PROJECT SUPPORT SPECIALIST

Mark E. Geres — PMP® MoP® PRINCE2® ITIL®

A strong proponent / advocate of the PMI Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

A Catalyst for Good Change

I really enjoy supporting people and organizations who strive to optimize their delivery of business change; improvements, enhancements, new ideas and innovation.

Open minded. An inherent willingness to try new things or to hear and consider new ideas.

The Japanese word kaizen translates to “good change.”  I work hard to engage, scrutinize, hold accountable—and make better.

Located in Canada's National Capital Region, Ottawa-Gatineau.

Well-trained & accredited, having earned PMP® - Project Management Professional, MoP® - Portfolio Management Practitioner, PRINCE2® Project Management Practitioner and ITIL® IT Service Management-Foundation certifications.

A very good knowledge-base of tactical and strategic project management theory, frameworks, techniques, methodologies, foundational standards, practice standards and good/approved best practices.

Open to Tactical/Strategic Support & Oversight Work

Leading and providing day-to-day project management support for a variety of projects. Being inextricably tied to the success of the projects that I am  working on. Driving everything forward (justify, plan, activate, control, end) my actions will directly influence the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of projects.

My Value Proposition—Economic, Operational Effectiveness & Efficiency

• Client retention and generating repeat revenue, profitability.
• Making sure that revenue stays ahead of the costs of doing business.
• Reduction in employee turnover costs—maintaining a productive and positive workplace environment that improves employee retention.

A project's success is measured by product & project quality, timeliness, budget compliance, and degree of customer & stakeholders' satisfaction.

I can help to strike a balance, to find and deliver to your organization's "sweet spot".

A Preference to Work With Private Enterprise Over Government and Public Administration

So, what makes some government organizations different from private enterprise, and how do those differences influence project management?

Here are a few things I consider:

• Increased likelihood of dysfunctional or  toxic workplaces with the following in abundance:

        ✔ Chaos & Confusion

        ✔ Group-think

        ✔ Apathy

• Organizational Permafrost. Dogmatism at the expense of pragmatism.
• Entrenched silos.
• Tenured employment status.
• Failure without repercussions.
• Mistaking activity with achievement.
• Form over function, process over outcome.
• Everything is political.
• A cultural propensity to keep secrets or lie about project delivery failure to "keep the peace."  

• True success is hard to achieve.

• If a Weak Matrix organizational structure—project manager lacks influence and authority over resources. Government Project Sponsor may not step up to the plate and ensure that you have the power for what you need to get the job done. The project managers own the work while the government functional managers own the resources.

• Incomplete; insufficiently planned or prepared RACI Chart (a common type of responsibility assignment matrix) or 'Communications Management Plan'

• Comprehensive definition for a project's success undefined from the onset.

• Success criteria for product and project quality, timeliness, budget compliance, and degree of customer satisfaction are often ambiguous.

 Contact Information

Noteworthy Functions & Processes of Project Management

<< View Here >>

Functional [Transferable] Skills

WHAT I CAN DO

and Love to Do with Data/Statistics, People, or Things

• Problem solving, analyzing, researching, and testing.
• Written/verbal communications, counselling, advising, encouraging, facilitating, and organizing.
• Computer skills (intermediate / advanced), proficient computing, applications, and programming.

Building Workplace Interpersonal Effectiveness

"He who knows others is learned. He who knows himself is wise."— Lao Tzu

Self-Management Skills or Traits | Temperaments | Style

HOW I CONDUCT MYSELF

Alone or with Others

• Trainable and trustworthy.
• Security Clearance: GC Level II (SECRET)
• Enterprising—having or showing initiative and resourcefulness.

Holland Code® ICS.

• Investigative (Thinker), Conventional (Organizer), and Social (Helper).

SOCIAL STYLE® (Expressive).

• Spontaneous, outgoing, energetic, creative and friendly. I enjoy involvement, excitement and interpersonal interaction.

DiSC® Personality Profile (C-Compliance).

• Cautious & Reflective. Accurate; analytical. Conscientious; careful. Fact-finder; precise. High standards; systematic. Questioning & Skeptical. 

Myers–Briggs® Type Indicator ENTJ. 

• A strategist mobilizer with a theorist temperament. Extraverted, intuitive, thinking, and judging personality traits. A decisive person who loves momentum and accomplishment. ENTJs gather information to construct their creative visions but rarely hesitate for long before acting on them.
• << "A project that is run by me has a strategic plan, discipline, and a bias for action. It is structured to keep momentum." >>

I emphasize quality, think logically, and strive for a diplomatic approach and consensus within groups. I ask important questions and talk about problems that could hold up projects. Speaking "truth to power" is important to me.

Precise, detail-oriented and conscientious—I take great pride in being accurate and correct and especially excel in specialized or technical tasks due to my attention to detail.

Because I focus on the details and often see what many others do not, I tend to be a good problem solver and very creative. I think very analytically and systematically, and make decisions carefully with plenty of research and information to back it up.

An instinctive organizer, who can both create and maintain systems. I am a "do it yourself" manager who maintains focus on tasks and will see something through until it's finished.

I have very high standards for both myself and others. I bring perspective to groups and tend to be the 'anchor of reality'  in team thought. When something is proposed, I will think through every detail of how it works and the process.

I will make realistic estimates and will voice the problems that I see with the plan or already existing system.

I am conscientious and even-tempered. I will complete tasks I've committed to and will be very thorough.

Fields of Interest & Study

WHAT I KNOW

and Love to Use

Four years of post-secondary studies at Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology and CÉGEP (collège d'enseignement général et professionnel).

• Business Administration
• Quality and Operations Management
• Marketing Management
• Production & Inventory Management /  Supply Chain Management—ASCM®-based, formerly APICS®
• Computer Programming and Networks
• Project Management—PMI® PMBOK®-based

Proficient in both official languages ─ Bilingual English/French GC Level C/B/B

15+ years of diverse work experience—with both private and public-sector organizations.

Project offices, business projects enabled by information and communication technology, relationship marketing, print related and software services, systems research databases and reporting, procedures analysis, electronics manufacturing/supply chain, and customer service.

Computer Software/Hardware: MS Office (Spreadsheets, Email, Presentations & Slideshows, Database Management), Project Management/Scheduling, Communication and Collaboration Tools, Social Media, Graphics, Flowcharting & Diagramming, Web, Computer and Telecommunications Networks and Hardware, Enterprise Systems including Project Portfolio Management CA PPM (formerly CA ClarityTM PPM) and Electronic Document Management.

Academic Studies H.S. Diploma

Technical Studies H.S. Diploma | Welding and Mechanical Drafting Specialization