Project Objective

To establish a fully structured, execution-ready foundation for a critical enterprise tool replacement project, ensuring continuity of delivery and minimizing risk prior to handing off to the execution Project Manager.

Situation

A key company tool was scheduled to sunset in 2026, requiring a replacement selection and implementation. Due to the strategic importance of this initiative, early phase risks needed to be mitigated and a comprehensive setup completed before transitioning the initiative to the execution PM.

Responsibilities & Key Actions

• Project Initiation & Planning: Led classic project setup activities including project chartering, stakeholder identification and engagement, resource team development, budget estimation, and preparation for phase gate approval.

• Critical Path Modeling: Designed a complex CPM schedule to identify bottlenecks, forecast risks, and improve phase-based delivery transparency prior to execution.

• Business Systems Analysis: Conducted a fully detailed and holistic requirements analysis for the replacement tool, including:
• Compilation of business cases from all stakeholder groups
• Categorized functional and non-functional requirements
• Impact mapping to stakeholders, process obligations, and compliance needs
• Facilitated formal sign-off with stakeholders on requirement language and technical details

• PROCUREMENT & RFP DEVELOPMENT: Authored the Request for Proposal (RFP) from scratch using minimal template resources, coordinated legal and compliance language, managed direct communication with priority vendors, and initiated NDAs — effectively performing buyer responsibilities typically handled by a sourcing specialist.

• Stakeholder Management: Regularly led cross-functional team meetings and communications to ensure alignment among leadership, technical teams, legal, procurement, and vendor representatives.

Outcome / Impact

• Delivered a fully vetted, structured foundation for the tool replacement project that allows seamless transition to the execution PM with clear direction, scope, requirements, and risk understanding.

• Reduced ambiguity and downstream risk by ensuring all major delivery artifacts (requirements, schedule, stakeholder alignment, vendor readiness, and budget estimation) were complete prior to execution.

• Strengthened organizational confidence in the project’s direction and improved early-stage governance, setting the stage for efficient delivery and improved performance on a high-visibility, mission-critical initiative.

Tools & Methods

• Microsoft Project (Complex CPM Schedule)
• Requirements Documentation Framework
• Request for Proposal (RFP) Templates & Contract Language Coordination
• Stakeholder Sign-Off and Governance Artifacts
• Phase Gate Preparation & Approval