Terra Firma is a business and technology consulting company providing clients with consulting services covering the entire life-cycle of a program – from strategy to the full spectrum of project services.I was a Senior Business Consultant and Line Manager / Practice-Lead of 5 staff.

Operating in a senior role, I gained a broad exposure to business and technology through multiple complex consulting projects across environments including fund / asset management, insurance and health-care, and paired with a vertical depth of business analysis experience spanning the entire SDLC. CONSULTING RESPONSIBILITIES• Operated as a lone, Senior Business Analyst / Consultant on a variety of projects with experience gained across the 7 IIBA BABOK business analysis knowledge areas, tasks and techniques.• Team-lead and lead Business Analyst of a cross-functional team over a period of 3 years to successfully redesign and redevelop key institutional client reports for Africa’s largest asset management company. Key influencer of the client’s future reporting strategy for segregated and multi-managed funds. This project encompassed the key elements of asset management across most asset classes, with associated data and process analysis.• Key driver to introduce Agile methodology into a ‘Waterfall’ business-environment that included assuming the role of Scrum-master.• Assistant Account Manager with responsibilities of staff placement, costing, forecasting and planning.• Presented proposals, plans and outcomes to clients’ at all levels of an organisation.SARATOGA RESPONSIBILITIES• Line manager of Saratoga 'Business Consultant' staff.• Lead member of ‘Analyst Centre of Excellence’: Contributor to a BA work-group aimed at growing the BA competency and Business Consultant staff's skills.• Member of ‘Agile Work-Group’: One of a core lead-team that determined the strategic direction of Saratoga’s Agile project-delivery approach and facilitated the successful implementation of the Scrum methodology as an organisational standard.• Head of Collaboration: Responsible for determining the strategic approach of Saratoga’s internal communication and managing the team responsible for implementing these initiatives.

My career began in Client Support where I was Team-Leader, moving to a Business Analyst role in 2004.BUSINESS ANALYSIS RESPONSIBILITIES• Responsible for the analysis of business-case motivations through to the formulation of specifications, for integrated product solutions, built utilising Microgen products.• Conducted analysis and wrote components within RFI/RFP responses and client proposals.• Prepared and presented tailored demonstrations / walk-throughs of Microgen financial products to prospective and existing clients.ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES• Responsible for managing relationships with 10 key Microgen clients.PRODUCT MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILTIES• Contributed to the management of the road-map of certain Microgen products which included facilitating product strategy sessions and coordinating client enhancement requests.

In this role I served as the key interface between the Fund Management investment team and Institutional Clients.CLIENT MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES• Key involvement in the maintenance of client relationships including liaison with the Fund Managers, Chief Investment Officer and Business Development head in respect of the compilation and supply of information pertaining to the daily status of investment portfolios.• Appointed to represent the Client Management team on an internal ‘Client Relationship’ committee.• Key role in development projects impacting the department, including the development of an FTNIB Pooled fund and assistant to the IT Manager with regards to issues impacting the business unit.

This role in this Financial Services' Client Investment Administration (CIA) department developed from a portfolio administration to a training, projects and support role, with achievements in:PROJECT WORK RESPONSIBILITIES• One of 3 representatives selected from the CIA department on the main EURO conversion project team. Led one of the CIA teams of 8 staff to successfully convert the Flemings funds to the Euro currency.• Successfully restored an automated reconciliation package that had fallen into disuse and reintroduced it into the daily operations of the department.• Leading involvement in a variety of other projects aimed at driving change and streamlining business processes.TRAINING AND SUPPORT RESPONSIBILITIES• Formulated training manuals and programs and delivered structured training to staff with a focus on superannuation & unit trust funds. • Supported and supervised staff.