Senior Project and Org. Change Manager

Skills (79)

Summary

Business Development, Transformation, Transition and Integration projects
I have experience from high intensity and competitive markets within Retail, Wind Energy, Consumer goods (process industry) Oil and Gas (process industry), IT and Shared Services functions. My experience from efficiency and effectiveness improvement initiatives include working with Lean/Agile concepts and tools. I have documented experience in taking business and/or IT strategy into execution by transforming the strategic goals and targets to program- and/or project scope, delivery plan(s), business case and establishing a strong project team to deliver the business processes, organizational changes and/or supporting IT solutions.
I have been involved in 3 major company take-overs, acquisition of complementary companies and demerger of non-strategic business areas. Having experience from business or IT transformation and integration projects from preliminary analysis/pre-studies, through definition of the detailed scope and changes, their individual value contribution and how these changes impact the processes, organizational setup and supporting systems. I can lead the project through the development and implementation phases, handling the people and change management aspects of the project and establishing the technical setup with i.e. internal and/or external IT vendors and suppliers. This include ERP solutions evaluation and/or implementation.
Selected transformation-, transition- and de-merger/carve-out projects from my portfolio:
• Corporate strategic demerger of the company core business areas of Healthcare and Hygiene Home into 2 separate legal entities, including establishing of a new legal company for the Nordic headquarter for Hygiene Home in Denmark and 3 branch offices in Sweden, Finland and Norway, building company governance structure, establishing business processes, leading the people transition process and splitting supporting IT systems.
✓ My role and key achievements: As Senior Project- and PMO Manager, I led the Nordics project involving 4 commercial business units, including the Nordic Headquarter, through all phases of the project. From Initiation to completion. Involving legal separation (partial tax-free demerger) of the companies, IT solutions, the change management process as well as acting as stream lead for Sales and HR in longer periods due to lack of business capacity. The project involved close collaboration with corporate functions as well as external legal and financial advisors though the project. Establishment of Transition Service Agreements for local shared services as well as securing corporate shared services during the go-live and hyper-care period.
• European transformation program to consolidate and streamline processes, organization and solutions in 7 countries within Category Management and Supply Chain Management for a leading European Energy and Retailer. The project included a major consolidation of local IT solutions into one common SAP solution.
✓ My role and key achievements: As Senior Program Manager, I led the strategic program, 6 sub-projects and project office. My role was to work closely with the business units to secure all legal and commercial requirements in the new solution, drive the change management activities to ensure business readiness at go-live and to steer and control the interaction between the sub-projects. I was responsible for the program and project management office including all program common routines, templates and reporting process. My performance in the project was recognized by corporate executive committee and I was headhunted to a new corporate assignment immediately after.
• Scandinavian transformation project to merge 3 countries Sales and Logistics solutions, organization and processes into one corporate solution.
✓ My role and key achievements: My role as an IT project manager and delivery responsible included all aspects of project management from early scope definition, analysis, design, build test, implementation and final hand over to operations. Leading of an IT project team of +50 people including external vendors and offshore deliveries. Cost, progress and risk management including financial reporting and control. Turned a halted project with no plans, progress or stakeholder support to a beneficial project for the company. I was recognized by both management and team members for my dedication and coaching in all teams and for my effort to "plough the way for them" to get the project delivered on time and quality and within agreed cost level.
• De-merger (company split) project to establish European Share Services center within F&C, HR, HSE, FM, IT, Procurement and Project Management services in newly establish Retail company. The project included exhaustive description of each functional role, responsibilities, mandate, governance, processes and supporting tools including vendor agreements. Due to time-constraints some areas needed to establish interim procedures to manage immediate reporting and/or contractual requirements (i.e. F&C).
✓ My role and key achievements: My role was two folded. As Director for the Project and Investment Management area I was responsible project and line manager for setting up a Project Competence Center including establishing a corporate project model, project and investment decision processes, governance, reporting structures etc. and to staff the different areas within my function. Secondly, as a member of the European Business Services senior management my role as project professional, in addition to the Project Owner and decision responsibility, was to coach the project managers and teams and to support all other areas within planning, costs monitoring, reporting tools during the project.
• Corporate transition program to establish Finance Shared Service Centre (Denmark and Poland) including consolidation of financial services, automation (incl. Robotics) and standardization of processes, defining a new organizational model and service delivery framework. Major organizational impact including people change management effort.
✓ My role and key achievements: As Senior Program Manager and project management professional, my role was to establish the program and project management platform for the program led work steams (establishing the service delivery framework and handling organizational changes) as well as establishing project governance for the 5-10 concurrent improvement projects under the program. Work included onboarding and establishing an organizational change management and communication function led by the companies own staff to secure internal commitment and adherence to company people management policies. Leading of the Program Management Office and subject matter consultancy to senior and executive management.
• Corporate transition program including subprojects to establish low cost business services center (in Latvia) and transfer Customer Services, Accounting, Finance & Control services and HR services from 7 countries to Latvia. Major organizational impact.
✓ My role and key achievements: As a member of the Shared Services senior management team my responsibility included work with the strategic proposal to the executive management team, establishing the business case and driving the early phase project activities to obtain investment approval. During project execution, I have developed guiding principles for the service deliveries between the business units, shared services center and corporate functions. As a portfolio manager, I was responsible for monitoring of and reporting project progress to the investment committee.
• Global Business Services transformation program - Major efficiency effort to streamline all shared services areas within F&C, HR, HSE, FM, IT, Procurement.
✓ My role and key achievements: As Senior Program Manager, my role was to lead Project Directors for the 6 sub-projects/functional areas through a methodical Lean approach to analyze and identify improvement areas, plan and execute decided improvement activities. My role was also to lead the program office (PMO) including external project management experts. The project was recognized as the enabler for future efficiency and simplification activities. I was complemented for my project management skills and effort to keep people on track and deliver on time.
• New corporate ERP solution (move from SAP to JDE) including redesign of work processes and organizational changes and downscaling as part of company de-merger. Outsourcing of JDE IT operations and development to India.
✓ My role and key achievements: As Portfolio Director and project professional I was part of the commercial evaluation team which developed the corporate recommendation for a future ERP solution. I was responsible for establishing project procedures and tools together with the externally manned Project Management Office. I was responsible for the monitoring and reporting of the project progress to the investment committee. As a line manager, I was delivery responsible (project manager) for the project and portfolio management people, progresses and supporting tools during the de-merger. All my responsibility areas were delivered to management satisfaction.
• Company re-branding, as part of company owner shift, including rebranding of +2500 service stations and HQ's, customer marketing, cultural/organizational re-branding in Europe. Combined transformation and business integration project.
✓ My role and key achievements: I was responsible for planning and leading the early phase project activities including overall scope definition, establishing the project governance bodies, establishing a project activity planning and delivery monitoring solution in Jira. I was responsible for the project budgeting/cost planning process and leading consolidation of all cost impact on Europe level including approval in executive management. In addition, I have been a coach for the later delivery project manager and project controller. I have been acknowledged for my passion and persistence to get all teams organized to ensure speed to market.
• Transformation project to development a full HR solution (in SAP and SuccessFactors) for a pilot country (DK) and use the template as corporate roll-out model. Included insourcing of payroll solution.
✓ My role and key achievements: My role as a senior project manager was to define, plan and lead the end-to-end project from initial setup of scope to final hand-over to operations including contract management with earlier and new vendors. The company saved more than 50% of the annual operational costs due to the usage of already existing systems and insourcing of earlier payroll services.
• As part of Aviation demerger completion of plant development as part of handover to new owner
✓ My role and key achievements: I took over a disputed and 1-year delayed Aviation Terminal project where seller and buyer couldn't agree financially or delivery wise. I managed to get a common agreement on remaining scope, cost settlement and delivery time. 2 months later, the project was able to close to both seller's and buyer's satisfaction.

Compliance and Legal
I have strong experience from legal and compliance projects and quality assurance/auditor roles. I have worked closely with corporate legal departments, internal and external auditors during several projects. If you are obliged to fulfill the EU Global Data Protection Regulative, Sarbanes-Oxley Act 404, company critical HSE requirements or equal, I have a strong track record from handling time and quality driven projects.
Selected Compliance and Legal projects and assignments from my portfolio:
• Single largest corporate legal compliance project (+200 project member) the company had ever faced. As stock listed company in USA the company needed to prove control over financial reporting from financial data origin until it's outdated. From the smallest business units' sales transactions in 23 countries to the corporate consolidated financial reporting. The project was a high-risk project and faced an ultimate deadline and severe impact in case it didn't pass the Sarbanes-Oxley Act 404 audit performed by the US authorities.
✓ My role and key achievements: In my role, as senior program manager and together with 42 internal and external auditors i was responsible for the work to identify all corporate and local business units' significant financial reporting areas which would be in scope for the SOX404 audit executed by US governmental function SEC. After the scope was defined, the worked included leading major documentation effort to proof control over financial reporting. This also included changes in operating procedures, IT solutions and governance. I led the program from initial start to the first compliance audit was successfully performed within the strict timeline set by the US authorities. I led the project through all phases of the project including all project deliveries, management of 11 subprojects, financial reporting, reporting to corporate executive committee. The project was delivered on time and passed the US authorities audit (SEC).
• ISO 9002 Certification program within corporate IT Operations
✓ My role and key achievements: In my role as Head of IT Operations I was project responsible for the compliance effort within the entire IT operations area including change and release procedures and operational procedures. The project passed the ISO audit with no significant deviations.
• Quality Auditor in IT. Development and Implementation standards compliance audits
• Project reviews and controlling as part of company internal QA standards

Selected Business Development projects from my portfolio:
• Scandinavian project to re-engineer and merge 3 countries Sales and Logistics solutions, organization and processes into one corporate solution. Including redesign of pricing-, invoicing- and tailormade customer solutions to optimize business benefits. Introduction of new space and floor planning tools to optimize selling opportunities.
✓ My role and key achievements: My role, as Project Manager included all aspects of the project planning, delivery and hand-over process including responsibility for the project management office. The project responsibility also included planning and collaboration with all business units to secure adoption of the new platform and changes in the work process and organizations in 3 Scandinavian countries. The project was started earlier but not getting of the ramp. My job was to get the project re-started and delivered. I obtained major credit for my effort in the project both by executive management and the project team members.
• Scandinavian project to develop the company's first WEB shop and establish supporting organization and processes.
✓ My role and key achievements: In my role as business and IT project manager I established the overall project scope, ambition and business case. After approval of the project I lead the project team through design, build, test and implementation of the new customer WEB shop in SAP Internet Sales. The project was the first internal project which established WEB shopping solutions and it formed the initial guiding principles for business on the Internet. Project was delivered before time, within budget and quality targets.

IT/Technical
I have a more than 15 years' experience as project-, program- and line manager within IT. My IT competence is developed through implementation and operation of 3 ERP decades including legacy systems with ERP SAP R2 implementation, through ERP SAP/R3 client server solutions to JD Edwards ERP implementation. Through the last 35 years I have been working in close collaboration with all IT areas.
Selected Infrastructure projects from my portfolio:
• Several projects and activities to replace and purchase IT hardware in the company data center. Including RFI/RFP and procurement process incl. service framework. The scope included CPU replacement, capacity planning and scaling (disk space), network replacement.
✓ My role and key achievements: As an IT Operation Manager, I have led several IT infrastructure projects including a full conversion from air- and water-cooled legacy systems to client/server technology. My project manager responsibility was also to plan and coordinated re-construction of the physical datacenter. The project managed to maintain full operations both before, during and after the go-live periods.

Selected IT Consolidation and Transformation projects from my portfolio:
• As part of company acquisition, a project to consolidate 4 internal IT service provider organizations, process and solutions into one corporate organization. Including re-evaluation of sourcing solution, vendor contracts
✓ My role and key achievements: In my role as project manager for the Danish IT organization I was responsible for all steps in the project process from defining the scope, to planning and execution of the project. The project work also included a major transition and change management process due to people impact. Major contract impact on external vendors. The project was a success and implied major cost savings.
• Consolidation project to integrate business functions and master data in one logical system. Project included systems integration between 3 SAP R3 systems and establish a master data maintenance and distribution concept.
✓ My role and key achievements: As a lead architect and project manager I established the corporate recommendation on how to integrate a technically complex landscape to function as one system and transparent to all business functions. The project included significant development effort with SAP AG Development Lab (Waldorf, Germany) as an integrated part of the project. I received very positive feedback from senior management for my approach and project management work.

Selected Sourcing projects from my portfolio:
• Outsourcing IT operations to major facility management provider (CSC) including people outplacement.
✓ My role and key achievements: As IT Operations Manager, my role was to develop an obtain company proposal and business case to outsource IT operations to a facilities management partner. The project scope included all systems operations including basis systems software maintenance and upgrade. As a project manager, I led the project through all phases of the project from initiation to final hand-over to vendor. The project resulted in major IT cost savings and managed to make the shift transparent to the running business.

Project Portfolio Management
Selected Project Portfolio Management projects and activities:
• Project to define and establish a corporate Project Competence Center in global Energy company - Due to challenges with long running projects, exceeding the budget and delivered with random quality an executive management decision was taken to strengthen the project deliveries within Shared Services projects to the company and partners. Part of the recommendation from me and my team was to reduce the number of external project managers (+100) from 70% to 40% by replacing them with internal project managers within 3 years to lower project costs and secure company ownership in the project deliveries.
✓ My role and key achievements: My role as Project manager included developing and obtaining executive approval for the strategic mandate to establish a corporate project competence center for Project and Portfolio Management. staffing within Portfolio Management, Project Management, Quality Assurance and Methods & Training. The project work included definition of governance, mandate, work processes, systems and tools for the new functions in the company. The project achieved major cost savings by using internal project managers and better delivery accuracy due to higher dedication from own employees. Increased customer and employee satisfaction. Implementation of Agile (SCRUM) IT deliveries in the projects made the products more fit to customer expectation, which reduced the tale-end work by 20-30%. The Project Competence center became a fabric for educating attractive leaders in the company.
• Project to define and establish a corporate Project Competence Center in European Retail company in a new legal company as part of a de-merger process.
✓ My role and key achievements: My role as Project manager included developing and obtaining executive approval for the strategic mandate to establish a corporate project competence center in a new legal company. Functions included an Enterprise Project and Portfolio Management office. Staffing of leaders within Portfolio Management, Project Deliveries, Quality Assurance and Methods & Training. The project work included definition of governance, mandate, work processes and systems.

Note! Full project list is available in Appendix A.

The person behind

In addition to my project management experience I have leadership, coaching and training delivery experience from several line manager positions whereas the latest as director and department leader of the project management competence area. The responsibility included defining the project and portfolio strategy, ensure continuous improvements within the project model, project governance and best practice toolbox. My achievement here also includes development of the corporate project management training program, which included training of steering committee members, project managers and project teams within planning, estimation, time-, cost-, risk- and change management.
I am a problem-solver with a strong analytical mindset who readily adapts to changes, works independently and consistently strives to exceed expectations.
My different project roles as project/asset owner, steering group lead, program- and project director/manager, SAFe Agile Coach, SCRUM master, project office lead and project portfolio manager has given me a unique understanding of all project areas, pitfalls and opportunities which I use in my daily management of the customer projects I am responsible for.
I am used to work with all types of project models and is a fast learner if there are customer specific needs and solutions to consider.
I am a leader and employee with the ability to engage and understand horizontally and vertically to gain insight and take actions. This competence has led to several assignments in large projects to get them back on track.
I focus on the end-result and is able to find alternative ways to achieve the end goal and target of the project if required. I enjoy high intensity environments and can juggle multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines.
I am analytic, structured and often takes the organizer role. I like being challenged and am not afraid of challenging back. I have been involved in several lean initiatives and always strive to challenge my own responsibility areas to be as efficient and effective as possible.
I can communicate on all levels in the organization and am used to prepare and present executive management information. I am often asked to facilitate the dialogue between IT and business due to my understanding of both the business processes and the IT solutions behind.
I care about people and strive to make people shine so we can shine as a team. People in my projects gives me credit for taking lead in tough periods and protecting the individuals.
I get my inspiration from working in and leading teams as well as having individual responsibilities.

Professional Experience

Academic Background

Certifications