Program Management /PMO

CRAIG M. SCHUSTER, PMP, SCPM

Oradell, NJ 201-***-**** *****.*.********@*****.*** linkedin.com/in/craigschuster

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE

Program Management professional who strategically guides world-class delivery management teams and global, multi-year, multi-million-dollar technology initiatives for Fortune 100 clients. Expertise is standing up, directing, and optimizing PMOs; building and leading large, global teams, and delivering an unparalleled level of customer service. Strongly committed to educating and developing project managers, to amplify their impact and success.

Global Program Management

Revenue Growth

Legal Compliance & Risk Management

Complex Project Management

Professional Services

PMO Leadership

Customer Success

Solution Delivery

World-Class Customer Satisfaction

Operations Leadership

Stakeholder Engagement

Business Process Improvement

System Implementation

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Change Management

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

Took ownership of a $5M global initiative, course-correcting it mid-flight, and delivering it successfully.

-VP Program Management, Odessa

Orchestrated the multi-national deployment of a payment processing solution projected to generate $4M-$8M over first 2 years.

-Director, Program Management - Enterprise Strategic Partnerships, Fiserv

Drove $5M-$7M in new enterprise sales revenue annually among global enterprise merchant customers.

-Client Success Leader, Enterprise Sales Operations, Fiserv

EXPERIENCE

JPMorgan Chase New York, NY Oct2024 to Present

VP, Program Management: Joined a newly formed team within Digital Payments to manage the product vision and roadmap. Collaborated with Product Owners, Technical, Design and Analytics Leaders to confirm scope, manage key executive and stakeholder updates. Oversee external vendor projects to coordinate product release timelines with external component readiness. Manage integration with Legal, Compliance, and Risk to ensure our product met all Controls approvals.

Odessa, Inc. Philadelphia, PA Nov 2023 to May 2024

VP, Program Management: Principally directed a team of 4 Project Managers and 4 Senior Business Analysts, assuming control of a distressed $5M initiative to deploy asset leasing software across 55 countries for a global IT client. Corrected issues of budgeting, UAT, resource management, and executive communications; and led a 24/7 operation to ultimately deliver successfully. Defined and enforced methodologies, processes and policies to promote consistent delivery quality.

First Data / Fiserv Jersey City, NJ Jun 2018 to Nov 2023

Director, Program Management - Enterprise Strategic Partnerships (Aug 2022 to Nov 2023): Designated for newly formed position to strategically direct a portfolio of programs for a multi-national bank, providing white-label payment processes for global bank’s enterprise merchants; projected to generate $4M-$8M in the first 2 years. Accelerated operational efficiency 25% and slashed contract approval time 50% for bank, by collaborating with their global partner management team to optimize several workstreams.

Client Success / Program Management Leader, Enterprise Sales Operations (Jun 2018 to Jul 2022): Tapped for newly created position to support strategic enterprise merchant customers (Apple, PayPal, RBI, Priceline, Verisk, Progressive Leasing, and Aaron’s), and directed a high-performing team charged with the execution of strategic, multi-million-dollar projects.

oProvided key leadership to the 5-person Program Management / Client Success team. Placed a sharp, new focus on building a customer-centric, high-urgency culture, to eliminate delivery delays and provide an unparalleled customer experience. Heavily engaged with client senior executives regarding requirements, priorities, and delivery dates. Continually identified and capitalized on opportunities for improvement.

Led a ‘Client First’ cross-functional program to transform the First Data culture to become nimbler in responding to client needs. Developed the strategy, roadmap, resource plan and oversaw execution of the plan. Program scope spanned Human Resources, Marketing, Corporate Communications, IT, PS, Account Management, Legal, and Billing. Established KPIs, monitored progress, ensured a continuous improvement cycle was in place. Presented status and benefits realization to executive leadership on a quarterly basis.

Drove $3M-$5M in new enterprise sales revenue annually, by identifying net new opportunities with existing clients. Raised CSAT scores by 10%, and NPS by 3%, by promoting a continuous improvement process to address client needs.

Directed implementation of an innovative least-cost routing solution for a national retailer to accept debit card payments and demonstrated $150K monthly savings for the client. Recommended solutions to clients to deepen utilization of First Data’s payment and fraud solutions, which proved increased the client’s revenue by 25%. Slashed fraud by nearly 50% for a global QSR client, and raised card approval rates by 6 points, through data analysis and recalibrating the ML algorithm.

NICE Actimize Hoboken, NJ Jan 2017 to Jun 2018

Director, Professional Services PMO: Recruited to define and establish a single, unified professional services methodology across 4 business areas: Fraud, Anti-Money Laundering (AML), Legal Compliance, and Data Intelligence. Cultivated a high-performing project community, tracked KPIs and developed a continuous improvement loop through improved communications and risk management and documentation of lessons learned. Adoption of new processes accelerated project delivery by 13%.

TD Ameritrade Jersey City, NJ Jan 2015 to Jan 2017

Senior IT PMO Leader: Principally guided the turnaround of TD’s IT PMO, with a $60M annual project portfolio, realigning the 22-member team of project managers and business analysts, transforming the project management capability. Instituted comprehensive project management standards that proved instrumental to raising internal customer satisfaction by 25%.

CMS Consulting, Inc. Oradell, NJ Aug 2013 to Jan 2015

Program Management Consultant: Managed a series of portfolio, program, and project management engagements for corporate clients. Focus on complex program planning, portfolio prioritization and strategic execution. Directed business development, services delivery, and customer relationship management.

EMC Corp. Hopkinton, MA Jun 2001 to Feb 2013

Director, Global PMO (Jul 2008 to Feb 2013): Advanced to this role to establish a global PPM community of 1,100 project managers strategically executing complex programs for top-tier global clients. Directed 14 senior program managers.

Integrally contributed to 5X’ing Data Domain revenue from $100M to $500M in year 1 alone, after steering post-acquisition integration into EMC Global Services.

Raised project quality by 7% annually, by creating a PS Delivery Assurance process for global project management.

Held project manager attrition to just 4%, primarily through structuring fundamental and advanced training and career development programs, contributing to an environment of personal and professional growth.

Optimized CSAT metrics, by promoting across-the-board standardization of program methodology and processes.

Program Delivery Manager (Jun 2001 to Jul 2008): Directed service delivery for NY’s #1 professional services portfolio, generating $75M+ annually. Oversaw 20 project managers. Earned the EMC Bar of Excellence, the top level of customer satisfaction.

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree, Business Management Information Systems

The State University of New York (SUNY) Albany, NY

CERTIFICATIONS

Project Management Professional (PMP)

Stanford University Advanced Project Management (SCPM)

LEADERSHIP

President Board Member, Oradell Kids Foundation

Fundraiser, MS Walk

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