Grant Duffield
Auckland
Summary
Dynamic Programme Manager with extensive experience at KiwiRail, driving a $550 million rail network transformation. Proven track record in operations management and project delivery. Skilled in strategic planning and stakeholder engagement, I excel in leading teams to deliver impactful infrastructure projects.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Programme Manager - Rail Network Growth Impact Management/ Rail Network Rebuild
KiwiRail
04.2020 - Current
- Programme management of a $550 million key rail network rebuild, resilience, and transformation initiative to enable a modern metro for Auckland in order to enable the CRL and create a step change in operational ability.
- This includes upgrading the rail network, adding new capability and capacity, more resilience, implementing automation and new technology, and transforming operational performance, capacity, and efficiency through various business improvement initiatives.
Director
PROJACT CONSULTING LIMITED
07.2019 - 03.2020
- -Management consulting and programme management for a key Infrastructure resource mobilization initiative, to enable delivery of substantial rail projects and upgrades for CRL, Auckland Metro and Northland in NZ
NZ Senior Leadership
Universal Communications Group
10.2018 - 07.2019
- Leadership of key Connect areas of the NZ Business, ensuring delivery, performance, and Business P&L for Broadband Fibre connectivity to the customer as part of the Governments Ultra Fast Broadband (UFB) initiative
- Define strategy for the Business, setting and managing the performance and contract KPI's for the Business and Customer, transform and grow the business, manage Customer key accounts
- Joint responsibility for 200 staff and 200 contractor partners, and multi-million dollar monthly revenues and EBITDA
- Improved productivity for the Connect Business by 20% in 6 months, with the largest revenue generating component across the Business consistently exceeding revenue targets - NZ and Australia
Commercial Manager/ Procurement Manager
2degrees
08.2017 - 10.2018
- Managed commercial and procurement aspects of negotiating, securing, and creating sustainable value, cost management and partnerships for 2degrees
- Key focus on strategic partnering, RFx processes, Statements of Work, Business Cases, Opex reduction management, Risk management, Capex spend prioritisation, and supporting all things for the Technology Category for 2degrees
- Comprehensive end to end knowledge and experience within the Telco industry locally and internationally enabled the ability to understand, advise and support stakeholders and partners
- Delivered a key RFP to drive network construction innovation, explore new methodologies and provide 15-20% cost efficiency over the status quo
- Managed key partners and contracts such as Huawei, Broadspectrum, Infratel, Skycomms, Tech Mahindra, Comptel, Meridian and the like
- Evaluated and implemented various green initiatives for electric vehicle fleet, and datacenter power and cooling sustainability
- Reduced network Opex through strategic partnering for power and smart metering
- Reduced network cost by going to market on various Capex initiatives and alternative sourcing
- Heath, safety and wellness representative for business and people initiatives supporting wellness
Portfolio Manager Networks: Core/ IT/ Transmission, Technology PMO
2degrees
04.2014 - 08.2017
- Led a team of specialised project managers, vendors and contractors
- Managed governance, investment prioritisation, budgets and financials, concept and business cases and process to align with technology roadmaps
- Responsible for key programme delivery for national projects related to the mobile/fixed/broadband core teleco network, IT infrastructure, microwave and fibre transmission, including data centre infrastructure and retail store technology fitout
- Managed project related commercial aspects and vendors such as Chorus, Downer, Enable, UFF, Huawei, IBM, Skycomms, Broadspectrum, Tech Mahindra, eIT etc
- Key projects delivered were LTE 4G Core, HSS, IMS, PCRF, VoWifi, Lawful Interception, Emergency Alerting and Cell Broadcast, 100Gb backhaul transmission NW, SBC's, Roaming Platform, DNS and SAN upgrade, NFV, Caching upgrade
- Seconded to a major BSS transformation project to manage the Managed Services Transition to outsourced partners, and the implementation of new BSS systems including financial systems
- Experienced in Waterfall, Agile, Hybrid PM methodologies, and ITIL, SDLC frameworks
- Represented Technology and presented to Onboarding workshops for new starters on the 2d network
PMO Manager - Project Performance and Methodology
Spark New Zealand
05.2013 - 04.2014
- Senior Manager in the Programme Management Office for a key strategic transformational programme across all IT OSS/BSS systems (Re-engineering project), and part of the Team that developed and set up the PMO and redefined the Spark Governance framework
- Recruited PM's and provided onboarding and training in Spark methods and processes
- Responsible for P3O SDLC PMO Framework, Methods, Processes
- ETOM, ITIL and CMMI alignment, maturity development and compliance
- Implemented Integrated Planning across the Programme releases and projects
- Managed the implementation, management and development of tools for the programme - Primavera PM tool, Sharepoint document management, IBM Rational toolset, documents, processes and templates, automated dashboards and reporting, monthly GM and business reporting and data Analysis
- Responsible for QA and compliance across all projects, providing standards, support, monitoring and reporting
- Chairman and process owner of the CCB (change control board) and change management process, managed the governance process for approval of artefacts, method adaptation and value chain journeys through the SDLC
- Set up and governed the hybrid method adaptation between Waterfall and Agile frameworks in preparation for the move to Agile, business wide
National Programme (PMO) Manager
Downer New Zealand
05.2012 - 04.2013
- Set up and led the PMO for the national delivery of the Mobile and Wireless Business Unit's portfolio of Infrastructure projects to Telco Operators and Vendors in New Zealand, providing innovative leadership, strategy and direction along with the Senior Leadership and Project teams
- Ensured delivery of projects within financial, time and quality objectives, ensuring change and risk is visible and managed effectively
- HR and HSE management, Account Management, Service Delivery Management, Stakeholder Management, Commercial and Financial management
- Managed Programme, Governance and Steering Committee meetings
- Provided expert input and guidance to RFx and Bids
- Senior Bid Team member for SRAN/LTE bids, securing preferred service provider status with major Mobile Vendors for SRAN and LTE (4G)
- Programme Managed the successful rollout of SRAN LTE/4G in Auckland for Vodafone
National Delivery and Resource Manager
Downer New Zealand
03.2011 - 05.2012
- Implemented Strategy, Structure and Processes to enable the National Service Delivery of contract services to Telecommunications Operators and Vendors in New Zealand
- Programme Management of large scale projects such as Mobile and Fixed Network build, Facilities, RF installation, Temporary Sites, Transmission, MW Radio, PTN, DSLAM, Fibre NW rollout, UFB
- QA implementation and management (quality assurance - framework, design, testing, standards, procedures, acceptance, documentation)
- Responsibilities included Team management (~ 70 FTE and Contractors, 7 direct reports), HR and HSE management, Recruitment and Performance Management of staff and contractors, Account Management, Service Delivery Management, Commercial and Financial management
Programme Manager - Network Delivery RAN/Transmission
Vodafone
06.2008 - 03.2011
- Responsible for end to end NW Coverage and Transmission Portfolio delivery for VF New Zealand, for Fixed broadband and Mobile
- Programme/Project PMO reporting, process implementation/adherence, and governance
- Managed Programme, Governance and Steering Committee meetings
- Stakeholder, Change and Risk Management
- Programme Management of National network delivery for Access, Transmission (Fibre, DWDM, PTN, MW), customer and sales special coverage solutions, COW's, special events, repeaters, LLU and DSLAM's, Rugby World Cup, Rural Broadband Initiative, site acquisition
- Financial, Opex and Capex budget Management (~$25m)
- Commercial, Business Case, Contract, SLA, Supplier Relationship Management
- HR and Performance management (circa 15 FTE staff- Project Managers, Project Engineers, Project Co-ordinators, and Contractors)
Executive Head Operations Support - Service Delivery
Cell C
01.2007 - 05.2008
- Head of Operations Support
- Set Strategy and Direction and Lead ICT service delivery
- Responsible for General Management of ICT Teams, Systems and Services
- Reported to Chief Technology Officer, and member of Senior Leadership Team
- Financial, Opex and Capex budget development and Management
- Commercial, Business Case, Outsourcing and Supplier Relationship Management
- Member of Gartner and CIO groups, to develop and implement international best practice
- Managed a team of ~140 staff, with 6 direct Senior Managers with the following Portfolio: OSS (Operations Support Systems) - SAM (service assurance management)
- BSS (Business Support Systems) - Oracle ERP, CRM platform, Billing, Risk and Fraud, Procurement, Reporting tools (BO) etc
- NSMC (National Service and Operations Management Center - NOC) - network and service monitoring and Fault, Capacity, Problem, Change, Incident Management, CMDB, ITIL
- MIS (Management Information Systems, BICC - business intelligence competency centre, EDW -enterprise data warehouse, Business Objects, ETL, OLAP reporting etc)
- IS (information security and risk management systems, processes, audits)
- Infrastructure and Wintel (desktops, windows, servers, UNIX, Oracle, virtualisation and consolidation, SAN, MS, asset management etc)
- Led IT Department transformation by restructuring, technology refresh and roadmaps to improve service performance, operational efficiency, and reduce Opex
- Improved MIS to become a business enabler through consolidated DWH and BI reporting capability
- Implemented outsourcing initiatives to offshore with Tata Consultancy Services to reduce cost
- Implemented ITIL, eTOM frameworks and business process alignment
- Delivered SAM (Service Assurance Management) through integration of BSS and OSS platforms into consolidated Management Platform to improve Alarm correlation, root cause analysis, problem prioritisation and service assurance
Senior Regional Manager Networks
Cell C
06.2002 - 12.2006
- Employed by Cell C (SA’s 3rd Mobile Operator) at start-up as NW Operations Manager to devise and implement strategy, structure, people, process and technology E2E
- Designed, delivered, optimised and operated the largest revenue producing 2G core and radio regional network, and team
- Responsible for National Contracts, SLA’s, Vendor and Supplier performance management
- Responsible for Datacenters (Facilities, Services, HVAC, BMS, Emergency Power, Generator, UPS, Rectifier, Fire and Security systems) build, specification and O&M
- Seconded to, and Member of joint Capgemini team to improve operational efficiency, process and performance across the business
- -Selected for Management Advancement Programme in order to be developed for Executive Management
Regional Operations Manager, and National Core Operations Manager
Orange
01.1999 - 05.2002
- Employed by KPN Orange in Europe for launch of Belgium’s 3rd Mobile GSM Operator
- Now rebranded as BASE
- Regional Manager responsible for NW Operations and Project Delivery for Northern Belgium
- Delivered the GSM Access, Core and Transmission NW rollout, implemented/managed regional offices and Datacentres, structure and teams, project managed 2 new data centres and related facilities infrastructure build
- Managed O&M of the GSM and Transmission NW
- Successfully implemented the 1st UMTS/3G test NW in Belgium
- Promoted to National Core NW Operations Manager responsible for Ericsson AXE NSS platform O&M
GSM Engineer, Delivery Manager
Vodacom
01.1996 - 12.1998
- Employed by Vodacom (Vodafone) in SA’s first GSM NW Rollout as Field Engineer
- Part of startup NW Operations and Delivery Team
- Promoted to Senior Field Engineer for O&M for BSS (Vodacom) responsible for tier 2 technical support
- Promoted to Implementation Manager for BSS rollout (Vodacom)
- Successfully rolled out the first micro cellular NW in Africa
Technical Officer
Telkom
01.1989 - 05.1993
- Qualified as Technical Officer (3 years Telecoms Apprenticeship – Telkom South Africa)
- Qualified in carriers: Transmission, Copper, Fibre, Carrier network construction and O&M
- Radio spectrum interference management and investigation specialisation
Education
MSP - Managing Successful Programmes - Project and Programme Management, Certificate
APM Group
01.2008
MAP - Post Graduate Certificate - Business Administration, Management and Operations, Certificate, Human Resources, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Strategy
University of the Witwatersrand
01.2004
Telecommunications Diploma - Carriers, Technical Officer Certification
Telkom College
01.1991
National Technical Certificate - Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
Johannesburg Technical College
01.1990
Skills
- Telecommunications
- Operations Management
- Program Management
- Project Delivery
- Service Delivery
- Business Management
- Management Consulting
- Infrastructure
- Facility Management (FM)
- Project Management
Certification
- MSP Certifications - Project Management, APM Group, 00024918-05-F3BW, 12/08, Present
- Business Process Framework (eTOM), TM Forum, 01/13, Present
Timeline
Programme Manager - Rail Network Growth Impact Management/ Rail Network Rebuild
KiwiRail
04.2020 - Current
Director
PROJACT CONSULTING LIMITED
07.2019 - 03.2020
NZ Senior Leadership
Universal Communications Group
10.2018 - 07.2019
Commercial Manager/ Procurement Manager
2degrees
08.2017 - 10.2018
Portfolio Manager Networks: Core/ IT/ Transmission, Technology PMO
2degrees
04.2014 - 08.2017
PMO Manager - Project Performance and Methodology
Spark New Zealand
05.2013 - 04.2014
National Programme (PMO) Manager
Downer New Zealand
05.2012 - 04.2013
National Delivery and Resource Manager
Downer New Zealand
03.2011 - 05.2012
Programme Manager - Network Delivery RAN/Transmission
Vodafone
06.2008 - 03.2011
Executive Head Operations Support - Service Delivery
Cell C
01.2007 - 05.2008
Senior Regional Manager Networks
Cell C
06.2002 - 12.2006
Regional Operations Manager, and National Core Operations Manager
Orange
01.1999 - 05.2002
GSM Engineer, Delivery Manager
Vodacom
01.1996 - 12.1998
Technical Officer
Telkom
01.1989 - 05.1993
MSP - Managing Successful Programmes - Project and Programme Management, Certificate
APM Group
MAP - Post Graduate Certificate - Business Administration, Management and Operations, Certificate, Human Resources, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Strategy
University of the Witwatersrand
Telecommunications Diploma - Carriers, Technical Officer Certification
Telkom College
National Technical Certificate - Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering
Johannesburg Technical College
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