RAYMOND J. GRAHAM

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Technical Publications Manager and Technical Writing Professional for high-technical and high-volume, multinational Fortune 500, mid-size, and start-up companies. Maintained high level divisional and corporate responsibilities in the areas of technical writing, management operations, and marketing communications in an international, multicultural environment. Strengths include:

¨       Processes & Procedures	¨       Strategic Planning	¨       Budgeting	¨       Business Development
¨       Organizational Development	¨       Expense Control	¨       Restructuring	¨       Start-Ups/Turnarounds

KEY qualifications

¨       Rare, customer-centered vision enabling thoughtful differentiation and explanation of product details necessary to best meet each customer's total wants and needs and to direct their creation to each customer's satisfaction.

¨       Results oriented management of all technical/marketing publications and communications department functions, documentation plans, schedules, budgets, project tracking, scheduling, and evaluation of departmental activities and personnel for worldwide technical publications.

¨       Manage upper level management expectations and keep them apprised of department issues regarding resources and the feasibility and status of technical publications projects.

¨       Apply task analysis concepts to determine content and presentation for end user/customer productivity and satisfaction including analyzing user needs, selecting an appropriate media delivery method, and designing the document structure, style, and content used internationally as a company standard.

¨       Evaluate requirements, structure, and organization; and coordinate employee recruitment, selection, training, performance assessment, work assignments, salary, and recognition/disciplinary actions.

¨       Mentor writers and editors and enforce style guidelines, while adhering to product schedules. Work with writers to grow and develop team skills and knowledge, including training, cross training, and goal setting.

¨       Effective communication of department focus, mission, vision, strategy, and goals.

¨       Experience with industry standards in: telecommunications, military specifications, and aeronautics/aerospace.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Cisco Systems, Inc.                                                                                                                  1996-2002

Manager, Documentation, Richardson, TX (2000-2002)

Promoted to Manager, Documentation and maintained the responsibilities of previous position. Participated in cross-functional team efforts for quality success engineering and ISO procedures development and adherence.

¨       Achieved a 90% employee retention rate related to a significant geographic relocation of the department from the East Coast to Texas.

¨       Maintained a 100% employee retention rate while going through a corporate acquisition and associated reorganizations.

¨       Met or finished ahead of every committed publications deadline by effectively managing a 12-writer department.

¨       Solicited user feedback to continually create, improve, and refine the documentation process and standards, in conjunction with the writing team, product managers, developers, and team resources.

¨       Successfully transitioned department and related technical publications through corporate acquisition that required a complete transformation from one company standard to another.

Pirelli Optical Systems

 Manager, Technical Publications – Pirelli Optical Systems (acquired by Cisco), Columbia, SC (1996-2000)

Hired as the Technical Publications Manager and successfully researched and analyzed requirements, organized, budgeted, and staffed the company's first Technical Publications Department into an international, world-class organization. Cross-functional, international coordination and development with Engineering, Quality Assurance, Product Management, and Technical Support to define and execute long-term technical publication strategies. Negotiated printing contracts and foreign language translation processes, communicated department vision, and established direction for corporate technical publications.

¨       Developed technical publications from near non-existence through analysis, organization, structuring, and print media and on to its first on-line/CD version with text search capabilities. This eliminated the need for printed publications and reduced costs more than 50% the first year.

¨       Met or finished ahead of every committed publication deadline through the development of continuous and sometimes simultaneous projects, which averaged 4 or more releases per year and required 1.5-3.5K pages of support per release.

¨       Negotiated printing costs to reflect a flat rate per page regardless of quantity, which saved approximately $70K in the first year of implementation. The next year, successfully negotiated the same for all company reproduction services, resulting in savings over $150K.

¨       Repackaged and reduced printed page count of technical publications nearly 50%, from approximately 3-4K pages to approximately 1.5K pages, while improving quality, content, and usability.

¨       Re-evaluated translation requirements and negotiated translation services and delivery to reduce translation costs approximately $80K the first year.

¨       Reduced reproduction costs by standardizing like materials and mass printing for use in over printing specific information as required.

¨       Recognized with an Outstanding Achievement Award for the effective development and operation of the technical publications department.

¨       Traveled an average of once every calendar quarter to either Italy, Sweden, or Germany to coordinate corporate international technical publications efforts.

¨       Conducted technical publications presentations to corporate clients and management.

Siemens Information Systems                                                                                         1986-1996

Program Manager, San Jose, CA (1992-1996)

¨       Instrumental in re-evaluating requirements and negotiating print and fulfillment costs for high volume documentation saving approximately $2M in the first 1½ years of implementation.

¨       Developed and presented both written and videoconference sessions concerning corporate IT changes and updates to company remote business offices across the U.S.

¨       Organized, scheduled, and assisted in "brown bag" presentations for employees to improve their Microsoft Office abilities and expertise.

Manager – Technical & Marketing Publications, Boca Raton, FL (1987-1992)

Managed both Technical Publications and Marketing Communications as a single, combined department. Organized, budgeted, and staffed the Marketing Publications Department.

¨       Negotiated printing costs to reflect a flat rate per page, regardless of quantity, which resulted in a 50% cost reduction per page.

¨       Repackaged technical publications to improve quality, content, and usability, which also saved approximately $70K in the first year of implementation.

¨       Established and managed technical publications inventory and fulfillment processes.

¨       Oversaw the integration of OEM documentation preparation, printing, inventory and distribution services, and other off-premises support to meet company standards

Other Professional Experience

Operations & Program Manager	Senior Technical Writer
LOGICAL DEVICES, INC. APPLIED SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, INC. HUBBARD ASSOCIATES, INC.	SIEMENS GTE COMMUNICATIONS HUBBARD ASSOCIATES, INC.	COMPUTER PRODUCTS, INC. OKI ELECTRONICS APPLIED SCIENCE ASSOCIATES, INC.

Member: Society for Technical Communication