Steve Vance

Title: Technical Manager
Business Area: Industry, Distribution & Transport (IDT)
University: University of Hull
Major: Computer Science and Information Engineering
Year started: 2002

2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007

2002

My first role at Logica was User Documentation Designer. From day one I was interacting with the client, building an understanding of the key requirements and format needed for the system’s user documentation. Thanks to the system knowledge I gained completing this documentation task, several other roles within the same project opened up to me which I went on to take. These included PL/SQL Developer, Test Analyst and Training Manager.

2003

Soon after the product went into production, we needed to scope the first change release. The client was keen to understand the enhancements required from the front-line user community. So I toured the client’s various UK sites, interviewing users and gathering detailed feedback on their issues and concerns. This gave me a lot of exposure to the user community and senior management team and led to a Business Analyst role. This role led on to more testing and training for the first change release of the software.

2004

Once the first change release was developed, tested and deployed, the client asked if I’d like to be involved in a data migration project involving the same solution. The migrations were complex and involved moving safety-related data between a number of site databases as part of a cost-saving exercise. This was a major step up for me as I was fully on client site and ultimately responsible for an end-to-end project from design through to implementation. I received the migration tools from Logica and a sub-contractor and then carried out testing. Once the toolset was accepted, I managed each site migration with the business. So this was something of a hybrid role – part Data Analyst, part Tester and part Implementation Manager.

2005

As soon as the migrations were complete, I analysed, scoped and this time project managed two further change releases for the same solution. As well as delivering these change releases I’d also now been made the Third Line Support Manager for the solution. By this time the total value of the changes I had delivered for the division had gained the attention of the account manager, and I was rewarded with a series of bonuses for my work.

2006

Once the change releases were complete, and support moved in-house, I was keen to progress on to something new. That turned out to be managing a failing proof of concept project. On turning the project around, I was rewarded with the job of managing the next phase – which included directing a project team that was nine-strong at its peak. During 2006 Logica also sent me on PRINCE2 Practitioner training which I completed successfully.

2007

At the beginning of 2007 I was accepted on to my division’s Talent Management Programme and joined the programme alongside Senior Account Executives and Project Managers. I was assigned an internal divisional project and attended a series of training courses on negotiation, self development, and client and account management. I also became a Staff Manager and was given my first staff group. My division then won a major new development project from the client that I’d been working with for the last four years. I’m now Technical Manager on this project with a team scheduled to peak at 16. It’s a highly mission-critical solution which will manage the billing of a significant slice of revenue annually for my client.

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