Old Mutual Wealth: Interim Management & Service Delivery Improvement

Old Mutual Wealth had created an IT Transformation Program and wanted to second their Head of Delivery Assurance and Service Management into the program.

They required an experienced interim manager to manage the team and key service suppliers during the Transformation Program first phase (12 months).

The performance of their hosting and infrastructure services supplier was poor, and a commercial escalation was in progress to drive the required improvements, which needed to be managed.

Engaged as interim lead for Delivery Assurance and Service Management to manage internal teams and all service and support suppliers (Hosting, Infrastructure, Applications).

Directly manage and track all actions and results identified as part of the commercial escalation, and make recommendations for next steps in follow up meeting two months later.

Managed and directed internal teams in Southampton to support and position for transformation strategy, as well as keeping day to day services and projects running.

Built relationship with and managed all key service suppliers, conforming to Old Mutual Wealth supplier governance (including visits to key supplier sites in UK and India).

Built relationship with hosting and infrastructure services supplier, including their key offshore support and project teams.

– managed commercial escalation actions and changed approach from a task list tick box exercise, to a structured set of activities with measurable outcomes

– structure required problem statement, current performance measure, action to address with timeline, up front agreement on success measurement, sign off when measurement met

– created parallel short term action plan to address the immediate service performance issues

– established Continual Service Improvement (CSI) process and culture and directly “sold” alongside supplier managers to the offshore teams in town hall events in India

Took Service Transition role for all new services from suppliers to ensure they were deliverable and supportable – no service could be introduced or contracted for without my approval.

Provided an independent review of Service Delivery (internal and suppliers) for input to the transformation program, and presented to CIO and COO.

Improved hosting and infrastructure services through short term action plan covering Incident, Problem, Change and Release Management.

Intervened in several new service plans to ensure they could be delivered and supported. Made sign off to proceed dependent on meeting stricter acceptance criteria.

Represented Service Delivery for the first time in internal and supplier negotiations to ensure all new contracts and service agreements met the required standards.

Effectively managed the under performing hosting and infrastructure services supplier

– managed commercial escalation actions through to conclusion

– recommended more focused approach from supplier at the commercial escalation follow up in India, resulting in new resources allocated 100% to improvement

– shorter term improvements made reducing number of high severity incidents by 40%

– established CSI as a business as usual activity within supplier and Old Mutual Wealth, with nominated owners in both organisations