2004-Now National Remodelling Team (NRT)
NRT is a DfES-funded programme hosted within the Training & Development Agency (TDA). It is a world-first in terms of offering a national change programme originally charged with supporting schools to comply with legislation known as the National Agreement. Over time, this remit has been expanded to include “extended schools” (which broadens the services that schools offer), the strategic transformation of the TDA itself, and other projects.
The NRT is a private-public partnership in terms of private sector consultants and experienced educationalists working together to create innovative solutions to issues with implementing government legislation in schools. It has built up a significant amount of goodwill with it stakeholders in the local authorities and other key organisations across the country, as well as being viewed as a ground-breaking and successful organisation by other education authorities across the world.
Jeeps is responsible for the reporting function within NRT, which covers all the projects and the multiplicity of stakeholders in the public sector who require information from NRT, including the DfES and the education ministers. His main tasks have been around data analysis, knowledge sharing, and creation of personalised information packs. A significant amount of work has been put into the development of presentations to senior stakeholders in the public sector, which consists of well over 100 large presentation boards. Audiences have included representatives from the Treasury, foreign education ministers and Number 10 Downing Street.
A key part of his role has been his involvement in the creation, development and management of the monitoring mechanisms NRT uses – which are crucial to supporting schools and local authorities since they highlight swiftly where problems are occurring. This has been a blend of account management of the local authorities, the tracking of progress of each individual school in England, an analysis capability to detect issues, and a multi-disciplinary team to engage with the relevant party to resolve the issue. Jeeps also developed a data policy for NRT.
NRT is a fluid organisation, and besides his normal activities, Jeeps has been involved in areas such as the development of content around government legislation, research around the use of ICT in schools, and the creation of toolkits for schools.
2003-2004 Phase 4
Client: Large Financial Services Provider (Allianz)
Project: Product Finder
Jeeps led the functional analysis phase of an online global “Product Finder” covering all the companies within Allianz Group (around 200) and all the products and services offered across the world (in over 70 countries). Jeeps evaluated the overall concept delivered by a marketing strategy consultancy, as well as developed new concepts. Jeeps drew up the functional specification, as well as managed the development of the technical specification.
Jeeps needed to work within a non-hierarchical environment where persuasion and influencing key decision-makers was required across all enterprises comprising Allianz Group. The technical environment was similarly complex with mandated central platforms not performing and costs spiralling out of control.
Additionally, he drove the project and co-ordinated activities across the various organisations involved – the design company, the IT implementers, the marketing strategy consultants, the media planning agency, and the client.
Client: Large Financial Services Provider (Allianz)
Project: Launch Of New Corporate Entity
Worked with the central marketing function in the third largest integrated financial services provider in the world. Involved in the communication of a new entity - Allianz Group, an umbrella function which united the disparate and decentralised parts of Allianz under one entry point – to both internal staff and external customers. The project involved creating and maintaining two global sites – Allianz.com & AllianzGroup.com – as well as concept development, design and construction of global campaigns to support the launch and other initiatives.
Client: Large Automotive Company (BMW)
Project: Solution Selection
Conducted vendor selection for specialist application provider for sports animations via television and internet, as well as other bespoke channels – e.g. kiosks, hospitality tents with large screens and dedicated handsets.
This project was slightly more complex than most for three reasons. Firstly, the specialist nature of the technologies and the associated intellectual property concerns meant it was necessary do the selection between the vendors with limited information. Secondly, the political situation was unusual since the client was considering wider alternatives such as building the technology themselves, as well as potentially acquiring the successful vendor. Thirdly, the client was very focused on alignment with the brand, and it was necessary to make decisions with constant reference to the brand and how customers would view the client’s organisation.
Jeeps made recommendations as to how to proceed regarding the decision whether to acquire the technology or not, as well as which vendor to select.
2000-2003 Unilog – IT Systems Integrator; (formerly Marchfirst – Strategy, Technology & Marketing Consultancy; formerly USWeb/CKS – Internet Consultancy)
Client: Professional Services Company (Unilog)
Project: Technology Watch
Techno Watch represents a centralised function for Unilog which “senses and explores” new technologies and new software solutions that may provide future sources of revenue. Jeeps helped to set up this function at the head office of Unilog in Paris with a senior manager, and provided necessary information for dissemination to the rest of the 7000-strong company.
Jeeps assisted in the following initiatives:
· Creation of a process for capturing, organising, sharing, and applying knowledge
· Research into specific subjects such as web services, service-oriented architectures, grid computing, UML and business process modelling. This included the production of intellectual capital around these subjects
· Creation and development of an internal community for building awareness and understanding around a range of topics relevant to Unilog
· Research, analysis, and proposition of topics for annual “veilles” (specific projects of research into topics)
Jeeps also worked closely with different business units in Unilog to help them to understand how they could use these new technologies in the solutions they already offered. In addition to technology-focused topics, Jeeps conducted research around different markets, e.g. outsourcing, offshore development, small to medium sized businesses.
Client: Professional Services Company (Unilog)
Project: Human to Human Collaboration
Jeeps worked within an incubating function within Unilog to create and develop an innovative service line – Human to Human Collaboration. This solution did not exist before, and so extensive research and analysis was required to build a coherent and useful solution. This included a blending of business, technical and organisational elements. Jeeps assisted in the development of:
· The offer and the strategic proposition
· The link between the methodology, the offer, and the technical capabilities of the software solutions available
· Evaluation of potential partners and product solutions
Jeeps was also involved in pre-sales and maintaining relationships with partners. He had sole responsibility for developing new solutions, such as livening up virtual meetings (more than just moderation), and the notion of a virtual ice-breaker.
Client: Professional Services Company (Unilog)
Project: US Technology Watch
The aim of the project was to establish the key e-business trends in the US, and then determine the leading and emerging companies to partner with within these trends.
The deliverables for this project were
· Research and selection of key US e-business trends
· Identification of leading and emerging companies within these trends.
· In-depth analysis of potential partners (primarily dotcom companies) – from a technical and business perspective, including the evaluation of these partners from the perspective of strategic value and revenue potential
· Recommendation of which companies to partner with
Other aspects of the project included:
· Project management for the entire project with sole responsibility for costs, forecasts, budget, and completing the project on target. It was also necessary for Jeeps to manage the work of a third party consultancy as well
· Ensure effective communication across the team which was in 3 countries using 2 different languages
· Engaging potential partners, interviewing them, and maintaining relationships with them after the project – Jeeps was the principal contact for Unilog
Client: Consumer Services Organisation (Mongrel)
Project: Partner Integration
A cornerstone of the client’s proposition was to provide specific services to particular consumer segments, and this would be enabled predominantly through partnerships. These services were to be provisioned for multiple channels, including a magazine, a web site (both fixed and mobile), and a call centre. The partners needed to be integrated with the client’s platform. Jeeps was assigned to ensure that any technical issues were resolved, and provide any support the client needed in partner negotiations at both the business and the technical level. The role included putting technical issues into a business perspective in order to ensure that partnership satisfied business requirements. With a tight focus on revenue generation, it was necessary to accurately estimate the costs associated the technical integration as early on in the process as possible. A cost model was developed for this purpose to enable the clients to estimate costs without having any prior understanding of technology.
Client: Consumer Services Organisation (Mongrel)
Project: Online Community Creation
Jeeps developed flexible online community strategy which could be applied to three different consumer segments. The strategy needed to be robust enough to not only respond to changes within the community, but any modifications that were made to the technology solution. Jeeps created a 12 month community development plan for first consumer segment, which determined the roll-out of features and functions for the community.
Jeeps gathered and analysed the requirements, and then conducted a software selection and vendor model selection – an ASP solution was chosen. Jeeps worked closely with the solution provider to integrate the functionality into the client’s platform. Jeeps also developed guidelines for the management of the community – a “moderator handbook.”
Client: Large Petrochemical Company (Shell)
Project: Pan-European Wireless Travel Applications
Conducted in-depth research into business and technical issues in global mobile services market, and tested feasibility of developing a wireless Internet offering for an existing fixed line pan-European journey planning web site. This included interviewing key players across the region - such as network operators, handset manufacturers, and portals – to gauge market interest.
Identified, analysed and presented key business issues as well as recommendations on how to enter the market. Created software requirements specifications documents for first and second WAP releases. Was involved with consumer research and helped to develop branding propositions and positioning statements, as well as segmentation. Researched wider technologies for future releases, such as voice services, location technologies, and traffic management solutions.
The next stage of the project required the identification and evaluation of potential partners, and the technical development of specialist software for the prototype and first release of an embedded wireless application. This was the first travel application of its kind developed globally.
Client: Large Petrochemical Company (Shell)
Project: Pan-European Travel Website
Was involved in developing online partnerships with content and commerce partners for a fixed line journey planning web site. This included identifying key organisations, establishing and developing relationships, and working with legal departments to draft partnership contracts.
1997-1999 Arthur Andersen
Client: Professional Services Firm (Arthur Andersen)
Project: EMEIA Oracle and PeopleSoft Knowledge Manager
The principal objective was to establish and maintain a knowledge management infrastructure over Europe, Middle East, India and Africa. Due to the nature of the work, Jeeps was required to work on his own initiative.
Main achievements included the promotion of knowledge management within the organisation; disseminating knowledge; the design, creation and population of knowledge sharing databases; and the building of a global network of contacts.
Deeply involved in developing the practice. Worked in partnership with Oracle Corporation to create and advance new initiatives. Aided the creation of a training strategy, a document management system, an Oracle methodology, a project directory structure, and other internal projects. Heavily involved in the customisation of parts of the global intranet, and organised meetings between other knowledge managers. Other responsibilities included alliance management, project management, and helping to develop strategies for the EMEIA and global Oracle practice. The position required teamwork across all parts of Arthur Andersen not only in the UK, but globally.
1996-1997 Johnson Matthey - Research Analyst
Project work undertaking research into car catalytic converters, which included summer placement, followed by continual involvement with Jonhson Matthey to complete 4th year university project. Notable work included world-leading research into potential catalysts to satisfy future global car exhaust emissions standards.
1993 Societe Generale (Madrid) – FX Transactions Clerk
Worked on the international currency exchange desk with responsibility for ensuring that all the deals on the foreign exchange desk were recorded in the company records.