2023 · Montpellier, France · Hybrid
Project manager (pricing amendments) — industrial gases
CGI — Global leader in industrial gases
A project of the Salesforce service centre CGI runs for this client: producing and mass-sending the contract amendments that notify pricing changes. The new prices are taken from a third-party application and loaded into Salesforce; each subdivision of the client's offering follows a dedicated journey, with generation of personalised PDF letters and email campaigns through Pardot, across some fifteen countries. Each country's campaign owner takes part in the project meetings.
Framed as a three-month fixed price, with an annual campaign deadline to meet before the summer. The framing had underestimated the complexity: over the period of the engagement, the estimate and the schedule doubled. The core of the role became surfacing the gaps, justifying them and selling the additional work, through to an agreement on a scope delivered in batches.
A team of six on the Salesforce side — five developers and a business analyst — plus an Indian team on the ETL work, scheduling and flow transfers. A project director very much present. All material and most meetings in English.
Achievements
- ×2 increase on the initial estimate
Gaps against the fixed price surfaced, justified and sold
A project framed as a three-month fixed price, whose initial study had underestimated the complexity: over the period of the engagement, the estimate and the schedule doubled. The core of the role became demonstrating the gaps against the commercial proposal, justifying them and selling the additional work. Accepted in the great majority of cases; where the initial study was at fault, the result was required at no extra charge.
Scope renegotiated in batches and the first campaign delivered
Securing a reduced scope from the business: management rules and country campaigns handled in batches spread over time, with the first campaign deferred to September. Replaced at the end of the engagement, the project being set to run on while the following period was already committed elsewhere.
- 15 countries covered
Generating and sending the pricing amendments
Taking the new prices from a third-party application and loading them into Salesforce, a dedicated journey for each subdivision of the client's offering, generation of personalised PDF letters and email campaigns through Pardot. Several thousand amendments, some fifteen countries, each with its own campaign owner taking part in the meetings.
- 2 business analyst handovers absorbed
Functional continuity held through two handovers
The business analyst post changed hands twice in six months, with no vacancy but with two people to bring up to speed. Taking personal charge of the functional side and the data mapping to keep the quality of the specifications through the handovers.
Running a mixed team, in English
Running five Salesforce developers and an Indian team on the ETL work, scheduling and API and CFT flow transfers. Planning and productivity tracking, financial tracking, test management, weekly meetings and steering committees. All material and most meetings in English.
Skills applied
- Excel
- Fixed-price estimating
- Jira
- Offshore subcontracting management
- Project alert handling and escalation
- Project financial tracking
- Project management
- Project scope negotiation
- Team management