Susan McFarland
Greensboro,NC
Summary
As a self-motivated professional, I facilitate continuous learning to realize self-potential and growth in the interest of the organization by virtue of a positive attitude, the drive and passion for knowledge, and hands on experience in working with multidisciplinary teams.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
9
9
years of post-secondary education
4
4
Certificates
Work History
Senior Business Infrastructure Manager
Volvo Group North America
08.2017 - Current
- Collect the business demands and requirements to steer relevant deliveries with primary focus on strategic initiatives and plans, proactive, anticipatory, and driving in nature that provide significant value to business units
- Manage direct interaction with stakeholders and communicate decisions, priorities, and relevant project information, as well as proactively share knowledge of technology risks and opportunities
- Responsible for serving as the strategic interface for the purpose of IT strategy development, solution discovery, service management, risk management, and relationship management
- Proactively share knowledge of technology risks and opportunities to build a competitive advantage and improve efficiency and effectiveness for Group Trucks Operations
- Accountable for EUS and shared infrastructure budget, as well as capital budget on behalf of business function
- Build and help execute a strategic roadmap for our IT infrastructure
- Serves a lead role in enabling the operational units to achieve their objectives through the effective use of technology and contribute to business demands collection and prioritization.
Service Delivery Manager
Volvo Group North America
11.2013 - 08.2017
- Manage direct interaction with business stakeholders regarding solution requirements and secure alignment to governance directives, best practices, business processes, and implement recommended tools and methods
- Manage the portfolio of applications and services for Volvo Group Truck Operations – Logistics Services which support all Parts Distribution and Logistics Warehouses in North America
- Defined expected deliverables and principles for delivering and measuring performances.
- Established the controlling documents that regulate either the use of contracted resources or the production of sub-deliveries (HR Agreements for internal resources, Operational Level Agreements or underpinning contracts with external partners)
- Managed the $6 million budget/forecasts for the maintenance assignment, including application infrastructure, licenses and operations costs, follow-up and report budgeted, actuals and forecasts while working continuously with cost-efficiency improvement
- Functional manager responsible for the distribution of work to the maintenance team located at multiple sites
- As QRIT (Quick Response IT) representative for PRD NA, secured the implementation of the QRQC (Quick
- Response Quality Control) process evolution based on VPS 5 principles and drive the new way of working with a cross-functional team from ITS and the Business utilizing VPS tools such as Kaizen, 5 Whys, EWO, and others
- In 2014, was assigned additional role as the IT Project Manager for the Logistics Services Efficiency Project, also known as PRISCMA. The goal of this 20MSEK+ project was to facilitate the building of a new world class Central Parts Distribution Center in Byhalia, MS, that would receive all inbound shipments and store for all Volvo brands for local distribution and regional warehouse replenishment. The implementation included but not limited to SAP, WMS, and several legacy systems
- In 2016, was assigned additional role as PMO for the Mack Truck NA project within the SCM program. I work closely with the CPM and IT PM of the project in order to support them on project management activities. This includes preparing project organization and start-up, project management meetings, planning, deliverables follow-up, budget and financial follow-up, steering committees etc.
Regional Lead Account Manager
Volvo Group North America
02.2011 - 11.2013
- Manage the relationship with assigned customers, orchestrating the dialogue while establishing an effective working model, as well as global network inside Volvo IT to be able to meet customer’s needs and expectations
- Manage the IT budgets and forecasting, customer team expenses, vendor relationships, and initiate required actions in case of deviations from targets for the assigned customer
- Successfully reduced the IT budget by 19% in 2013 as part of the Cost Reduction Initiative
- Pro-actively propose Volvo IT services and solutions that will improve the customer’s business and operations and reduce their IT costs
- Manage requests, negotiate and execute business agreements with the customers and vendors according to
- Volvo IT’s Discover & Define Opportunity (DDO) process
- Represent Volvo IT in the customer’s forums such as IT boards and Project Steering Committees and act as a member of Volvo IT’s Delivery Management Committees for key projects
- Initiate Volvo IT deliveries according to agreed assignment agreement / customer order, ensuring proper handover of the agreement with the customer to delivery management.
Problem Manager
Volvo Group North America
09.2006 - 01.2011
- Process owner responsible for the design, implementation and management of the Global Problem
- Management process, including creating and updating all Problem Management process documentation
- Conduct awareness campaigns and training on the Problem Management process using ITIL best practices, as a certified ITIL Service Desk, Incident, and Problem Practitioner
- Ensure the adherence to Problem Management Process and Policies
- Manage all Major Problem Analysis and lead Major Problem Reviews to analyze all sources of issues and outages, investigate, diagnosis root cause, and accountable for completion of corrective actions
- Work hand in hand with the Incident Manager, other ITSM process managers, and operate alongside the
- Change Management process to help identify problems caused by changes
- Identify trends and potential problem sources, therefore ensuring that knowledge bases are up to date and fully utilized
- Audit of the Problem Management Process to support Continual Service Improvement
- Initiate the Major Incident Procedure and manage task force communication updates for distribution to customers, Account Managers and Executive Management Team in an efficient manner
- Act as Communication Responsible for Disaster Recovery Team, Global I&O – North America
- Responsibilities included managing all communication status updates to VIT resources, customers and various media outlets.
Software Developer
Volvo Group North America
10.2003 - 09.2006
- Develop multi-tiered applications using Visual Studio .NET, Microsoft CMS and SQL Server
- Manage the operational and administrative activities of the Change Management system for a global team which include review of Change Requests for accuracy and proper documentation, communicate change requests and take corrective action as necessary
- Create custom user controls and templates in Microsoft Content Management Server
- Technical owner of several third-party applications used within the Common Web Platform
- Manage deployment process for code releases and upgrades for many applications
- Create and manage Visual Build and NANT scripts used for production deployments
- Utilize AGILE Methodology best practices and coordinated daily SCRUM meetings
- Administer upgrades of software or service packs for middleware.
Software Developer
Unique Solutions, Inc
03.2002 - 10.2003
- Develop multi-tiered applications using ASP and ASP.NET (VB.NET & C#) with a web based front-end and SQL
- Server back-end for the Retail/Service Industry
- Design and create databases, stored procedures, triggers, system scripts, DTS packages and views from gathering technical information from services reps and management for SQL databases
- Train and support groups of users on proprietary software accessible via Internet and PDA devices.
- Developed software for desktop and mobile operating systems.
Software Developer
Partners National Health Plans
09.1999 - 03.2002
- Updated old code bases to modern development standards, improving functionality.
- Collaborated with project managers to select ambitious, but realistic coding milestones on pre-release software project development.
- Integrated constructive programs into cohesive product.
- Documented technical workflows and knowledge to educate newly hired employees.
- Developed software for desktop and mobile operating systems.
- Designed intuitive graphical user interfaces to improve user experience.
Programmer/Analyst
Inc. Blot Multimedia, Inc
11.1996 - 09.1999
- Develop multi-tiered applications using ASP and ASP.NET (VB.NET & C#) with a web based front-end and SQL
- Server back-end for the Retail/Service Industry
- Design and create databases, stored procedures, triggers, system scripts, DTS packages and views from gathering technical information from services reps and management for SQL databases
- Train and support groups of users on proprietary software accessible via Internet and PDA devices.
- Directed software design and development to meet client needs for functionality and performance.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Guilford College
Greensboro, NC 06.2014 - 05.2018
Bachelor of Science - Computing Technology & Information System
Guilford College
Greensboro, NC 06.2014 - 05.2018
Exploration For Emerging Leaders -
Volvo Leadership & Management Academy
01.2012 - 10.2012
Skills
Cross-functional communication
Accomplishments
May 2010 - Volvo IT Golden Touch Award Recipient
March 2008 - Volvo IT NAET Bravo Award
June 2008 – VITNA Global I&O Service Production - Shining Star Award
Certification
Prosci Certified Change Practitioner
Timeline
Prosci Certified Change Practitioner
03-2022
ITIL v4 Foundation – IT Service Management
12-2020
Senior Business Infrastructure Manager
Volvo Group North America
08.2017 - Current
Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Guilford College
06.2014 - 05.2018
Bachelor of Science - Computing Technology & Information System
Guilford College
06.2014 - 05.2018
Service Delivery Manager
Volvo Group North America
11.2013 - 08.2017
Exploration For Emerging Leaders -
Volvo Leadership & Management Academy
01.2012 - 10.2012
Regional Lead Account Manager
Volvo Group North America
02.2011 - 11.2013
ITIL v2: Service Desk, Incident and Problem Management - Practitioner Certification
02-2007
ITIL v2: IT Service Management Essentials
10-2006
Problem Manager
Volvo Group North America
09.2006 - 01.2011
Software Developer
Volvo Group North America
10.2003 - 09.2006
Software Developer
Unique Solutions, Inc
03.2002 - 10.2003
Software Developer
Partners National Health Plans
09.1999 - 03.2002
Programmer/Analyst
Inc. Blot Multimedia, Inc
11.1996 - 09.1999
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