VP, Customer Operations – PS and I&A

Role Summary/Purpose

This position requires a hands-on, energetic, customer service oriented entrepreneurial leader to manage and lead the Company’s Professional Services and I&A operations functions covering thousands of projects a year with hundreds of thousands of hours of delivery. This role will have regular exposure to the Company’s senior leadership and the candidate should be comfortable representing the business to multiple audiences. Being able to work in, manage and leverage a Delivery Partner ecosystem is key to the role’s success. This individual needs to have exceptional communication skills, a strong analytical acumen, proven delivery successes in complex project implementations, hands-on operational experience and outstanding leadership credentials. This role will require effective teamwork among many different constituents including internal and external customers, other services functional leaders and business unit stakeholders.

Specific accountabilities to include:

• Be accountable for revenue forecasting, resource forecasting/capacity planning and demand planning to ensure the achievement of all financial goals and metrics.
• Be accountable for Deliver Partners, leveraging the COEs as appropriate
• Drive resource and process optimization across all practices and service lines in order to achieve all KPIs and drive margin improvement goals.
• Drive ‘Customer Delight’ in to all PS and I&A practices and drive positive customer outcomes via our Services business
• Collaborate with BizDev to ensure all project scoping and SOW efforts are accurate, consistent and have repeatable practices for contractual commitments and agreements.
• Be accountable for demand planning to ensure training, hiring and resource skills are in place to meet demand forecast.
• Implement and oversee consistent project launch practices and ongoing quality assurance processes to maintain on-time, on-target, and on-budget delivery of projects.
• Serve as executive sponsor on all major internal Services project oversight work.
• Accountable for approving and monitoring all non-billable customer work commitments.
• Manage all internal resource assignments to ensure productive use of available hours and valuable output in the form of prioritized practice deliverables.
• Oversee service delivery partnerships to ensure the optimal use of variable resources and the development of valuable partnerships including the creation of potential offshore capabilities.
• Consult on project work streams to identify and drive opportunities to escalate deliverables and/or improve effectives with the application of available resources.
• Be accountable to establish consistent metrics, methods and practices necessary to leverage repeatable delivery opportunities, resource optimization and margin improvements.

Essential Responsibilities

• Work as a strategic business partner with the Services (PS and I&A) Leadership and Cross-BU Senior Leadership/Vertical Teams to develop a sound understanding of the business goals and strategies, recommending and driving appropriate organizational initiatives in support of those strategies.
• Manage all day-to-day activities of an effective and efficient services function that will demonstrate the highest degree of professionalism and customer service ensuring that all KPIs and service level agreements are met or exceeded.
• Determine a systems strategy that supports the growth and change that occurs within the business that provides our customers with a delightful interaction with PS and I&A. Current systems should be constantly evaluated to ensure that they are system ready for any new products/changes within the business. These will include professional services/I&A systems, financial systems, and delivery methods.
• Develop/run to metrics that track efficiency and service level agreements of the enterprise services organization. Work with business leaders to identify triggers to mitigate impediments to positive business performance.
• Provide leadership and direction in the development of key personnel. Be ‘A’ accountable for the recruitment, training and mentoring of a team that is able to continue to take on additional challenges as the business grows. Build strong bench strength in the context of succession planning.

Qualifications/Requirements

• A minimum of 15 years of career progression within a combination of professional services/delivery/support functions and a strong operational background.
• At least 7 years of experience with implementing/using and maximizing the benefits of metrics, processes and systems to maximize performance on key professional services metrics.
• At least 5 years as a services executive, or a number two professional services person, within a recognized services organization or firm.
• Track record of building strong relationships with executives across the organization in services, sales, marketing and operations is important.
• A proven team builder with established track record of driving change and attracting, motivating and retaining top talent.
• A relevant undergraduate degree is required with relevant services industry certifications.

Critical Competencies

• Leadership Skills. An executive who has a demonstrated ability to leverage deep experience across a number of corporate functions to build and lead the team by: developing a plan for the management of the function; clearly communicating this plan to the team; monitoring progress against objectives, inspiring the team to perform at their highest levels, and by ensuring the success of subordinates in their respective roles through guidance and support. Furthermore, this executive will have demonstrated ability to quickly establish credibility with the leaders of other functional areas within the company, by serving as a true business partner.
• Ability to Link Business Objectives to Organizational Initiatives. Must possess the ability to quickly grasp business objectives and strategies, and to articulate how their functions can support the achievement of those objectives, through the development of an understanding of the company’s products and services, how these serve customers, by understanding the competitive dynamics of this sector, and translating this understanding into initiatives that assist core operational functions in improving the measurement and management of the business.
• Change Management/Strategic Thinking. Comfortable designing for the future, while managing day-to-day tactical matters. Able to anticipate risks and propose practical plans to mitigate them. Is always thinking about how operations can enhance the value of the overall organization.
• Desired Characteristics: Results-driven professional with 15+ years’ experience managing corporate projects, improving productivity, and providing high levels of client service.
• Enjoys motivating teams and turning challenges into successes. Self-motivated initiator and strategic thinker with strong communication, management, analytical, and organizational skills.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit
• Decisiveness, leads with confidence
• Hands-on execution as/when/if needed
• Results-oriented
• Follow-through; responsive
• Strong Interpersonal and Communication Skills
• Collaborative Team Player
• Strong Business Partner