Serious all-round talent

My CV reveals a great deal of versatility in a broad variety of roles, each held for at least two years. Do not let this obscure the fact that all of these roles complement and enhance each other, allowing me to look back on a compound of 17+ years of professional experience in which I’ve demonstrated leadership as well as preparedness to roll up my sleeves and get hands-on.

The ‘Ludwig Fun Cake’ displayed here beautifully visualizes the three areas where I’m most in my element as well as the skills I use to tie them together.

Read below about fitting roles I might be hired for, including success stories linked to my CV.

Product Owner

What

A Product Owner is accountable for maximizing the value of the product and is accountable for effective Product Backlog management, which includes:

• Developing and explicitly communicating the Product Goal;

• Creating and clearly communicating Product Backlog items;

• Ordering Product Backlog items; and,

• Ensuring that the Product Backlog is transparent, visible and understood.

SUCCESS STORY

At a Big Four corporation for many years I was the go-to person for the local operational deployment of the global tool for documenting financial audits. In collaboration with local IT I made sure that the hosting server as wel as end user applications were tested and updated several times on a yearly basis and that all professionals in Audit were equipped with the right knowledge and procedures. As ‘Close-Out Manager’ I was responsible for securely archiving 7000+ audit files with my team, a labour intensive process constrained by strict statutory deadlines and discipline of Audit teams. Around 2015, envisioning that this process could be automated, I kicked into Product Owner ‘Entrepreneur’ mode and pitched the first idea globally to leverage existing server capabilities of closing out files directly online. What was needed was an interface for Audit teams to review their outstanding close-out tasks and the status of each, kickstart the close-out process. Upon completion, specified workbooks of the audit files would automatically be sorted into digital archive spaces as specified. On the Close-Out Team’s end, the interface would help track the automated process and intervene only in case of irregularities. What started as an operation of up to 18 Close-Out Team members handling files on up to five workstations simultaneously, ended up as a 1-2 person tracking the automated process. Given the go for this initiative I was able to gather the requirements from users at all levels (trainee to partner) and design the entire data structure, user interface and future process. In close collaboration with local IT who developed the back-end, we went live one year later. As of 2024 I am proud to report that the solution is still in production as an integral part of the primary financial auditing process, saving over 10.000 of hours on a yearly basis!

Why me

The above success story has proven my skills in the following areas: requirements engineering, backlog management and prioritization, development and execution documentation, user experience design, user interface design and usability, professional support services, budget planning, agile product development, product marketing, product growth management, and data analytics and insight. Secondary skills employed include communication and training.

Service Delivery Manager

What

A Service Delivery Manager (SDM) is responsible for making sure that IT services are being seamlessly delivered to the clients of an organization. SDM’s are in charge of a variety of tasks, such as leading project teams, rectifying reliability issues, monitoring progress, tracking KPIs, and managing budgets. They play a vital role in boosting the user experience by ensuring the smooth delivery of top-notch services that meet and exceed customer demands.

Success Story

Imagine being responsible for the reliability of payrolling of 400K workers on two continents! My SDM success story took place at a multinational retail and wholesale holding company running 21 local brands, employing 414,000 people at 7,659 stores (supermarkets, convenience stores, hypermarkets, online grocery, online non-food, drugstores, and liquor stores) in 10 countries, predominantly in the US and Europe. There I was responsible for managing the delivery of HR Applications, such as SAP SuccessFactors (HCM and Payroll), Spinifex, WalkMe, etc. Positioned at the global IT services unit, I was responsible for the onboarding of the global offshore L3 support team located in India, training them in ITIL processes, empowering them, and instilling an overall culture of pride, trust and proactive ownership. I started out by completely rewriting the service manuals from the ground up for each application and validating them with stakeholders before accepting them into my responsibility. Once operational, I collaborated closely with vendors (e.g.) SAP, the team of global HR Business Analysts and the offshore global support team to ensure timely resolution of incidents (including P1 and P2) and problems, and coordination of changes. Challenges included:

• The rollout of a new global implementation of SAP SuccessFactors (HCM and Payroll) in waves, starting in the USA. By repeatedly visiting local IT teams and leading dry runs of IT service management processes I garnered trust in the global operation.

• The complexity of the IT landscape: SAP SuccessFactors, doubly implemented in such a large global organisation with many dozens of middleware integrations, required technical affinity, attention to detail, and structure.

• The complexity of the organisation: all of the above took place against the backdrop of a global IT service unit that was very recently established following mergers. The global office was rapidly shifting governance structures and developing processes with the goal of establishing credibility and right of existence by delivering value through globally shared IT services.

Why Me

Almost needless to say, this experience was the most dynamic and challenging so far in my career. I utilised talents and skills that I never knew I had and honed new ones, such as:

• quick technical insight, e.g. complex landscape of middleware and integrations,

• balancing organisational interests at global and regional levels,

• navigating cultural differences across many European countries, the USA and India,

• effectively changing behaviours and attitude of operational teams in a challenging setting, breaking down barriers of politics and insecurity and generally making life fun in the process.

This was a truly rewarding experience for me!

Project Manager/

Implementation Manager

Transformation Lead

What

Management of any type of project entails balancing time, costs and quality. Saving on any one of these three aspects automatically affects the outcome of the other two. A project manager is adept at keeping track of timelines and milestones while maintaining budgets and ensuring that the outcome yields the desired value. Most projects I have been involved with pertain to some aspect of IT development, implementation or adoption by a larger user base. For this reason I place large importance on the human aspect of the transitions that any project brings along.

Success StorIES

As Product Owner for audit related applications at a Big Four company, not only have I guided deployments of new versions of the backbone audit file and workflow application and helped users get the most out of features as they developed, I have also designed and lead the implementation of the automation of the archiving process that concludes the statutory audit process. For more details, please refer to section Product Owner above.

Later, at the same Big Four company, I managed the organisational changes resulting from the implementation of a ticketing system (based on Axxerion). The objectives of this system were to empower employees with automated self-service regarding internal HR, Facilities and Finance services, as well as enabling them to submit and track tickets to these departments. This project was closely related to the simultaneous global implementation of SAP SuccessFactors, which itself called for profound change in HR processes. My contributions included:

• drafting/updating detailed process documentation of HR, Facilities and Finance processes,

• performing an in-depth risk analysis of each process,

• identifying opportunities for automation and kickstarting their implementation, e.g. by using robotics,

• reengineering processes to mitigate risks and leverage automation opportunities,

• setting up the content management system behind the ticketing system in both Dutch and English,

• change management, including organization-wide communications and training.

More recently, once again at the same Big Four company, as Tech and Communications Manager I had the privilege to transform HR’s hiring process for freelance professionals which was increasingly becoming a vital aspect of the staffing strategy. Here I oversaw the requirements drafting and selection processes of both an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) as well as a CRM in which to manage the relationship with a broader community of stakeholders. Awaiting the actual implementation of the selected ATS, I took the opportunity to design and develop a temporary ATS on the Microsoft Power Platform (using SharePoint, Power Apps and Power Automation) and successfully test implement this solution in close collaboration with the IT team. Not only did this automate many aspects of the flex hiring process, it also greatly enhanced the user experience for both hiring managers and recruiters. This project also entailed redesign of the flex hiring process, training of recruiters (to adopt the Microsoft Teams, SharePoint and the Power Platform) and communication to internal and external business stakeholders. To this end I created tasteful brochures (in English and Dutch) as well as an intranet portal, complete with a content management system.

Why Me

The size and scope of any project notwithstanding, it starts with establishing a vision and being able to communicate it with stakeholders. I challenge them to think outside of the box and jointly draft a plan to realise that vision within accepted constraints of time, costs and quality. In the process, I immerse myself into the users’ everyday experience as I research their capabilities and needs, and strive to enthuse and coach them towards better ways of working.

Training Manager

What

The Training Manager designs and implements company-wide training programs to improve employee skills and performance. They assess training needs, develop curricula, and coordinate with departmental managers to tailor training content. Responsibilities include creating training materials, organizing workshops, and evaluating program effectiveness. The role involves managing a team of trainers, staying updated with industry trends, and collaborating with external training providers to meet organizational objectives.

Success StorIES

One of my responsibilities as Product Owner for complex auditing tools and applications was to ensure that users were appropriately trained with regards to all bells and whistles of these applications. For a number of years I developed the training curriculum (generally 8 hour sessions for new joiners) and led most sessions myself. Over time I developed a supplemental mix of training materials, such as e-learnings offered via LMS systems and videos developed in collaboration with external animators.

Later, at the global IT services offices of a multinational retail and wholesale holding company, the need arose to ensure minimum levels of soft skills and procedural knowledge of approximately 150 IT professionals, in order to improve quality of IT services. As Project Manager for Organizational Development I was asked to set up a ‘Tech Academy’ and diligently set out to identify learning needs with leadership, plan the mandatory training curriculum across learning seasons, and select subject matter experts, many of whom had limited training experiences but important knowledge to disseminate. I continued to develop training rules and procedures, slide deck templates, exam templates and a Tech Academy portal where training participants could register for interactive online class sessions, find preparatory learning material, privately and securely track their personal exam results, as well as complete surveys to evaluate each training module. I personally coached the selected trainers in preparing 1 hour training sessions, training and exam material and delivery through a variety of best practices according to their personal style. At the end of the two training seasons, analysis of training data and results gave leadership confidence that the knowledge and skills of participants were up to standard. Importantly, participants had fun improving their skills.

Why Me

Communication, training and coaching come natural to me. Raised by educators I came into contact with the ins and outs of learning and development very early on. As with all other areas of my work experience, it starts with a vision and a plan, which I creatively execute using an appropriate mix of learning methods. In all cases, I aim for fun and engaging learning with measurable results!