Our Experience
LeadVantage consultants have varied experiences, backgrounds, and styles, but we all share a desire to do great work for clients in a reasonable and balanced way. The information below depicts representative project experience of our consulting team:
Operational Strategy Development
Global Securities Trust and Services Company
- Led a project to develop an organization-wide operational strategy that included process, organizational design, and technology support with an emphasis on combining similar business lines to realize economies of scale
- Assisted in developing the business case for change based on specific operational goals
- Developed an advisory council infrastructure and task force teams to support the project
- Facilitated working sessions to develop operational strategy recommendations
- Developed an implementation plan to roll out the recommendations
Project and Change Management
Institutional Investment Trust Services Company
- Implemented a Project Management methodology and toolkit for the business and aligned it with the system development life cycle
- Created and managed the Project Management Office and led the Executive Steering Committee process, including a project prioritization process to ensure the highest priority objectives are addressed
- Trained and coached client staff to be more effective project managers and to better manage the change process
Management Advising and Coaching
Institutional Investment Trust Services Company
- Coached key members of the Executive and Management team to address current operational challenges, future infrastructure initiatives, and manager skill gaps
- Advised management on an organizational redesign project initiative that redesigned delivery teams to support 70 percent annual growth
- Assisted in restructuring the methods, organization, and project management used to support, develop, and implement technology solutions
- Provided recommendations to support a quickly growing group, including recruiting and training
Processes Improvement Planning and Implementation
Large Chicago Retail Bank
- Managed an enterprise-wide compliance project that included technology assessment, stakeholder identification, vendor selection, vendor management, communication plan development, and regulatory adherence
- Provided project management to plan and initiate a major process transformation program in the personal financial services area
- Developed a process architecture and began analysis on the new account opening process, which consisted of interviews, process mapping, process redesign, financial analysis, and implementation planning activities
- Managed the implementation of the redesigned process to a pilot audience of approximately 100 bankers with oversight on procedure and training development and significant emphasis on measuring results
- Developed a continuous improvement framework that outlined roles and responsibilities for the process team, a governance structure, and a strategy for implementing process improvement throughout the enterprise
- Identified a team of three internal process analysts, trained them on the continuous improvement framework, and coached them in planning and executing a process improvement project focused on lead and referral management
Recruiting Operations Improvement/Software Implementation
Top 20 International Law Firm
- Managed the planning and rollout of an automated solution to accurately and easily expedite the annual cycle of tracking applicants, selecting candidates, hiring attorneys, and managing the summer associate assignment and evaluation process
- Created key rollout materials, including communications, user-friendly procedures, reference tools, the process pilot approach, and training tools
- Managed application-related activities, including vendor relations, application enhancement identification and prioritization, enhancement coding, testing, resource allocation, and system administration training
Human Resources Software Implementation
Large Commercial and Institutional Construction Company
- Developed a process and technical requirements for all human resource processes and links to payroll processes
- Led the vendor selection process to identify, evaluate, select, and purchase the best software option to meet the client’s goals
- Created an implementation plan for the client to work with the software vendor to customize, set up, convert, and roll out the new software system
- Coached the client team on managing implementation efforts and working with software vendors
Project Management and Implementation Planning for Oracle ERP Implementation
Leading Building Materials Manufacturing Company
- Managed various Program Management Office initiatives for a $150 million, 150-person ERP implementation, including the development of third-party vendor selection and management, work planning, risk and issue management, time reporting, status reporting, deliverable signoff, and scope change control
- Developed and managed a justification methodology for non-standard Oracle development activities
- Managed and facilitated the creation of supply chain management business process flows to support the future Oracle environment
Human Resources Operations Improvement/Software Implementation
Top 20 International Law Firm
- Managed aspects of the planning and rollout of this firm’s first-ever electronic benefits open enrollment process, affecting 2,100 U.S.-based personnel
- Created key rollout materials, including communications, user-friendly procedures, reference tools, the process pilot approach, and training tools
- Managed application-related activities, including vendor relations, online data validation by personnel, application enhancement identification and prioritization, enhancement coding, testing, resource allocation, and system administration training
Collaboration Tool and Process Standardization Rollout
Non-Profit Housing and Education Foundation
- Developed the procedures and policies for geographically dispersed partners to address issues collaboratively by using an Internet-based tool
- Created user-friendly process guides and reference tools to support the collaboration tool
- Conducted on-site and online training sessions for the collaboration tool for more than 150 trainees
CRM Application Analysis and Planning
Non-Profit Housing and Education Foundation
- Conducted an analysis of a leading online CRM application to determine appropriate modules for a non-profit housing and education foundation
- Participated in vendor-sponsored training and certification sessions targeting specific modules of interest
- Created a detailed rollout plan of the CRM application to best meet the goals of the client, including resources, start/end dates, durations, and estimated costs
Process Redesign and System Replacement
Large Church Organization
- Conducted an analysis of critical processes and existing systems and their impact on all of the church’s management, fundraising, and financial processes
- Based on process issues and costs, recommended and justified the replacement of the existing application
- Coached the business administrator and other management staff members on process improvement and change management in the context of ongoing process redesign projects
- Managed the project to select and implement a new application to handle all management, fundraising, and financial processes
- Participated in a project to review and redesign all stewardship and development and giving processes, including pledge management, gift receipt, gift acknowledgement, giving statements, and related accounting practices
- Coached management and staff on key elements of process redesign and documentation for the stewardship and development and giving processes
- Analyzed ways to better use the legacy fundraising application to achieve development goals
Management Team Coaching
Leading Insurance Brokerage IT Department
- Delivered one-on-one coaching for 40 mid- to senior-level members of an IT management team
- Gathered feedback via interviews and surveys, created customized action plans, and regularly coached the managers on improving their skills in a variety of management topics
- Conducted group coaching sessions to baseline the group on topics that impacted the entire group; feedback and setting expectations
- Delivered team-oriented coaching to a group of 15 team members to resolve various team dynamic issues and improve overall team effectiveness and efficiency
Outsourcing Vendor Evaluation and Management
Organization-Based Child Care Program
- Conducted a thorough operational and financial analysis of a child care center operated by a large church.
- Recommended and justified outsourcing the center to eliminate financial losses, decrease liability risks, and improve the quality of care
- Managed the project to hire and implement the outsourced child care center that met all goals, including making the center profitable for the outsourcer and the church
Operations Improvement
Logistics and Installations Services Company
- Developed an operations improvement plan to improve the billing and accounts payable operations
- Optimized the use of a network of third-party installation companies
- Assisted in the development of a Project Management methodology to improve the quality and consistency of services
- Created a Quality Management Program to track and improve quality on an ongoing basis, and defined a new organization structure to assign accountability for results
- Coached several managers to improve their management skills and to lead process changes in their respective areas
Operations Improvement
Electronic Commerce Start-ups
- Advised founders of three electronic commerce start-up companies to build business infrastructures around new products and services
- Developed and managed strategies for moving concepts through testing, development, and implementation
- Developed models to convince investors of growth potential and the ability to manage the growth effectively
- Managed a 50-person production staff to build stable and scalable processes and technology for an e-business company to the foodservice industry
- Delivered monthly restaurant purchase reports for more than $840 million in annual purchases for more than 35 restaurant chains with 6,000 units
- Produced manufacturer market share analysis reports for more than $250 million in annual purchases
- Was responsible for departments that electronically received distributor data, analyzed product and purchase data, statistically validated the quality, and generated web-viewable reports
- Transitioned the organization from foodservice generalists and ad-hoc processes to staff specialists and repeatable, scalable processes, while completely replacing the technology that supported the production process with more reliable and productive tools