Sikandar is available for hire
Hire SikandarSikandar Jameel
Verified Expert in Project Management
Project Manager
Ottawa, ON, Canada
Toptal member since November 20, 2019
Bio
Sikandar's extensive and diversified IT experience makes him ideally suited for project management, leadership, consulting, and analysis activities. He's the type of project manager who remains focused on meeting business objectives. His career highlights include leading the builds of IT infrastructure, in-house COTS application procurement and roll-out projects, application performance testing, and IT help desk-related projects.
Project Highlights
IT Infrastructure for a New Joint Venture
Successfully built and handed over a new complete IT infrastructure to new joint-venture client IT operations organization.
Corporate IT Help Desk HDI UK Certification
Achieved a corporate IT contact center certification from the Help Desk Institute (UK).
Engineering Review Comment Tracking System
Built a system to collect/track the resolution of comments raised by design review engineers on vendor submitted drawings.
Expertise
- Agile
- Analysis
- Business Process Automation
- IT Project Management
- Information Security
- LoadRunner
- Scrum
- Waterfall Development
Work Experience
IT Performance Testing Analyst
2024 - PRESENT
IRCC
- Analyzed, designed, prepared, scripted, executed, and reported on performance testing for a new Salesforce CXP web application (VuGen, LoadRunner Enterprise, and analysis, baseline, stress, spike, soak, capacity or breakpoint, scalability).
- Successfully analyzed, designed, prepared, scripted, executed, and reported on API testing for a new Salesforce CXP web application using JMeter.
- Documented the performance testing process and infrastructure from start to end, as well as performance testing tips for the organization in MS Word and MS Visio documents.
IT Document Writer
2024 - PRESENT
InfoIMAGE of California, Inc.
- Developed IT-related documentation such as processes, procedures, proposals, and business application manuals in Atlassian Confluence, MS Word, PDF, and Visio.
- Contributed to documentation for business applications and project proposals, managing IT infrastructure alerts generated through Datadog and Jira, internal and external penetration testing remediation, and monthly systems maintenance procedures.
- Handled data loss prevention upgrade projects, large dataset ingestion guide, SQL server setup guide, systems decommissioning guide, server certificate renewal process, PGP keys renewal and distribution process, and help desk workflow.
Project Manager
2022 - 2022
The Scotts Company - Main
- Provided temporary flex project management support for the Scotts IT Infrastructure department using ServiceNow/Smartsheet on various large and small network projects for six months to fill resource gaps until Scotts hires permanent staff.
- Managed the upgrade to Oracle 19c and dependent applications like JDA, SBI, and BODS for over four months with coordination with the infrastructure team and applications teams to complete testing in a parallel QA and production environment.
- Led the replacement of two 50 KVA UPS and two PDUs, which required a weekend shutdown of 20 cabinets and associated network services with coordination with the UPS, PDU, and electrical works vendors and Scotts' data center and network personnel.
- Managed replacements of WiFi bridges at 5-sites with the installation of underground fiber links and additional switches, access points in three buildings, iOS upgrades, switches/routers, ISP connections, and created site survey documentation standard.
IT QA Analyst
2019 - 2022
Government of Canada
- Conducted performance testing of large software releases using JMeter. Released including internal and external IBM MQ and web services.
- Conducted performance testing of large software releases using Microfocus Performance Center (ex-HP LoadRunner. Released including internal and external public-facing web services.
- Coordinated the end-user support on the utilization of the microfocus application lifecycle management tool for tracking/traceability of business and system requirements against functional and other test cases.
IT Solutions Analyst
2010 - 2018
Aramco
- Led and coordinated the demand/requirements analysis, business case, implementation (waterfall and agile), acceptance testing, and rollout and support of the project systems support division for the capital project's business line (5,000+ users). This line contains several productivity-boosting, cost-saving, and value-adding project management business-process-automation applications.
- Identified, documented, reviewed, and analyzed requests to automate the existing manual or Microsoft Excel-based capital project execution related business processes.
- Recommended appropriate solutions (in-house, corporate IT, or COTS).
- Conducted review sessions with stakeholders and analyzed requirements with developers to determine if additional clarifications were required on decision and approval workflows, roles, privileges, business rules, data sources, and any other requirements.
- Wrote business cases, RACI matrix, functional requirements documents with swim-lane business process workflow diagrams, account/role management policies and procedures, and reviewed functional design documentation.
- Reviewed end-user guides and coordinated end-user support for the business process applications.
- Developed software licensing and support contracts for COTS products.
- Provided input for the annual operating plan forecast and analyzed impacts of resource changes on operations.
- Led a team of ten in-house programmers analysts and helpdesk staff.
- Worked on various capital project business processes included project controls (cost, progress, schedule, scope, admin/ communication records, materials, asset, safety, completion certification, quality), value practices and initiatives implementation tracking, engineering review comments, design deficiencies, proposals, funds approvals, lessons learned, risk, interface points, workforce estimation, ideas and capital project target setting.
- Supported the data protection and loss prevention program in the PMO department to protect critical information assets, applications, and remote site connections.
- Coordinated the rollout of the new ISA (information security analyst) job role in the capital projects organization keeping it in line with company policies and procedures.
- Developed internal departmental policies and procedures on desktop USB port access requests.
- Participated in corporate operational excellence (OE) and knowledge transfer initiatives.
- Developed and wrote the division business process titled “PMO Capital Projects Systems Development and Support” (PDCA model: plan, do/implement, check/support, and adjust).
- Assessed several departmental OE business processes.
- Reviewed a disaster business impact analysis on corporate IT provided services to the department to reduce perceived risks with a recovery plan.
- Participated in a business process reengineering team leading to recommendations on how to improve the accuracy and completeness of the IT assets information databases.
IT Project Manager
2006 - 2010
Aramco
- Led the design and delivery of an expanded I.T. computing and communications infrastructure merged with an existing one to start up a newly created Petro Rabigh joint venture company (Aramco-Sumitomo).
- Collected requirements in collaboration with major stakeholders and specified I.T. infrastructure needs for 3,000 users over five years spread across several buildings within an eight square km area (including backup/disaster recovery).
- Managed the project execution including setting RACI matrix and milestones, defining scopes of work for contract bids and evaluations, managing implementation, establishing IT governance processes, and developing/training the operations team.
- Provided project status reports (weekly briefs and quarterly comprehensive) to stakeholders and managed changes to scope.
- Worked on RFP development, implementation, and overseeing initial migration and post-implementation operations of servers, storage, LAN network/internet/WAN infrastructure and services (DSL, WiFi, firewall, WLAN, NOC, VSAT), PIM (plant information system) data historian, help desk, small data centers in Rabigh, Jeddah and Riyadh, Rabigh data center HVAC replacement, and tier-II data center leasing/hardware maintenance contracts, development of Microsoft Enterprise and Premier/McAfee Enterprise Agreement, MS Exchange, file/print services, MS SMS/WSUS, backup and SAN services, and SAP servers, and ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus.
- Served as the technical planning and security section head leading a group of seven professionals responsible for executing miscellaneous projects and QA/QM functions.
- Reviewed the economics of outsourcing the IT operations in collaboration with Ernst and Young.
- Provided input for the annual operating plan forecast.
- Acquired and coordinated the implementation of a telecom billing system.
- Implemented F5 SSL-VPN concentrators and developed a VPN user guide.
- Outsourced help-desk duties to a local service provider.
- Produced IT governance process documents in collaboration with Wipro (management of communication, resources, performance, risk, service level, strategic planning and job descriptions) including high level work instructions and standard operation procedures (SOPs).
- Developed the initial Petro Rabigh IT devices standards and Windows XP/2000 desktop images.
- Coordinated with Wipro to assess the new IT department’s maturity level across COBIT domains (plan, organize, acquire, implement, deliver, support, monitor, and evaluate).
IT Help Desk Supervisor
1998 - 2006
Aramco
- Achieved Help Desk Institute (HDI UK) Certification of the IT contact center corporate helpdesk. Ensured all help desk support procedures were documented.
- Led the 24x7 operations with 118 contractors and 27 employees supporting 70,000 customers. The help desk provided frontline support for all corporate IT services including data/voice and wireless communication, SAP applications, MS AD accounts, desktop/mobile computing, MS Office, email, internet, telephony, end-user devices management, audio/video systems, and video conferencing systems.
- Coordinated with all corporate IT units and relevant vendors through Remedy.
- Provided weekly statistics on the performance of help desk operations.
- Communicated on escalated and critical issues with end-users and level 2/3 support entities to extend support.
- Reviewed all corporate announcements before release.
IT Technical Advisor
1991 - 1998
Aramco
- Successfully negotiated a replacement of 50,000 obsolete AST workstations with Dell, coordinated the 1996 & 1997 Workstation Replacement Program, and implemented the Microsoft Select contract.
- Supervised the analysis/quality review, budgeting, procurement and installation activities involving the computer workstation/network products and services offered throughout the company to end-users.
- Coordinated with the planning, implementation, and support groups.
- Specified the requirements of and administered the computer asset management system (CAMS).
- Migrated from the FoxPro LAN-based system to the CAMS mainframe system.
- Oversaw the design, implementation, and support of a Microsoft FoxPro/ACCESS relational database application for PC/Network purchasing, work order processing and inventory control (the system was used to plan orders for $10 million of PC/MAC h/w, s/w, and n/w annually).
- Responsible for the planning, system administration and support of a 300+ node distributed mixed PC/MAC Windows NT/Novell local area network.
- Participated in the Windows NT migration and the NetWare 4.11 enterprise network design.
IT Technical Advisor
1987 - 1991
Canada Post Corporation
- Successfully developed and awarded an RFP to initiate the implementation of a Stratacom 6290-based integrated fast packet voice/data network as a team.
- Oversaw the planning, technical analysis, budgeting and coordination of various CPC operational projects that involved computer and voice/data communication systems such as T1, X.25 & LAN networks, communication services database, national time & attendance, and other corporate systems.
Senior Network Analyst
1986 - 1987
Government Telecom Agency
- Successfully awarded the government packet network RFP after bids analysis/evaluation leading to an efficacious rollout with CNCP.
- Provided telecommunication consulting services to government departments involving X.25/SNA/DECNET networks.
Telecom Systems Analyst
1980 - 1986
Bell-Northern Research
- Successfully resolved critical issues raised by Bellcore about DMS switches operating in Memphis.
- Implemented cost-saving features in DMS telecom software working as a software and system designer/analyst in DMS (a very large digital software controlled telecom circuit switch) Datapath Protel/Pascal software development and system integrity assurance.
- Administered to a 100 node DMS software development LAN.
- Participated in the design and programming of various DMS system architecture and data communication projects.
Project History
IT Infrastructure for a New Joint Venture
Successfully built and handed over a new complete IT infrastructure to new joint-venture client IT operations organization.
• Collected requirements in collaboration with major stakeholders and IT infrastructure needs for 3,000 users over five years spread across several buildings within an eight square km area (including backup/disaster recovery).
• Led the project execution including setting RACI matrix and milestones, defining scopes of work for contract bids and evaluations, implementation, go live, establishing IT governance processes, and developing and training the operations team.
• Provided project status reports (weekly briefs and quarterly comprehensive) to stakeholders and managed changes to the scope.
• Developed and implemented RFP and oversaw the initial migration and post-implementation operations of servers, storage, LAN network/internet/WAN infrastructure and services (DSL, WiFi, firewall, WLAN, NOC, VSAT), PIM (plant information system) data historian, outsourced help desk, small data centers in Rabigh, Jeddah, and Riyadh, Rabigh data center HVAC replacement, and tier-II data center leasing/hardware maintenance contracts, development of Microsoft Enterprise and Premier/McAfee Enterprise Agreement, MS Exchange, file/print services, MS SMS/WSUS, backup and SAN services, and SAP servers, ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus.
• Led the project execution including setting RACI matrix and milestones, defining scopes of work for contract bids and evaluations, implementation, go live, establishing IT governance processes, and developing and training the operations team.
• Provided project status reports (weekly briefs and quarterly comprehensive) to stakeholders and managed changes to the scope.
• Developed and implemented RFP and oversaw the initial migration and post-implementation operations of servers, storage, LAN network/internet/WAN infrastructure and services (DSL, WiFi, firewall, WLAN, NOC, VSAT), PIM (plant information system) data historian, outsourced help desk, small data centers in Rabigh, Jeddah, and Riyadh, Rabigh data center HVAC replacement, and tier-II data center leasing/hardware maintenance contracts, development of Microsoft Enterprise and Premier/McAfee Enterprise Agreement, MS Exchange, file/print services, MS SMS/WSUS, backup and SAN services, and SAP servers, ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus.
Corporate IT Help Desk HDI UK Certification
Achieved a corporate IT contact center certification from the Help Desk Institute (UK).
• Helped the institution gain successful contact center certification (approved by the Help Desk Institute in the UK).
The IT Help Desk consisted of 145 people in 24x7 operations, supporting 70,000 corporate users. HDI Support Center Certification recognizes that the support center's processes and procedures are committed to excellence, efficiency, and service quality. This certification was achieved by having HDI UK do an on-site audit of the support center to determine whether it is aligned with the HDI support standard.
The IT Help Desk consisted of 145 people in 24x7 operations, supporting 70,000 corporate users. HDI Support Center Certification recognizes that the support center's processes and procedures are committed to excellence, efficiency, and service quality. This certification was achieved by having HDI UK do an on-site audit of the support center to determine whether it is aligned with the HDI support standard.
Engineering Review Comment Tracking System
Built a system to collect/track the resolution of comments raised by design review engineers on vendor submitted drawings.
• Led a project to deliver an in-house system that was required to collect and track the resolution of comments raised by company engineers against engineering drawings submitted by design vendors.
• Collecting requirements from stakeholders and validated, clarified, and documented them.
• Coordinating with corporate IT for developing software in-house.
• Validated the acceptance testing and coordinated the rollout and post-rollout support.
• Collecting requirements from stakeholders and validated, clarified, and documented them.
• Coordinating with corporate IT for developing software in-house.
• Validated the acceptance testing and coordinated the rollout and post-rollout support.
Interface Point Management System
Specified, acquired, and deployed an interface points management system for capital projects.
• Identified, documented, reviewed, and analyzed requests to automate the capturing and tracking of capital project interface points in existing manual or Microsoft Excel files.
• Recommended the Coreworx Interface Management solution and developed software licensing and support contracts for the Coreworx product.
• Led review sessions with stakeholders and analyzed requirements with developers to determine if additional clarifications were required on decision and approval workflows, roles, privileges, business rules, data sources, and any other conditions.
• Wrote the business case, RACI matrix, functional requirements documents with swim-lane business process workflow diagrams, account/role management policies, and procedures.
• Reviewed the end-user guides and coordinated end-user training and support.
• Recommended the Coreworx Interface Management solution and developed software licensing and support contracts for the Coreworx product.
• Led review sessions with stakeholders and analyzed requirements with developers to determine if additional clarifications were required on decision and approval workflows, roles, privileges, business rules, data sources, and any other conditions.
• Wrote the business case, RACI matrix, functional requirements documents with swim-lane business process workflow diagrams, account/role management policies, and procedures.
• Reviewed the end-user guides and coordinated end-user training and support.
Education
1978 - 1980
Master's Degree in Electrical Engineering
Carleton University - Ottawa, Canada
1974 - 1978
Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering
Carleton University - Ottawa, Canada
Certifications
FEBRUARY 2022 - PRESENT
ISTQB Foundation Level Certified Software Tester (CTFL)
Learning Tree International
NOVEMBER 2019 - PRESENT
International Scrum Master
International Scrum Assembly
AUGUST 2017 - AUGUST 2020
AWS Certified Solutions Architect
Amazon Web Services
MARCH 2013 - MARCH 2026
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Project Management Institute (PMI)
JUNE 2005 - PRESENT
Certified Help Desk Manager
Help Desk Institute (UK)
DECEMBER 2001 - PRESENT
Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) Certification
Microsoft
Skills
Tools
Excel 2016, Microsoft PowerPoint, Word 2016, Visio, IBM MQ, LoadRunner, Apache JMeter, Office 365, Jira, Micro Focus Performance Center, Micro Focus ALM, Microsoft Visio, Project Management & Work Tracking Tools, Confluence, Fiddler
Paradigms
Waterfall Development, Scrum, Agile, Systems Lifecycle Management (SLM)
Platforms
Windows, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform (GCP)
Industry Expertise
Government, Telecommunications
Other
IT Project Management, User Requirements, Business Cases, Documentation, Analysis, Leadership, Business Process Automation, Request for Proposal (RFP), IT Contracts, Project Management, IT Projects, Project Coordination, Meetings, Organization, Conflict Resolution, Oracle Primavera, Project Management Professional (PMP), Helpdesk, Performance Testing, Networking, Microsoft Teams, HP UFT, AWS Cloud Computing Services, Information Security, Operational Excellence, Consulting, Networks, Azure Cloud Services, Budget Management, IT Infrastructure, Technical Project Management, Infrastructure, Infrastructure Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure, IP Networks, Process Mapping, Workflow, Process Optimization, Work Breakdown Structure, Process Documentation, Project Management Office (PMO), Project Timelines, Software QA, ManageEngine, Teams, LoadRunner Enterprise, Vugen, Test Documentation
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