Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Affiliations
Certification
Timeline
Generic

Neal Coulson

Beecroft

Summary

Extensive experience in technical, project and program management, business process management and client facing roles. Highly experienced in: Lean methodology, process development and reform, business controls, management of delivery teams, contract management, people management and project management methodology. Key achievements include deployment of LEAN improvement programs, process reform, deployment of help desk ticket analytics, Capability Maturity Model (CMMi) appraisals at Levels 2,3 and 5, process assurance, delivery of major IT programs to clients and the delivery of process and operational improvements to clients.

Overview

36
36
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Business Process Analyst

Western Sydney University
09.2018 - Current
  • The Student Management System, developed on the Banner platform by Ellucian, provides a comprehensive and robust solution to deliver a student-centred experience that efficiently and effectively manage the full student lifecycle.
  • My role as Business Process Analyst allows me utilise Lean methodologies to guide the team to develop value streams that align to the CAUDIT (Council of Australasian University Directors of IT) Higher Education Reference Models. My role also draws on my experience as a Project Manager and Delivery Manager to develop work planning models, manage vendors and provide Service Management for the team.
  • Key to my role is supporting the project’s guiding principles of actively simplifying business processes, enabling innovation and efficiency as well as move and improve.
  • Responsibilities include:
  • Process Management.
  • - Focal point for managing process assets and maintaining the process inventory.
  • - Establish and maintain the process framework within the University’s process mapping tool (Promapp).
  • - Assess current state process assets.
  • - Provide training and guidance to project team members on using Promapp and create training material.
  • - Manage and perform quality assurance on the process map inventory and advise Business Analysts on mapping practices. Develop Student Management System Project Value Stream in line with CAUDIT business model.
  • - Provide consulting on business process definition and changes. Assist the team to identify process redundancies, issues and streamlining opportunities.
  • - Participate in analysis and design of Scholarships Management for SMS
  • - Participate in analysis and design of Results Processing Management for SMS
  • Project Management.
  • - Perform risk assessments
  • - Develop forward workload planning and management practices for the SMS team
  • - Manage Functional Delivery project – a project to deliver further functional improvements to SMS after go-live.
  • Vendor Management.
  • - Focal point for vendor performance management activities.
  • - Develop and implement a program to regularly assess vendor performance and work with vendor representatives to develop improvement plans.
  • - Attend weekly Ellucian & Western Sydney University assurance meeting.
  • Quality Assurance.
  • - Coordinate Release Readiness Review processes.
  • - Assessment of proposed solutions for service requests.
  • - Perform triage on incoming incident ticket and request tickets.
  • - Focal point for management of internal audit requests and remediation activities.
  • Service Management.
  • - Oversee ITIL processes and service management for SMS requests and incidents.
  • - Monitor progress of incident and request tickets and work with functional streams for resolution.
  • - Implement and manage root cause analysis activities to assess high priority production incidents.
  • - Develop migration to production practices for the SMS team
  • - Member of SMS Senior Management Team.
  • Project Reporting.
  • - Compile regular SMS status reports and deployment reports.
  • - Ticket statistics– daily stats and trend analysis of ticket queue backlogs.
  • - Develop and manage project reports, both internally and stakeholder reporting.

Process Reform Officer

Transport for NSW – Transport Shared Services
02.2017 - 05.2018
  • Responsible for identifying, documenting and redefining business processes for the Redefining Our Services (RoS) project. The RoS project assessed the activities delivered to Transport Agencies as part of a shared services model and redefines them as end-to-end services. Also contributed to the creation of the BPM framework that incorporates opportunity identification, opportunity qualification and the adoption of continuous improvement across Transport Shared Services. Key activities include:
  • Manage library of process maps held in ARIS and Visio.
  • Validation of current process maps against documentation, team manager presentations, questionnaire responses and interviews.
  • Run workshops with team managers and update process documentation.
  • Updated process maps during RoS Phase 1 to improve process documentation.
  • Summaries of current process maps provided to service leads for inclusion into service definitions and service schedules.
  • Identify and log opportunities for process improvements.
  • Develop service maps for the new service definitions for RoS Phase 2.
  • Contributing to the creation of the Business Process Management framework.
  • Achievements delivered include:
  • Developing process review templates, checklists and status reports for RoS Phase 1 activities. These include developing the process review checklist, the process assessment walkthrough presentation and process assessment weekly status report.
  • Identified opportunities for improvement during RoS project phase 1 and logged these opportunities for future assessment and selection.
  • Working with team managers and business representatives to verify process documentation and build the service definitions.
  • Developing an estimation model and tracking report for process activities for RoS Phase 2.
  • Providing input and feedback on the development of the mapping strategy and the service map templates for RoS Phase 2.

Lean Coach

UXC Consulting
03.2016 - 09.2016
  • Designed and implemented a Lean IT improvement program for CenITex (State Government of Victoria) to drive CenITex’s objective to improve project pre-sales, project delivery and improve customer satisfaction. Responsible for implementing Lean methodologies and conducting workshops across many business areas including Customer Engagement, Project Delivery, Procurement, Human Resources and Change Management teams. Responsibilities of the role include:
  • Applying Lean techniques and facilitate Lean workshops to identify areas of improvement.
  • Design and implement improvement solutions.
  • Facilitate improvement workshops with stakeholders to define requirements and design solutions.
  • Work closely with stakeholders to deliver and embed improvements.
  • Apply experience and knowledge drawn from similar improvement initiatives within IT infrastructure project delivery domains.
  • Champion and drive the organisational cultural change required to establish Lean thinking.
  • Achievements delivered include:
  • Identified 36 opportunities for improvement. Approved to progress the eight highest priority opportunities, delivering 122 improvement recommendations.
  • Developed and delivered training workshops and methodology walkthroughs to enable CenITex to become self-sufficient to deliver the backlog of opportunities.
  • Multiple Lean methodologies used to deliver improvements, including Value Stream assessments, Kaizen, A3 and hybrid methodologies also developed.
  • Engaged multiple teams and lines of business across CenITex, including project delivery, procurement, human resources.

Lean Coach

IBM Australia
12.2012 - 03.2015
  • Implemented and managed a portfolio of Lean process improvement programs across client accounts of different industry types including banking, telecommunications and retail. Certified as an IBM certified Lean Master. Responsible for coaching Value Stream Managers in the current state assessment, future state design and implementation planning. Delivered training in Lean methodologies and established certification program. Provided Lean expert input to the implementation of future state components. Governance of Lean projects and programs, promoting knowledge sharing and learning, reporting and documentation.
  • Implemented and managed a portfolio of Lean process improvement programs across seven client accounts, generating annual improvements of $3.3 million.
  • Implemented training and certification programs, including delivering classroom training and certification of 19 Lean practitioners.
  • Implemented help desk ticket analytics across five accounts to support statistical analysis and improvement opportunity identification.
  • Provided subject matter expertise to the Delivery Management Tool (DMT) project, using Agile project management methodology.
  • Provided professional giveback to the Project Management Centre of Excellence as a certification board member and mentored Project Managers in their preparation for certification.

Compliance Manager - Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA) Account

IBM Australia
09.2009 - 12.2012
  • Responsible for ensuring effective implementation and management of Business Controls activities for the Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA) account. Maintained the account at an audit ready posture for controls activities. Led process improvement opportunities for the account by implementing and managing LEAN initiatives. Performed lead Project Quality Analyst role for the account.
  • Established and managed the account’s business controls program to ensure compliance with IBM’s policies, client policies and legal requirements including Sarbanes-Oxley requirements.
  • Implemented the account’s data security and privacy program that confirms all activities on the account meet both IBM’s and client’s requirements for information security.
  • Developed and implemented the account’s end-to-end process assurance review program to measure project’s adherence to process and methodologies. Performed root cause analysis activities on business controls breaches and formulate remediation plans to ensure continuous improvement.
  • Led the implementation of a software tool to automate the management of separation of duties matrices.
  • Managed the account’s contribution to a corporate audit, including creation of audit presentation pack, responding to requests for information and reporting progress of the audit to senior leadership team.
  • Led the team’s Lean initiatives as the account’s Value Stream Manager.

Service Delivery Manager - Vodafone Account

IBM Australia
11.2004 - 09.2009
  • Led major projects and programs from start-up through to successful implementation and acceptance by the client within service level agreements. Responsible for the delivery of application operations activities, including managing scope and resourcing, financial management, management of client expectations, analysis of delivery effectiveness and recommend improvement opportunities. Responsible for ensuring all areas of support and operations met the Service Level Agreements defined by the client. Managed a team of nine staff by setting clear performance standards, conducting formal performance assessments, develop training plans and counsel poor performers.
  • Implemented an initiative to reduce the backlog of service tickets from 1,500 tickets per day to 370 per day.
  • Led the initiative to develop a capacity management database to improve the quality of reporting and remove manual processes.
  • Responsible for failed order remediation activities to reduce the backlog of failed orders from 1,800 to 150 per day.
  • A member of the appraisal team for the CMMi Level 3 appraisal of the account’s processes and procedures.
  • Expanded the scope of application operations by working with the client to identify new activities and establish the contract changes to enact the changes.
  • Managed the relocation of application management team to a new client site.
  • Developed plans to reduce team’s costs and presented proposals to the client to expand the scope of services.

Technical Solutions Manager – QANTAS Account

IBM Australia
06.2004 - 11.2004
  • Developed, marketed and negotiated the support contract for Qantas’ Engineering Systems Replacement Project (ESRP), worth $50m over 10 years. Developed a proposal for the QANTAS Service Level team to move to a new SLA model that required less management overhead and provided opportunities to earn back service credits.

Delivery Program Manager – Sydney Application Centre

IBM Australia
06.2003 - 06.2004
  • Led four service delivery teams for the Sydney Applications Centre, consisting of two teams for Telstra, one team for Reach and one team for MLC. Total group of 85 staff, performing application development and maintenance activities. Responsible for ensuring all areas of support and operations met defined service level agreements. Responsible for management of client and supplier contracts. Accountable for financial and service level performance of the application centre.

Project Manager – Telstra and Reach Accounts

IBM Australia
01.2001 - 09.2003
  • Project Manager for a group of three large marketing intelligence applications, with an annual contract value of $1.2 million. Responsible for managing the procurement of new hardware and software. Management of subcontractors for hardware installation. Project Manager for a group of seven applications related to Reach’s billing operations with an annual total value of $1.6 million.

Project Leader – Telstra Account

IBM Global Services Australia
06.1997 - 01.2001
  • Project Leader for redevelopment of network usage marketing application. Year 2000 remediation for the marketing application and Customer Profiling applications. Responsible for estimating, scheduling, tracking and reporting for the projects.

Information Technology Specialist

Telstra Corporation
02.1990 - 06.1997
  • Analyst / Programmer performing development and support activities for billing, marketing and reporting applications. Provided IT support for special projects such as the relocation of telephone exchanges, marketing campaigns and marketing intelligence activities.

Education

Master of Project Management -

University of Southern Queensland
01.2009

Bachelor of Business - Computing and Information Management

University of Western Sydney
01.1990

Skills

  • Technical team interactions
  • Team collaboration
  • Effective communication
  • Process change management

Affiliations

Member of the Project Management Institute, USA, since 2001.

Certification

  • Six Sigma Black Belt Certification, Expert Rating Services, 2015.
  • IBM Certified Lean Master, IBM Australia, 2013.
  • IBM Certified Senior Project Manager, IBM Australia, 2004.
  • Project Management Professional (PMP) in Project Management Project Management Institute., USA, 2002

Timeline

Business Process Analyst

Western Sydney University
09.2018 - Current

Process Reform Officer

Transport for NSW – Transport Shared Services
02.2017 - 05.2018

Lean Coach

UXC Consulting
03.2016 - 09.2016

Lean Coach

IBM Australia
12.2012 - 03.2015

Compliance Manager - Vodafone Hutchison Australia (VHA) Account

IBM Australia
09.2009 - 12.2012

Service Delivery Manager - Vodafone Account

IBM Australia
11.2004 - 09.2009

Technical Solutions Manager – QANTAS Account

IBM Australia
06.2004 - 11.2004

Delivery Program Manager – Sydney Application Centre

IBM Australia
06.2003 - 06.2004

Project Manager – Telstra and Reach Accounts

IBM Australia
01.2001 - 09.2003

Project Leader – Telstra Account

IBM Global Services Australia
06.1997 - 01.2001

Information Technology Specialist

Telstra Corporation
02.1990 - 06.1997

Bachelor of Business - Computing and Information Management

University of Western Sydney

Master of Project Management -

University of Southern Queensland

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Neal Coulson