Stephen Cohrs, B.Sc., P. Eng.
14656 County Rd. 21, Brighton, ON, Canada,
K0K 1H0 email: stephen@cohrs.ca
Professional
Profile
• A proven leader and manager with over twenty-five
years of progressive business responsibility in the Telecommunications,
Information Technology, Mobile Internet, Financial and Health Care sectors.
• Outstanding Project and Program management,
leadership, innovation, interpersonal and team building skills that
consistently exceed corporate goals and objectives, with high performance
ratings.
• Business experience in Small Business, Start-ups,
Business Development, Alliances, Sales, Marketing and Finance.
• Managed and Built PMO, Software Development,
Process Engineering, Marketing and Customer Care teams.
Strengths
• Program and Project Management • Teamwork and Leadership • Customer Orientation
• Interpersonal skills • Innovation and Risk
taking • Communication and
Presentation
Project and Program Management
• Director, Program, Portfolio and Project
manager with 17 years experience managing
simultaneous complex projects from Assessment through Deployment.
• Successfully Project Managed the
TELUS 4G Core Development and Deployment. Managed the
Technology Strategy, Vendors and Operational cross- functional team to a
successful Network readiness state by Nov. 2011.
• Established and Program Managed the 3G+ team
of TELUS Technology Strategy, PM, contractors and vendors with strategic
direction, metrics and discipline. Managed the 3G Services
Program from concept to deployment launching Nov 2009.
• Established and directed a Project Management
Office of six as the First Director, PMO at 724 Solutions. Determined
PMO strategic direction, discipline and metrics.
• Initiated and Directed Software product
releases for customers as first Release Manager for 724 Solutions Financial
Service Platform.
• Program managed Global software applications
and software installations for Nortel over a ten year period. Managed a software
development team of 25;commercialized an innovative
Sales Force tool.
• Project managed the $1M discovery phase of
the TD-Canada Trust Corporate Desktop Project and.
managed the development of the supporting
database.
• Hands-On Experience in various PM methodologies (PMI,
Nortel NTI, TELUS c2i / NTI).
Manager and Team Builder
• Built, Led, Managed and Mentored professional
staff and consultants over a 15 year period
• Built and directed Project Management,
Software Development and Customer support teams for 2 start-ups and a
multi-national corporation.
• Director, Shared Development Services at 724
Solutions with a diverse professional staff of 60.
• Matrix-managed a global Nortel team that
specified, built and implemented a Sales Order Tool.
• Hired and built a team of 12 business analysts
for the TD-CT Corporate Desktop Project.
Customer and Partner Focus
• Successfully established partner programs
with Motorola and Ericsson as 724 Solutions Alliance Program Director.
Interfaced with Alliance, Channel Partners and Sales forces team at 724 Solutions.
• Part of the Nitidus
start-up Sales Support team. Trained in Solution Selling.
• Skilled communicator with Customers, Executives
and project teams. Consulted, facilitated, interpreted and communicated
technical issues to Executives for review and action.
Process Design and Implementation
•
Re-engineered the Nortel Sales Order flow as a key member of Nortel Networks
Chrysalis team incorporating 52 sub-projects and team leads over 18 months.
•
Engineered and helped design the TD-Canada Trust Corporate major Desktop OS
migration process.
•
Completed the process design and system specifications to build and implement a
Global Sales Order Tool solution at Nortel Networks. Implemented the tool and
supporting processes for Global support.
•
Designed and implemented PMO process and metrics for 724 Solutions.
•
Initiated Release Management process at 724 Solutions.
Summary
of Business History
TELUS – June
2004 – current
Sr. Project Manager – Technology Development Contract June
2004 – Permanent October 2005
Hired as First Sr. PM in TELUS PMO. Worked
cross functionally on simultaneous projects to introduce New Technology into
TELUS network through all project phases. Adhered to
TELUS New Technology Introduction and PMI standards.
Successfully
and Cross Functionally Project Managed the TELUS Technology Strategy,
Operations and Vendor project teams implementing the 4G core into the Mobile
Switching Offices (4) across Canada.
Successfully
Program Managed the TELUS and Vendor project team implementing all 3G+ Voice Services.
Cancer Care Ontario November 2003 – June 2004
Portfolio Manager November 2003 – June
2004
Facilitated
initiation of strategic, multiple projects, managed portfolio interdependencies
and oversaw from
business and technical perspective. Provided
independent status reporting to the CIO and Executive Team and helped build the
PMO team.
GE Information Technology Services February
2002 – November 2003
Project Manager - TD Canada Trust -
contract February 2002 – November 2003
Hired
and established a team of 12 analysts and project managers to effectively
migrate 8000 Canada wide TD Canada Trust clients to Windows 2000.
724 Solutions Inc. January 2000 – October
2001
Director, Shared
Development Services June 2001 – Oct. 2001
Reported to the GM, Applications Business
Unit.
Part of the management team, which moved the company from a start-up to a
mature software development company. Staff of 60
Director, Project
Management Office Jan. 2001 – May 2001
Established a PMO. Integrated
development staff with release management function into single Project
Management
Office
Director, Alliance
Programs
Jan. 2000 – Dec. 2000
Responsible
to initiate, staff and direct the Alliance Programs
that interfaced with partners to execute on
MOU, Agreements, Proof of Concepts and
technical evaluations.
Nitidus
Technology Inc. March 1999 – November 1999
Director, Customer
Care
March 1999 – November 1999
Full P&L responsibility for the set-up,
staffing and management of the Customer Care team. Provided
Customer support, including post and pre
sales support, product content and program management.
Nortel Networks March 1982 - March 1999
Manager, System
Development and Operations 1994 – 1999
Responsibility
for managing a team of 25 developers and program managers for Public Carrier
Networks
and working with Customers to identify
development opportunities and turnkey applications.
Manager,
International Marketing Process Management 1990 – 1994
Responsible
for the requirements definition and integration of various
North American Network Order
Management initiatives into World Trade. Responsible for all
process initiatives within International
Marketing
and for identifying opportunities, making recommendations and providing support
for
enhancement strategies.
Manager,
Value Engineering 1986 – 1990
Manager,
Material Flow Management and Cost Modeling – NTC Headquarters 1984 – 1986
Engineer, Mechanical Design and Manufacturing Methods 1982 – 1984