Graeme Macdonald

Experience

• 

  University of Abertay Dundee

  Oct 2002 - Sept 2006

  During my third year I was appointed Vice President of Communications and Marketing for the University. I took responsibility for organising Freshers week and other University events. I coordinated the communications and advertising for said events and liaised with both private firms and press to ensure the events were successful. This position also allowed me to sit on the University senate and discuss and resolve student grievances. This position gave me the opportunity to promote my university to potential students. I provided private tours of the university for families and potential students. I was essentially a personal assistant to visitors of the university and had to make sure that all their needs were met.

  • Vice President Marketing and Communications

    Oct 2004 - Sept 2006

  • Student Ambassador

    Oct 2002 - Sept 2006
• 

  Thus

  Mar 2009 - Mar 2011

  Order Manager Administrator

  Monitoring and updating of a variety of telecoms orders from some of the UK’s largest companies.I was entrusted with the handling of a new customer Centrica, where I developed the end to end process of their home worker broadband orders. This included the process charts and standardise communications of three individual teams located throughout the UK and India. I was heavily involved in the training for new colleagues in Chennai and Bangalore

• 

  Bloc+

  Sept 2009 - Sept 2013

  Music and Events Booker

  In this role I have been responsible for re launching the now successful Glasgow Slow Club which had ended in December 2009. I am responsible for booking, organising equipment, load in, stage times and sound. I also play and host the night, handle all promotions, manage the website and press releases. The role requires a high level of organisational skills dealing with a diary six months in advance and over 200 acts.

• 

  Genuine

  Feb 2011 - Oct 2011

  General Assistant

  Working with a busy PR agency, mainly working in the fashion sector. Work on London Fashion week for Scottish Textiles. Worked with clients such as Harris Tweed and Bebaroque.

• 

  Cable&Wireless

  Mar 2011 - Mar 2012

  Network Optimisation coordinator

  A newly created role designed to optimise the local network and manage the asset database for large utilities company the end result being OPEX savings and an enhanced asset register which was significantly out of date.• The identification of multiple large gaps in the current processes and feeds for updating the client’s asset database, these gaps were resulting in several variances of yearly customer charges which resulted in a loss of revenue to the business.• The identification of several quick win and large OPEX savings where circuits could be migrated from old or local networks onto a Cable & Wireless network resulting in annual savings.• The creation of a whole new set of processes and work instructions for all the “feeds” into the asset register. Following identifying the large gaps in the updating of the asset register I development a process where by all those who should feed updates in were doing so and so that all changes going forward would be capture. Resulting in the asset register accuracy going from 60% to 95% over a six month period. Show less

• 

  The Roxy

  Sept 2011 - Feb 2012

  Music Booker

  Booker of events and musical acts

• 

  Vodafone

  Mar 2012 - Oct 2017

  Working within Vodafone’s Technology and Enterprise department in the Utilities sector. As a project manager my main responsibilities are on large fibre civils projects for the replacement of copper cables to new fibre with the delivery of telecoms equipment in electrical substations, power stations and offices.• Successfully delivered two large projects worth over two million pounds for civils, ducting and fibre between Hunterston Nuclear Power Station and three other sites. These works were extremely complex through busy areas such as Largs and Hunterston, requiring in-depth knowledge of health and safety.• Successfully aided to close a legacy programme reliant on outstanding Standard Build documentation, health and safety audits and end of programme reporting resulting in 1.5 million pounds of revenue• Highly experienced in delivering projects under CDM, from minor works such as standard kit deployment to civils excavations along gas pipelines or nuclear power stations• Experience working with 3rd party civils contractors, electrical contractors, Telecoms contractors and logistics across the UK• Highly experienced in working with Wayleaves and Council Road Noticing departments• Highly experienced in deploying telecoms equipment such as Cisco, Nokia, Avara and IT• Highly experienced in deploying electrical equipment such as DC Chargers and electrical infrastructure• Highly experienced at Programme Planning, with the complete planning of three large programmes covering 2015, 2016 and a new 2017 programme totally 14.2 million of business to Vodafone• Experience working on off shore and remote civils projects such as windfarms• Experience in building new programme tenders• Project experience is based on tailored versions of Prince2 and Agile methodologies Show less Working within Vodafone’s Technology and Enterprise department (fixed telephony) on the Scottish Power account. The Project Co-ordinator role addresses several key PMO activities; project tracking, reporting on programmes, producing weekly and monthly customer reports, attending and charring customer meetings, spread over two accounts with 220 active projects plus new proposals throughout the year.• Developed and created online reporting tools for quick and accurate data analysis of project and programme status• Increased P3M3 account maturity: Utilising tools created to capture project costs vs actuals• Highly experienced in Project and Programme Proposal creation and review • Highly experienced in training programme team members on process’s and methodologies• Highly experience at delivering minor projects such as decommissioning of substation equipment• Creation of Centre of Excellence with standard documents; Communication Plan, configuration management, accurate roles and responsibilities, stakeholder management and evaluating lessons learned. Show less

  • Project Manager

    Aug 2015 - Oct 2017

  • PMO Analyst / Project Coordinator

    Mar 2012 - Aug 2015
• 

  The Glasgow Gin Club.

  Apr 2014 - Dec 2017

  Senior Partner

  The Glasgow Gin Club is an exclusive Gin events company to promote and share our love of small batch gin.The Glasgow Gin Club creates exclusive events catering from 30 to 80 attendees, all sharing our love of gin.Past events have included Brew at the Bog, Three Hidden Lane Gin Parties and working closely with Brand launches from No.3 London to Abandon Ship Clothing.

• 

  SSE Enterprise

  Oct 2017 - Mar 2021

  Project Manager

  Working with SSE Telecoms/Neos Networks on SSE Large Capital Projects. Primary Project Manager on the BT21CN Programme. Senior Project Manager on SSE Renewables Offshore Windfarms. Within BT21CN; defining the delivery solution, standardising documentation, third party contractor relationships, customer relationship management including kicking off the programme, while combining the overall programme deliverables and piloting project a new product of 90 sites connected Circuits and end termination kit. BT21CN had an eight-million-pound budget along with 2.6 million pounds of positive project change. For SSE Renewables I delivered the Telecoms for the largest Windfarm offshore windfarm in Scotland worth three million pounds. As the first Project Manager to deliver a program of work over eight million pounds in revenue I was at the forefront of how SSE ET delivery large capital projects and programs.• Proficient at engaging at all business levels, from Senior Stakeholders to 3rd parties and Support Staff• Experienced in contract management, Contractual Negations of new 3rd party vendors and Commercial negations around existing contracts• Adept working within the utilities sector• Experienced working with HV/LV, Substations (Transmission & Distributions), Overhead line, and Pylon works.• Highly experienced in delivery and commissioning of SCADA, Protection circuits for the utilities sector• Highly Experienced in Offshore Windfarm connectivity and Renewables Networks• Skilled in delivery of new technologies products and projects e.g., 4G/5G IOT• Experienced working with Construction phase management (wayleaves/Road noticing), particularly with large civils and fibre projects• Development of standard working methodologies such as Engineering Work Packs, PIDs, RAID Logs etc Show less

• 

  Neos Networks

  Mar 2021 - May 2024

  Senior Project Manager / Programme Manager

  Managing SSE Renewables and Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Programmes with a combined value of £7.7million, encompassing 90 projects and expanding sales pipeline. My roles include project allocation, escalation, financial control, Pipeline management, Line Management, aiding in sales, project delivery and customer facing reporting/meetings at multiple organisational levels on programme delivery. Actively monitoring programme progress, resolving issues & initiating appropriate corrective action and defining the programme's governance arrangements. Continually reviewing the programmes, monitoring sales pipeline and customer need while looking for improvements to the network and service to delivery greater value to customers and company. Along with ensuring that delivered work is handed over operationally for seamless transfer of new projects to business as usual. In addition to mentoring and coaching team members on the projects being delivered.• Skilled negotiator in conflict management• Experienced Team Manager and Leadership skills• Highly experienced in managing vendors, 3rd parties and stakeholders• Highly experienced in Resource Management• Experienced in building programmes and management of programmes to fit within company/customer objectives• Development of new products into BAU, such as LTE, SD Wan and StarlinkIn addition I complete PMO related tasks, including financial monitoring / forecasting, staff utilisation, sales demand pipeline, staff training and data analytics. I was key to the developing the standard processes and modelling for all customer facing projects delivered by Neos. During this role I was seconded to helping the Business Process Improvement, where new tools and project management methodologies were developed and deployed. Show less

• 

  Magdalene

  Apr 2024 - now

  Program Manager

  Heading up the PMO for a major utilities’ client, with a team of analyst and co-ordinators. Main duties include driving improvements to increase the effectiveness of the PM Delivery team to drive project delivery and revenue. Driving process and business improvements, through mapping current processes and identifying gaps and waste.