CENTRAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Jan 2014 to Present
GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL
4R's Programme Planner

The Education Estate 4R’s Programme (see Estates Programme Planner below) involves a combination of full and thematic refurbishment and new build programme.

I have been retained on contract by GCC to ensure the established Portfolio Planning Framework is maintained effectively and to provide technical support in other areas such as Finance Control.

The previously overlapping role providing support for Tomorrows Office Programme closure is no longer required.

Dec 2012 to Dec 2013
GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL
Education Service Estates Programme Planner

The Education Estate 4R’s Phase 5 (five year) programme involves a combination of full and thematic refurbishment and new build programmes. The primary focus is on converting all Grade C and D condition premises to Grade A or B condition. School Premises include Primaries, Pre-5 Early Years Nurseries and 'Additional Support for Learning' establishments.

I was responsible for the establishment of the Portfolio Planning Framework consolidating project plans owned by two internal GCC Service Departments and one external contractor company.

There was a required overlap with earlier GCC Programme (Tomorrows Office - ACCESS LLP) to cover any issues arising during programme closure activities.

Jun 2010 to Jun 2013
ACCESS LLP for GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL
Programme Planner/Project Analyst - Technology

Contracted by Access LLP a Limited Liability Partnership between Glasgow City Council and Serco as the Planning specialist within the ACCESS LLP Programme Management Office and seconded to establish the programme planning framework for GCC's Tomorrows Office (TO) Programme.

The aim of the Tomorrow's Office Programme was to deliver a best practice working environment for employees suitable for supporting a 21 century public authority. My role was to set up and maintain a consolidated Programme plan consisting of 4 sub programmes and 20 (internal and external) projects; create and maintain staff data sheets for management of 5000+ staff migrating from 19 existing offices into 6 and to provide and maintain a Document Library.

The Programme has been completed on time and to budget.

Dec 2009 to May 2010
OFFICE OF FAIR TRADING.
Programme Planner

Contracted to establish a Programme Planning Framework for Corporate Services and Business Services’and develop the plan for the OFT Back Office Environment Project (OBOE) with ongoing QA responsibility for OBOE and all Business Services managed projects. Also developed and deployed template suites covering planning, change, financial's, risks, issues and version control including engagement in the Share Point site development.

Jul 2006 to JUL 2008
TRANSPORT FOR LONDON
Senior Programme Planning Manager.

DRND the Directorate of Road Network Development supported the Chief Operating Officer in the management and development of London’s main roads, in the building of relationships and partnership working with other Surface Transport Directorates and TfL businesses, government bodies and all relevant external stakeholders.

Contract Responsibilities:

Programme Planning

To produce, develop and document the TLRN Programme Planning Framework for a three year rolling programme of works and to design and establish the means of ensuring planning ‘compatibility’ is maintained between DRND, other directorates and their suppliers. Additionally to design and provide the processes for the production of reports such as schedule Percentage Complete against baseline and milestone completion reports such as Deliverables, High Level and Key Milestones.

Programme Management Office

To establish, develop, provide training in the use of, tools and procedures for Document Version Control, Risk and Issue Management, Change Control To design and provide the means for producing other routine and ad-hoc delivery reports to meet the current DRND reporting cycle. To manage and direct the DRND Programme Planning Manager, Project Management Graduates and PMO Support staff in all activities. To provide classroom and on-job training for all DRND staff as and when required. To mentor Project management Graduates and other staff through National Vocational Qualification activities.

Stakeholder Management

Stakeholders for projects within the DRND programme were both internal and external with multiple stakeholders for each of the 400+ projects being the norm. Liaison with and arbitration between the stakeholders was a major component of the work. It involved frequent consultation to also ensure the stakeholders were fully committed to the DRND project control processes. This enabled the provision of the most up to date deliverable and project progress information possible. Progress and deliverable reports were provided to stakeholders in scripted and tabular format with deliverable reports provided directly from the programme plan. Ad hoc reports were also provided

TfL Streets Division Re-organisation

A re-organisation and a major re-location of staff began early in 2008 and was successfully completed later that year. Along with the DRND Move Champion we ensured the change of location and technology had as little adverse impact on delivery as possible. The move and re-organisation was managed under the banner of ‘Project Delta’. It was a major undertaking and had twelve work streams’ defined which were consolidated into the Project Delta plan.

Mar 2005 to MAR 2006
GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL.
Programme Office Specialist, e-Government Programme.

Initially contracted to establish Programme Planning Framework for the e-Government Programme. This activity demonstrated there was a clear requirement for a Programme Office to ensure effective governance for the e-Gov Programme and in June I was asked to establish the foundations for the creation of a Programme Office and provide the tools and training necessary for its successful continued operation. My planning tools were installed on 100 workstations and the Programme Office structure established when contract completed

An additional contract requirement was for the creation of a Programme Board web site the primary objective of which was to significantly reduce the reliance on printed submissions and the associated administrative burden of copying, delivery and review. There was also a requirement to conduct board meetings ‘online’ with all submissions electronically presented and to allow board members direct access to live files such as programme plans, risk, issue, change and assumption registers and the central document library. The first online board meeting took place on 30^th September 2005.

Jun 2003 to Mar 2004
HM CUSTOMS & EXCISE
Programme Planner, Lorry Road User Charge Programme

The Government intended to introduce a Lorry Road-User Charge (LRUC) so that hauliers paid an amount related to the distance that they travel on UK roads. The Charge would vary according to lorry size, road type and time of day.

Contracted by the LRUC Programme Office (PO) during its set up primarily responsible for the creation of the LRUC Programme Plan. It was necessary to provide direct assistance to Project Managers and staff to create plans of sufficient detail to assist them in their day-to-day running of their projects (with special regard to deliverable management) and to also be a source of reports on project/programme health for the senior management team.

Training was provided in the management of project files and the construction and maintenance of a consolidated programme plan to PO staff using our pre built planning tools.

On completion the programme was prepared for an OGC Gateway 2 review (Procurement Strategy) with the Programme Plan in a condition such that HMCE staff could take it forward.

In addition, working with HMCE PO Manager, we facilitated the PO set up by a document control system (configuration management and quality review process), Risk and Issue registers and supporting procedures.

Mar 2002 to Aug 2002
HM CUSTOMS & EXCISE
Planning and Dependency Manager, Technology Transformation Programme.

Reporting directly to the Programme Support Office Manager, prior to and during the Initiation period of the programme for modernisation of Her Majesty’s Customs & Excise business activities.

Contracted to supply the programme and project planning framework standards along with planning tools to ensure consistency of planning and reporting across the programme.

Additionally required to produce a Document Control Procedure and provide general assistance with Issue and Risk management in a Prince2 environment which complied with the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) Gateway requirements.