implementation Manager responsible for developing specifications and coordinating the development and deployment of the PeopleSoft Pension Module for several clients. Prepared Fit/Gap Analysis documents, scope documents and project management guides.

Credited with building and refining templates to create a lasting implementation framework for the first company to offer implementation services for the PeopleSoft Pension module.

Enabled seamless expansion of team from four to thirty-five employees by drawing on experiences and skills to actively mentor new and relatively inexperienced employees, many of whom advanced to management.

Education and Specialized Training

University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago, Illinois

Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management; Graduated on the Dean’s List (Honor Role)

Minor: Quantitative Methods (Mathematics)

Project Management, SQL, MS Office Training (Word, Excel, Access etc.) - William M. Mercer – Deerfield, Illinois

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