John Gillis Email and Phone Number

A highly experienced programme manager with extensive experience of leading business transformation programmes, business development programmes and delivering high valve projects An energetic leader with a hands-on approach to programme governance, programme structuring, development of PM processes and reporting tools, project definition, project planning, budgeting, procurement, contract management, cost control and project delivery, with wide experience of business case development, benefits… Show more A highly experienced programme manager with extensive experience of leading business transformation programmes, business development programmes and delivering high valve projects An energetic leader with a hands-on approach to programme governance, programme structuring, development of PM processes and reporting tools, project definition, project planning, budgeting, procurement, contract management, cost control and project delivery, with wide experience of business case development, benefits planning & delivery, issues management and risk management. An excellent communicator, able to work at senior management level, who places great emphasis on stakeholder management and the preparation of management reports that give “visibility” of the programme status to the steering group and the senior management team.Reporting to the programme board, John has planned and delivered 4 major business transformation and business development programmes; namely• Remploy Modernisation Programme, Phases 1,2 and 3• Network Rail In-house Maintenance Programme• Novar Opportunity Management Programme, and the • Novar ED&S Business Transformation Programme.In addition to which John was parachuted in to plan and manage the recovery plan for the failing Centrica Standard Desktop programme. He was also responsible for defining the benefits delivery plan for the Caspian programme.Each of these programmes provided varied challenges both in terms of the technology involved and the culture of the organisation. Programme values range from £1m to £10m+ involving a dedicated, cross disciplined delivery team of 5 to 9 technical specialists and business leads, with a wider team of between 20 and 120 people.John is a certified programme manager and holds a bachelors degree in engineering and a master’s degree in business administration, both from the University of Sheffield. Show less

Worked with the sales team and senior managers to secure the contract for a technically complex project for a client based in the Far East, which commenced in October 2012.. A second contract for an R&D plant was subsequently signed and was delivered in parallel with the main plant contract.Responsible for the management of the design, supply, shipping, installation and commissioning of equipment for both the main plant and the R&D plant. The plant worked well and was handed over to the… Show more Worked with the sales team and senior managers to secure the contract for a technically complex project for a client based in the Far East, which commenced in October 2012.. A second contract for an R&D plant was subsequently signed and was delivered in parallel with the main plant contract.Responsible for the management of the design, supply, shipping, installation and commissioning of equipment for both the main plant and the R&D plant. The plant worked well and was handed over to the client without the need for formal output trials. Show less

Delivery of business change and transformation projects.

On behalf of CITI, worked on a joint bid Capita Symonds and CITI to provide long-term project management support services to the National Grid Company, with the aim of improving project delivery and cost performance to meet regulatory requirements. Following final presentations to the NG, the project was awarded to another bidder.

Development of programme management controls for major investments.

Led the on time, on budget delivery of Remploy’s Modernisation Programme, which was awarded APM’s Programme of the Year Award, 2009Delivered phases one to three of the Modernisation Programme, guiding a series of business projects to support Remploy’s strategic development planRefocused the business on key growth areas to achieve financial sustainability Facilitated a large scale restructure involving the closure of 29 manufacturing sites and offices, transfer of plant between sites… Show more Led the on time, on budget delivery of Remploy’s Modernisation Programme, which was awarded APM’s Programme of the Year Award, 2009Delivered phases one to three of the Modernisation Programme, guiding a series of business projects to support Remploy’s strategic development planRefocused the business on key growth areas to achieve financial sustainability Facilitated a large scale restructure involving the closure of 29 manufacturing sites and offices, transfer of plant between sites and consolidation of 15 other sitesPresented programme status updates and reports to the Programme Steering Group, incorporating programme level change, risks, issues and assumptions logs, and summary financial reportsManaged the PMO to ensure relevant decisions were implemented by the responsible Project Manager Show less

Brought in to advise and coach the programme manager for the retail banking Breakthrough Programme to ensure the fast start-up of the programme, amid concerns that the programme had failed to gain traction Coached the PMO on best practice, wrote the PMO manual and made recommendations regarding document control and storage.

National Air Traffic Services (NATS)Worked on the Scenarios and Trade-offs project, as part of the Caspian Programme, analysing and defining the benefits of alternative delivery solutions for the NATS business case.

This is part of my continuing quest to see my design of folding plug become a widely accepted standard for the UK standard territories.

Led the end-to-end, on time delivery of a major in-house maintenance programme to integrate rail maintenance activities purchased from Serco, Amey and Carillion into Network Rail Involved in organisational design, development of operating procedures, TUPE transfer of c. 1800 staff, sourcing of service and supply contracts and transfer of data /applications in a safety critical environment

The Novar business had grown by acquisition and had ended up with 3 business all serving a similar group of companies. The project was to bring them all together under the EDS banner and move them all to a common SAP ERP platform.

The joined the business when it was Kvaerner Boving, a proud company with a long history of supplying water turbines, gates and valves for hydro-power projects. During my time I worked on projects in Uganda, Zimbawe, Nigeria, Libya, India and Venezuela. In India I was the project manager for the hydromechanical equipment of the 480mW Uri HEPP. On completing this I went on to be the consortium leader and project director for the electromechanical works on the Caruachi HEPP in Venezuela.

Managing a portfolio of contracts and projects with the business.

My first real job involved building steel rolling plant around the world. Did everything from working in the design office to working on site. My main job was project management of varios workpackages.