Grant is available for hire
Hire GrantGrant Schuleman
Verified Expert in Project Management
Project Manager
Location
Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Toptal Member Since
March 24, 2021
Grant is a technical project manager and Certified Project Management Professional with 20+ years in IT, backed by a computer science degree. Proficient in Scrum, Kanban, PMBOK, and Prince, he adapts to each project's unique demands. With a software development background, Grant bridges technical intricacies and project management. His versatility ensures effective project execution aligned with organizational goals. Grant is a strategic asset in the dynamic IT landscape.
Project ManagementIT Project ManagementSoftware Project ManagementSoftware DevelopmentTechnical Project ManagementProcess Improvement Project ManagementProject Management Professional (PMP)PMOWeb App DevelopmentProgram ManagementScrum MasterWeb DesignProject Management Office (PMO)Scrum CoachingSoftware
Project Highlights
Legal Web Application
I managed the delivery of a website and web application for a legal services startup over five months.
Integrated Trading and Clearing Program
Delivered 10 sub-projects as part of this 2-year systems replacement program for the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
Expertise
Work Experience
Project Manager
2023 - PRESENT
InPerSuit, Inc. (via Toptal)
- Joined a Toptal team to deliver a website and web application for a new startup in the legal industry. Facilitated the discovery phase, providing a comprehensive product backlog and estimations for the MVP and subsequent releases.
- Set up Jira for the Agile delivery of the MVP solution, overseeing an Agile team comprised of a tech lead, UX lead, full-stack and back-end/front-end developers, and a QA engineer.
- Delivered the MVP within the agreed-upon timeframe and budget. Continued with the implementation of internal business operational processes and knowledge transfer of the system functionality.
Senior Project Manager
2022 - PRESENT
SecuritEase
- Delivered a new trading, clearing, and settlement solution for clients to invest in retirement annuities.
- Implemented substantial system enhancements to cater for operational and systemic improvements to the managed funds asset class's trading, clearing, and settlement functions.
- Created project management processes and tools that are used across the organization to ensure a consistent and predictable approach to project delivery is used for all licensee projects.
Technical Project Manager
2023 - 2023
AI Avatar/Interview (via Toptal)
- Joined a Toptal team to run a discovery phase for a client to define and plan an AI solution to submit grant applications for funding.
- Conducted research into AI applications, elderly adult issues that could be solved using AI, and grant application opportunities.
- Used a combination of tools such as Google Docs/Sheets, Jira, and Miro to manage this project.
Project Manager
2023 - 2023
AI Trading (via Toptal)
- Joined a Toptal team to run a discovery phase for a client to define and plan the development of an AI chatbot for various industries.
- Facilitated discovery workshops, compiled a prioritized product backlog with estimates, defined a product roadmap, and planned resource requirements.
- Put together discovery summary and project kick-off presentations. Used Google Docs to create a project management log comprised of risks, actions, issues, decisions, and scope.
Agile Project Manager
2021 - 2023
GOLD BULL (via Toptal)
- Joined a team to deliver an eCommerce marketplace trading platform for precious metals. Duties included product visioning, business analysis, systems design, story writing, prioritization, backlog grooming, and MVP delivery.
- Participated in and facilitated the completion of UX and UI designs and workflows to ensure the system look and feel were consistent with the existing web interface.
- Facilitated business prioritization sessions to ensure product features were developed and delivered according to business needs and value-added.
- Managed the testing of the newly built trading feature, which included conducting functional and integration testing, facilitating user acceptance testing as well as coordinating beta testing activities.
- Provided coaching to the development team on agile user story-writing techniques.
Project Manager
2022 - 2022
Anthill (via Toptal)
- Joined a Toptal team to deliver a new website for a client in the HR software space.
- Led project discovery workshops and performed key responsibilities such as business analysis, story writing, prioritization, backlog grooming, and MVP delivery.
- Used tools such as Jira, Figma, Google Docs, Google Drive, and WordPress.
Project Manager
2021 - 2022
Pharmaceutical Client (via Toptal)
- Joined a newly formed PMO team to implement an ERP solution. Oversaw setting up documentation repositories and relevant processes to engage with stakeholders for the cloud integration tool implementation.
- Managed the deliverables for the finance workstream, including identifying the as-is business processes, documenting them in Visio, and ensuring alignment with other workstreams.
- Documented the systems and data flow for the Finance division to identify system touchpoints and data inconsistencies.
- Conducted analysis of invoice data produced on system reports vs. data stored in the source database. Provided root cause analysis and proposed solutions for resolving data discrepancies.
Senior Project Manager
2019 - 2022
Paycode
- Implemented an offline, biometric-enabled payments system for Zambian farmers with smart-card technology.
- Delivered a project to a client in Ghana that has transformed the general use of a bank card, allowing different applications to run on the same bank card.
- Handled the implementation of a social-grants project for the underprivileged citizens of Mozambique using offline technology.
- Carried out a smart-card solution catering for biometrics enabled via the Mastercard Community Pass/InclusiveID technology.
Senior Agile Project Manager
2021 - 2021
The Legal Helpers (via Toptal)
- Joined a software development team as a consultant to analyze people, processes, and technology to improve software delivery and quality. This then evolved to coaching team members on best practices.
- Provided Agile coaching to the product owner on product visioning, backlog creation, backlog grooming, and user story writing to ensure the delivery of business value to the organization.
- Provided coaching to the scrum master on agile ceremonies such as sprints, sprint planning, daily scrums, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
- Coached the scrum team on agile delivery, focusing on minimizing work-in-progress and maximizing throughput.
- Implemented an Excel-based scrum-reporting tool due to the limitation of the software (Wrike) already being used. This reporting included sprint burndown and burnup charts, velocity charts, and cumulative flow diagrams.
Freelance Developer
2010 - 2021
Freelance Clients
- Developed a hotel management booking system for a new motel used by three reception desks. Development was completed in VB.NET with a MySQL database.
- Created a fully automated Excel application (VBA) that integrated with SharePoint and Sage One via APIs (.NET) for a manufacturing company. The sales team used the application for quotes and the manufacturing team for production.
- Developed a healthcare management system to manage doctor's/clinic's submissions to medical insurance companies. The system was written in Delphi using an Oracle database.
- Built an application suite used for electronic signboards. The application suite was written in a combination of Delphi and C++, integrating via COM ports and TCP/IP connections to electronic signboards.
- Created a pet grooming parlor management system that was deployed at five parlors. The system was highly configurable and mostly self-managed. This application was written in VB.NET and could use both MS Access and MySQL databases.
PMO Lead
2017 - 2019
EOH Holdings
- Implemented a project management framework to cater to projects to be delivered following Waterfall, Agile or hybrid methodologies.
- Implemented a project-management tool (PPO) to assist with project tracking and reporting.
- Coached and mentored six project managers to use the Agile methodology when delivering projects for clients.
- Completed the full IT services transition from another ICT company to EOH within three months without any system downtime.
Senior Project Manager
2009 - 2017
JSE
- Delivered ten sub-projects as part of a multi-year systems replacement program.
- Implemented a new company-wide brand and website with multiple third-party suppliers.
- Completed the implementation of an electronic-procurement solution, resulting in huge operational efficiencies and reduced costs.
Project Manager
2008 - 2009
Barclays Capital
- Managed projects relating to the ongoing maintenance of the surveillance system for trading and compliance monitoring.
- Managed the delivery of the sizeable holdings-system project for regulatory reporting purposes.
- Integrated the operational processes between different IT teams to ensure efficient hand-offs between departments.
Project Manager
2006 - 2008
Investec Group
- Implemented the credit mitigation project for the Basel II program.
- Delivered a credit risk-management project for Investec entities in South Africa, the UK, Mauritius, Ireland, Australia, and Switzerland.
- Completed the business analysis for the Basel II program, focusing on the credit workstream.
Project History
Legal Web Application
https://www.inpersuit.com/I managed the delivery of a website and web application for a legal services startup over five months.
I ran a 2-week discovery phase for the project to fully understand and document the vision, goals, and overall scope. I delivered a comprehensive product backlog of features split into different releases with estimates for each.
The implementation of an MVP solution was approved, and I set up a Jira project to manage the delivery using a Scrum framework. During project execution, I facilitated the daily stand-ups, sprint planning, sprint reviews, demos, and retros. UX design and functional delivery were managed on a sprint-by-sprint basis, where I ensured available capacity vs. effort/time required to complete tasks in each sprint were manageable.
The website and MVP web application were delivered within the timelines and budget. The client was extremely pleased with the delivery and is now using the website to attract clients.
The implementation of an MVP solution was approved, and I set up a Jira project to manage the delivery using a Scrum framework. During project execution, I facilitated the daily stand-ups, sprint planning, sprint reviews, demos, and retros. UX design and functional delivery were managed on a sprint-by-sprint basis, where I ensured available capacity vs. effort/time required to complete tasks in each sprint were manageable.
The website and MVP web application were delivered within the timelines and budget. The client was extremely pleased with the delivery and is now using the website to attract clients.
Integrated Trading and Clearing Program
https://www.jse.co.za/learn-how-to-invest/learn-how-invest/itacDelivered 10 sub-projects as part of this 2-year systems replacement program for the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE).
I managed several software development teams following different project methodologies, i.e., Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid. My responsibilities included facilitating agile ceremonies, providing project status updates across the workstreams, and managing the scope as well as the risks and issues across the program.
Each sub-project was successfully delivered and was a critical piece of the overall program of work. The delivery of the program resulted in improved trading volumes, improved operational efficiencies, and increased revenue for the organization.
Each sub-project was successfully delivered and was a critical piece of the overall program of work. The delivery of the program resulted in improved trading volumes, improved operational efficiencies, and increased revenue for the organization.
Project Jaya
https://www.fanews.co.za/article/investments/8/general/1133/jse-s-new-equity-trading-platform-in-sa-after-decade-in-london/12145The equity market trading and information solution was being run out of London using the LSE's system. I was responsible for implementing the new system locally in Johannesburg, South Africa.
I managed the delivery of the equities trading solution, which was developed by a 3rd-party supplier in Sri Lanka. During this project, I was also responsible for managing the internal software development and testing teams to deliver the integration to the internal systems. The project team ranged from 30 to 100 people at different points in time throughout the project lifecycle.
Education
1998 - 2003
Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science
University of South Africa - Pretoria, South Africa
1995 - 1997
Diploma in Datametrics: Information Systems
University of South Africa - Pretoria, South Africa
Certifications
DECEMBER 2017 - PRESENT
Manager of Managers Executive Program
Wits Business School
FEBRUARY 2015 - PRESENT
Agile Fundamentals
PM.Ideas
OCTOBER 2009 - PRESENT
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Project Management Institute (PMI)
JUNE 2004 - PRESENT
ITIL Foundation Certification
Examination Institute for Information Science
JANUARY 2003 - PRESENT
IT Project Management
Rand Afrikaans University
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