Glenn Akerman Email & Phone Number

Nottingham, United Kingdom

Purely focused on the delivery of a portfolio of high-profile, complex projects for clients in varying spaces. Successful delivery of key projects for large corporate clients plus NHS trusts, ‘blue light’ organisations and local council authorities within the public sector.

Change of role in order to meet a Maintel business requirement to provide project and programme management services to Maintel's strategically most important corporate client (in the mobile comms space) working alongside the dedicated managed service team and other internal and third-party PMs. Operating exclusively on this account, leading the delivery of a major voice transformation programme in relation to the client's 7,500 seat virtual contact centre.

This was a dual role with responsibility for the line management of the Project Management team, practice, processes and procedures whilst simultaneously continuing to deliver a portfolio of high-profile client projects in a structured project management environment, predominantly within the Managed Service account (as mentioned in my last role below) delivering complex change to the client’s 7,500 agent, virtualized contact centre. Other responsibilities include: • Providing leadership to the Project Management team: o Working closely with them in order to develop their skills and their understanding of processes and procedures through coaching and mentoring o Encouraging team adoption of the project management process and the Company’s guiding principles through personal example o Developing the team through training and development planning, regular one-to-ones and formal quarterly and annual reviews• Providing detailed reports and forecasts for revenue, utilisation, project status and project accounting• Defined and implemented enhancements to the existing project management / solution delivery processes, based on PRINCE2 methodology.• Maximising team revenue and margin earning potential through resource and skills management and via analysis of project P&Ls • Collaborating with other areas of the business to improve documentation and processes outside of the project management / solution delivery methodology in order to maximise efficiencies• Point of escalation for project related issues

• Managing the delivery of a portfolio of technically challenging customer-facing projects with a focus on the Avaya Aura Communication Manager product set• Matrix managing project teams ranging in size from 4 to 20 members, including both internal and external third-party resource and stakeholders• The coaching and mentoring of less senior members of the project management team • Liaising with Westcon (UK Avaya distributor), Avaya and other suppliers regarding order and technical escalations• Responsibility for the P&L of all projects under my control• Providing assistance to the New Business, Account Management and Pre-Sales Solution Design teams to aid the preparation of proposals and bid / RFP responses • Managing relationships with Global business partners and third-party suppliers via the Intelligent Communications Alliance (ICA)Projects recently delivered include:• Implementation of a new, fully resilient core in a data centre environment for a major US law firm, based on the Avaya Aura product set. Specification included Avaya Aura CM6.1, Aura Messaging 6.0, Session / System Manager, Nectar monitoring (each with full redundancy). Completed the subsequent programme of LSP / Survivable Remote site deployments including sites in London, Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt and Qatar• Implementation of a new Avaya CM using System Platform using duplex S8800 servers in high-availability (HA) configuration for a major foreign government-owned bank. Specification included AES, one-X Communicator, one-X Mobile, one-X Attendant and Verint CSCM / ACR R10 WFM & Impact 360 voice recording• The consolidation of 26 standalone Avaya CM sites into a single CM 6.1 enterprise voice network with a fully resilient core, ESS and 23 LSP sites, including the migration and ‘parking’ of user licences from the standalone sites to the core. • The upgrade from CM 5.1 to CM6.2 of an 11 site pan-EMEA Avaya Communication Manager (CM) IPT network with sites in the UK, Europe and Africa

Managing the delivery of multiple, concurrent, customer-facing projects with a focus on the Alcatel Lucent product setProjects delivered included:• A new 15-site voice network for a renowned charity, using the existing MPLS WAN infrastructure. This includes the implementation of local survivable media gateways at each of the remote locations connected to resilient call servers centrally located in primary and secondary/DR data centres.• A new 750-user IP telephony solution for a large international law firm headquartered in central London but with branch offices worldwide. Specification included: Full IP telephony throughout; Remote DR site with installation of SIP trunking; Unified Communications applications including One Number; integrated messaging; collaboration including instant messaging & presence incorporating data & voice conferencing; Network management tools including accounting/call logging; VoIP network monitoring & performance; MS Active Directory integration; integration with existing third party messaging and fax server solutions using SIP• The telephony platform for a new contact centre for a new Transport for London initiative, with integration to a third party ACD.• The provision of a new Voice over Wireless LAN solution for a prominent public sector organisation

• Responsible for the definition, documentation and execution of multiple concurrent projects, actively participating in all phases. The majority of projects were telephony-related although also include those to facilitate business transformation and expansion requirements such as property refurbishment• Undertaking bid management responsibilities including the creation of tender documentation, managing the Invitation to Tender (ITT / RFP) process, supplier identification / selection, negotiation of commercial terms and Ts & Cs requiring high-level board and legal consultation • Completing the annual budget process for all areas of responsibility• Managing the full project lifecycle (in-line with the corporate project methodology)• Matrix management of project teams consisting of both internal and external resource. Engaging and liaising with IT Design, Programme Delivery, Service Delivery and Senior Management teams• Pro-actively identifying savings opportunities across IT spend, negotiating and reporting in the appropriate format

• Worked within the IT Networks team, responsible for the project management, delivery and BAU operational support of IP telephony / VoIP as well as legacy TDM PBX telephony services. Scope also included data centres, LANs and WANs. Provided technical support to other teams within IT.• Managed 3rd party outsource suppliers ensuring successful delivery of SLAs. Conducted regular service delivery reviews• Conducted business analysis; investigated, identified and implemented changes to telephony systems to facilitate improved productivity and efficiency within the business• Managed, owned and escalated operational issues on behalf of the business until resolution. Reported on progress to the appropriate stakeholders• Project ‘account management’ of the telephony requirements of the whole Group building strong relationships with internal customers and stakeholders

Promoted from the role of Commissioning Engineer to assume full project management responsibility for multiple, cross-functional projects. • Project managing or project engineering the implementation and integration of various converged voice solutions including PBX, voicemail, IVR, ACD, CTI and diallers into call centres /contact centres and other vertical markets, both on a single site and networked multi site basis.• Accountable for full project lifecycle from order review through to completion and sign-off.• Financial management and reporting to ensure that costs and therefore profit are delivered to budget• Supported and liaised with clients at all hierarchical levels, from IT staff to board / director level• Liaising with in-house CTI software developers ensuring that these products are successfully integrated and delivered• Managed relationships with business partners and third-party suppliers. Provided pre-sales support to aid bid preparation• Provision of pre-sales support to aid bid preparation• Reviewing documentation on a continual basis to ensure that it meets the business’ needs; presenting changes to management as and when required