Personal Details
Full name: Stephen Christopher Ledsham.
Telephone: Home - 01296 662308
Mobile - 07811 763260
email : [email protected]
Summary
I am an experienced Project Controls Professional with over 20 years tenure in Programme and Project Controls, split across three major industries Rail, Defense and Petrochemicals. My experiences have ranged from £multi-thousand to £multi-billion projects and programmes. Throughout my career I have held various levels of responsibility, more significant being Programme Planning Manager on The West Coast Route Modernisation Programme (£14Bn), Senior Programme Analyst for LUL overseeing the Metronet SSL contract works and Lead Planner for Metronet on the SSL Upgrade Programme (£3Bn+) where I held functional responsibility for all planning activities.
I have an extensive knowledge of managing multi-layer programmes and have the ability to communicate at the highest levels within organisations, the mentoring skills to help develop junior team members and a personality that helps deliver. My level of ability with regard to the wider functions of Programme Controls those of risk, cost and change management are widely respected amongst my peer group; this is reflected in my broader experience than most Planning Manager’s.
I have worked on very high profile projects at a senior level for the last 12 years. The West Coast Mainline Upgrade, Kings Cross Refurbishment Programme, MRSSL Upgrade Programme are significant amongst these as they are national or have large strategic importance with multi-million expenditures and were/arerecognisedas amongst the most challenging projects in the UK today. My role on these programmes has led to significantly better understanding of the programmes schedule and success criteria for the client organisations I was consulted too. My initiative thinking in areas of schedule and cost control on West Coast Route Modernisation are now being reflected in a P3e implementation for Transport for London to control the multi-billion pound PPP Underground programmes; MPD, LUL’s Master Projects Database of which I was a designer.
Specialties:
Implementation of "off the shelf" or bespoke project controls systems on large projects or portfolios.
Project Control Software Skills
P6 All versions: Set up, rollout, mentoring and operation.
P3e All versions: Set up, rollout, mentoring and operation.
P3 All Betrieve versions.
SureTrack
Artemis 2000, 5000 and Views Set Up and operation
Open Plan
All of which have been used to create networked, resourced (labour/Materials & cost) programmes. A variety of graphic reports e.g. detailed and summary Gantt charts, progress and cost curves, histograms, tabular schedule and cost reports.
I have been using project controls software for many years, planning and cost control software and consider myself to be a very competent user, I also have good knowledge of other cost/contract management systems and “Off the shelf” software products e.g. Microsoft Office applications.
Employment History:
Infosys Limited
May 11 – June 11 Site Based Position. Crawley.
Position Held: Lead Consultant
Responsibilities:Mapping of existing company project controls processes and produce process flow charts for business sign off. Prepare fit/gap analysis current process vs. proposed system solution (Oracle / P6 Release 8). Prepare data scenarios for CRP / system test and client acceptance.
This was a short term contract of 9 weeks only.
GE Transportation Systems Limited
January 10 – March 2011Inspira House, Martinfield, Welwyn Garden City, Herts. AL7 1GW,
Position Held: Project Controller
Responsibilities:Implementation of Primavera P6, P6 Web and P6 Progress Reporter. Involved establishment of business EPS and WBS structures, Resource and role structures to facilitated hour based resource planning, resource leveling and reporting.
Also write planning procedures and user manuals to support Primavera P6 and Primavera Project Reporter and Primavera P6web (in progress).
London Underground Limited
Nov 08 –Nov 09 Euston House, 24 Eversholt Street, London, NW1 1AD
Victoria Line Programme (Value £1bn)
Positions held:Lead Planner
Responsibilities:Functionally responsible for all aspects of the project planning process. Coordinate the efforts of planning team (5 planners) to develop detailed project delivery schedules, periodic reporting of schedule variance and earned value. Also development and maintain the Overall Master Schedule for strategic level reporting.
I was specifically engaged by the programme to restore credibility to the planning department and the products produced. This required a full review of all project schedule data, identification of deficiencies and working with the project teams to rectify. This usually required significant adjustments or complete rebuilds of the schedules and the establishment of new baselines.
Network Rail
November 07 – Nov 08 55 Old Broad Street, London
Olympics 2012 Programme – Strategic Planning Team (Value £980m)
Positions held:Planning Manager
Responsibilities: Establishment of an overall programme integrating NWR infrastructure works being undertaken on NLL, ELL and Stratford area with works required to support / enable construction and public access to the 2012 Olympic Park.
Part of my role is to support the project teams, identify resource requirements and recruit as necessary. Also mentoring current and new staff to ensure that the planning product met the requirements of the NWR corporate systems as well as supporting the 2012 Strategic Programme.
Metronet Rail Subsurface Limited
October 06 - August 07 Derbyshire House, St Chads Street, London
Capability Enhancement Programme MRSSL (£3Billion+)
Positions held:Project Planning Manager
Responsibilities: Functionally responsible for all aspects of the project planning process. Coordinate the efforts of planning team to develop and maintain an Overall Project Master Schedule, developing the overall critical path, periodic reporting of progress using a Master Schedule and analysis of any time variance. As schedules were budget loaded and progress monitored and provided both SPI and CPI data.
Also required was the establishment of a professional planning team and the mentoring of existing staff. Key to the establishment of any professional team is the provided instruction and guidance with regards to “Critical Path” establishment and EV analysis techniques and reporting, this I gave as required at team and individual level.
London Underground Limited
October 03 - October 06 Chief Programmes Office, 3rd Floor 55 Broadway, Saint James Park(approx £10billion)
Positions held: Planning Manager / Senior Analyst.
Responsibilities: Responsible for the roll out into MR SSL (PPP) of a new planning system and reporting methodology and the establishment robust Project Controls methodologies and reporting mechanisms.
Initially my role was as a key player in the design / development and deployment of the “Master Project Database” a bespoke software tool to collected project level data for the purposes of programme coordination and performance measurement. This system went live in April 2005.
Later to assist with further development of this system and implementation of Transport for London’s requirements, this includes establishment of EPS and codes structures. Also providing guidance to PPP’s with regard to scheduling and Earned Value (EV) best practice. The roll also required that I assist the PPP contractor’s planners to migrate from P3 to the new P3e, this included supply chain contractors.
Provide reporting and analysis of data submitted by the PPP’s, demonstrating achievement toward PPP contract milestones and measuring variance from the Master Contract Programme and Contract Pricing schedules.
Metronet Rail Subsurface Limited
October 02 - October 03 Derbyshire House, St Chads Street, London
Kings Cross St Pancras Redevelopment (£900m)
Positions held:Project Planning Manager
Responsibilities: Functionally responsible for all aspects of the project planning process. Coordinate the efforts of planning team to develop and maintain an Overall Project Master Schedule, performing critical path analysis, periodic reporting of progress and time variance.
Worked with the contractors to establish an EV system for the Phase 1 element of the programme; King Cross Tube Ticket Hall Extension and the construction of the new Western Concourse to provided both EV cost and installed quantity data as well as SPI and CPI figures.
RAILTRACK PLC
Major Projects, WCML Project, 5th Floor 1 Eversholt Street London
July 98 - August 02 WCRM Programme (£7Billion+)
Positions held:Programme Planning Manager
Responsibilities: Functionally responsible programme / project planning process. Coordinate the efforts of a core planning team (5 planners, 2 software developers) and extended planning team (over 80 planners) to develop and maintain schedules for approximately 90 plus projects and an Overall Master Project Schedule for the entire programme of work.
Responsible for the development of a programme wide reporting methodology which demanded the developed and roll out of programme wide WBS and EV system with fully supporting procedures. This reporting methodology demanded rapid processing of schedule information and report generation and required the creation of bespoke software tool.
Also responsible for the design and development of menu driven database (initially Access2000 then migrated to Oracle) to provided a fast and efficient method of consolidating, normalising and rolling up project schedule data for incorporation into the overall Master Programme. Also defining of the WBS and EV methodologies and the production of all associated procedures, around which the database architecture was built.
The complete system using P3 and Access/Oracle rolled 120,000+ activities into a master programme of 4500 activities, consolidated budget costs and quantities, earned costs and quantities and forecast data in the master programme at activity level. The overall system provides SPI and CPI figures, S curves, and milestones reporting at project, sub-programme or programme level, this data was used for reporting to the Programme Executive and Board.
The philosophies and mechanisms developed on WCRM now form the basis of TFL’s schedule reporting methodology currently being rolled out across the LUL PPP and PFI contractors.
October 97 - July 98 WCRM Programme (£8Billion plus)
Positions held:Project Controls Manager
Responsibilities: Functionally responsible for all aspects of project controls namely planning, cost control and project IT systems. Generation of planning and cost reports in conjunction with Primavera using Railtrack’s bespoke PMCS across the entire project.
August 96 - October 97 CTRL (Railtrack Interfaces), Freight Upgrade Project, East West Rail Link (Total RT elements £450m).
Position held:Project Controls Manager - Reporting to the Head of Projects.
Responsibilities: Responsible for all aspects of project control namely planning and cost control, payment to contractors, invoicing clients, reporting at project and head office level. Generation of planning and cost reports in conjunction with Primavera using Railtrack’s bespoke PMCS software.
Jan 95 - August 96 EPS Beyond London Project (£142M).
Position held: Planning Manager/Project Controls Manager - Reporting to the Senior Project Manager.
Responsibilities: Assisting in the development of an implementation strategy enabling the introduction of new rolling stock on principle rail routes throughout the UK. Write and roll out a project specific planning procedures for use in all affected Railtrack Zones. Develop cost loaded project programmes for feasibility, design and implementation using out-based organisations programmes. Strategic planning of resources both physical (P/Way and signals design and construction) and materials project-wide.
Production of periodic reports for inclusion in the executive and board reports and adhoc reports as requested. Also assisting the out based project teams to implement project control procedures to ensure uniform approach to planning and reporting. Also the generation of cost reports in conjunction with Primavera using RALTRACK’s bespoke PMCS software.
June 94 - January 95 Jubilee Extension Project, Stratford Western Concourse / Enabling Works & various smaller projects. Position held:Senior Project Planner / Cost Engineer
LONDON UNDERGROUND LIMITED.
December 93 - June 94 Vesting of Wimbledon to Putney Branch of the District Line & Waterloo/City Line to London Underground Limited
London Underground Ltd, Abbey House, 4 Abbey Orchard Street, London WC1.
Position held: Senior Planning Engineer
January 92 - August 93: TRACK REPLACEMENT PROJECT (Annual Budget approx £80m ).
Project Management Team to the London Underground Limited. 1 Derry Street London W8 5HY.
Position Held: Planning Engineer
M F KENT PROJECTS January 91 - January 92 Mossgas refinery (Petro-chemical) Mossel Bay, South Africa. Position Held: Planning Engineer
JAMES SCOTT INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING. Bentley Avenue, Cowpen Industrial Estate, Billingham.
November 90 - Jan 91 AWE Aldermaston (MOD) Berkshire. Position held: Planning Engineer
July 90 - November 90 ESSO Fawley Fawley, Hampshire (Petro-chemical). Position held: Site Planning Engineer / Quantity Surveyor
January 90 - July 90 AWE Aldermaston (MOD) Berkshire. Position held: Planning Engineer - Reporting to Project Manager. Responsibilities: Involved in various contracts.
MATTHEW HALL MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL ENGINEERS. Stockton on Tees, Cleveland - working at the following site locations.
September 89 - Dec. 89 Cerestar Limited, Trafford Park, Manchester, Lancashire. Position held: Planning Engineer
May 87 - September 89 ESSO Fawley, Fawley, Hampshire. Position held: Planning Engineer / Quantity Surveyor.
April 86 - May 87 Heysham Stage 2 (Nuclear Power Station), Heysham Lancashire. Position held: Electrical Technician / Draftsman.
May 84 - April 86 Heysham Stage 2 (Nuclear Power Station), Heysham Lancashire. Position held: Electrician Technician.
March 84 - May 84 Shotton Paper, Deeside, North Wales. Position held: Electrician Technician
CAMMEL LAIRD SHIPBUILDERS LTD. New Chester Road, Birkenhead.
Sept. 79 - March 84 Position held: Apprentice Electrician Technician / Electrician Technician.
Education / Qualifications
School attended: Saint Hughes High School - Birkenhead.Qualifications gained: G.C.E. - Mathematics, Physics, Engineering Drawing, English Language and Geography.
College attended: Birkenhead Technical College - Birkenhead.
Qualifications gained: T.E.C. Level 5 (H.N.C. equivalent) - Electrical Engineering.Interests My interests are many and varied I enjoy good food and good wine, reading, studying history and politics. I am also a keen motorcyclist.