Taz Sears
Vancleave,MS
Summary
Dynamic Project Manager with a proven track record in both the private sector and government, adept at delivering high-quality results through advanced problem solving and effective team collaboration. Successfully managed multiple projects, ensuring compliance with industry standards while enhancing customer relations and stakeholder communications. Committed to achieving exceptional project outcomes.
Overview
36
36
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Project Manager
Western Area Power Administration
07.2022 - Current
- Project manager for $18M billing system application vital to WAPA’s collection of over $2B of customer invoices. Planned, designed, and scheduled phases for this large projects.
- Developed project plan to include estimated cost of software, manpower hours, training, and supporting equipment. Incorporated the integrated logistic support (ILS) plan which includes manpower, technical data, design interfaces, training, and annual maintenance cost of the software as a service (SaaS) contract. ILS plan estimates the program will cost $11.5M over 10 years.
- Led project prioritization council for five-year capital project plan. Effort has led to advanced coordination for funding and manpower resourcing.
- Led agency wide project management standardization of policies, procedures and processes. Initiative is interactive and collaborative to ensure WAPA’s project managers have the best tools and professional practices to execute the vital work of WAPA and their customers.
Project Manager
Unites States Army Corps of Engineers
12.2019 - 07.2022
- Led Project Delivery Team meetings with all stakeholders ensuring project scope, schedule and budget were being socialized and action items were assigned. Brief Project Review Board and Project Delivery Board to ensure that leadership was well informed on all aspects of projects. Led after action review for $4M design project. Lessons learned from review were incorporated in future project saving time and money.
- Lead Construction Control Representative for $1.375 Billion Project. Coordinated and ensured timely government responses to contractor’s request of information (RFI). Managed 160+ RFI's, these efforts provide clear contract direction and avoids project schedule delays. Reviewed and managed 300+ contract data submittals ensuring they conformed to contract requirements for design plans and specifications for ongoing project phases, these efforts ensured timely approval.
- Led effort to finalize development of a pre-qualification source list for over $750M of construction contracting work. Developed pre-award contracting package to include plans, specifications, pricing schedule, source selection strategy and independent government estimate. Led effort to ensure bidder inquiries were answered in a timely manner which were critical to keeping the solicitation schedule. Award process was seamless, and contracts were awarded on time.
- Introduced a battle rhythm to Project Controls Section by establishing 9 Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for project schedulers. These SOPs set the standards and guidelines, so projects received proper attention. This effort raised the quality scores of projects from 60%-70% to above 90%.
Plant Manager
Polaris Industries
04.2018 - 12.2019
- Managed, directed and coordinated overall plant operations with 40 employees and a $3.75M budget. Provided leadership and coaching to team members in the areas of safety, productivity, quality, training, cost, logistics, continuous improvement, equipment reliability, and employee engagement. Success relied on ability to build relationships and fully engage all employees in business improvements. Plant delivers high mix and high complexity custom painted parts for Elite Indian Motorcycles and Polaris products.
- Completed needs assessment and job task analysis for entire plant. This effort led to better position descriptions, focused cross training program and qualified workforce which increased plant efficiency by 23% year over year.
- Improved on-time delivery of outgoing finished goods from 62% to 97% by detailed forecasting, right sizing inventory, creating master integrated schedule and adjusting the manufacturing flow.
- Zero OSHA reportable or lost time incidents as plant manager. Emphasized hazard assessments, ergonomic assessments and safety policies. Established an employee run safety meeting which created a safety 1st culture in the plant.
Project Manager
SRAM
04.2014 - 04.2018
- Project Manager/Contract Officer of new product development. Managed internal and external teams that designed robust bicycle components to meet customer needs and add value to the corporate plan and strategy. Ensured that scope, schedule, and cost were monitored and controlled. Annual sales over $15 million.
- Generated new energy and approaches to the cross functional product development teams (mechanical, electrical, software/firmware, manufacturing and quality engineers) that resulted in the market introduction of 15 new products. Stressed good design practices, technical excellence, continuous improvement and team accountability. Resulting in an increase of sales from $4.5M to $15M over four years.
- Negotiated cost, minimum order quantity and delivery schedule for incoming material ensuring the right thing, at the right place, at the right time for all parts in SRAM Spearfish location. Led sourcing of parts from multiple new vendors in the USA and Asia. Actions resulted in increased quality and 60% reduction of cost of goods.
- Project Manager for new assembly lines in both USA and Taiwan. This project included allocating funds, manpower, facilities and equipment effort led to a product capacity increase of a 150%.
Officer
United States Coast Gaurd
09.1989 - 03.2014
- Provided technical authority oversight of $10M in training logistics contracts for new acquisitions.
- Spearheaded committee that accepted the delivery of nine Coastal Patrol Boats with a total cost of $50M. Ensured all aspect of cutters were contract compliant and were ready for Coast Guard operations.
- Chaired committee that was instrumental in developing and implementing plan to extend the service life of 76 cutters (WPB and WMEC). This project was valued at $299M over a seven-year period. The plan resulted in the cutters service life being extended 15 years and bridged a gap that needed to be filled so new assets could be built.
- Coast Guard representative for the Quarterly Progress Production Conferences for Fast Response Cutter and National Security Cutter. Presented updated the Program Manager and Project Resident Offices on the status contractual obligations and requirements regarding human factors engineering, manpower and personnel, human performance support and training, and system safety.
Education
Master of Science - Performance And Instructional Technology
Boise State University
Boise, ID08-2011
Skills
- Team collaboration
- Relationship building
- Customer relations
- Stakeholder communications
- Advanced problem solving
- Cross-functional collaboration
- Construction management
Certification
- Project Management Professional (PMP) - Project Management Institute. PMP Number: 1817279, Expiration Date: 23 May 2027
- Six Sigma Certification
- OSHA Certified - Construction & General Industry
Timeline
Project Manager
Western Area Power Administration
07.2022 - Current
Project Manager
Unites States Army Corps of Engineers
12.2019 - 07.2022
Plant Manager
Polaris Industries
04.2018 - 12.2019
Project Manager
SRAM
04.2014 - 04.2018
Officer
United States Coast Gaurd
09.1989 - 03.2014
Master of Science - Performance And Instructional Technology
Boise State University
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