Experience

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  Self-employed

  • Sydney, Australia

  • Manager

    • Jul 2006 - Present
    • Sydney, Australia
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  Telstra Global

  • Sydney, Australia

  • Program Manager

    • Apr 2012 - Jan 2016
    • Sydney, Australia

    At Telstra Global, as a Program Manager, I directed research and build projects for a Telstra strategic customer, providing commercial management of a discreet customer contract. Parameters of project are confidential.

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  REACH

  • Sydney, AUS

  • Program Manager

    • Mar 2003 - Mar 2012
    • Sydney, AUS

    As a Program Manager for REACH, administered transmission and data projects, including the migration of the IPNOC from Sydney to Hong Kong and the implementation of a network asset data system CCMS. Led the design, demolition, and construction of a new data centre, a $10m project, in Sydney. Par...

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  AQSACOM

  • Melbourne, Australia

  • Program Manager

    • Jan 2008 - Feb 2009
    • Melbourne, Australia

    As a Program Manager for AQSACOM, I prepared the business case and implemented a new secure bureau operation for the Legal Interception community. The parameters of this project are confidential.

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  Prokop & Associates Pty Ltd

  • Sydney, NSW, Australia

  • Associate Director

    • Jul 2005 - Jul 2006
    • Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Prokop & Associates specialist Project & Program Management Consulting company with project expertise in Engineering, Telecommunications, Infrastructure, IT & Event industries .

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  Telstra

  • Australia
  • Telecommunications
  • 700 & Above Employee

  • Program Director

    • Jan 1999 - Feb 2003

    As a Program Director for Telstra, managed the Sydney project management team to execute sensitive product development projects in order to attain operational goals for Telstra Business Units. Provided varied leadership roles in the areas of commercial bids and negotiation, quality control, construction, and international engineering. Projects ranged from $5m to $10m, many of which were vital and complex strategic corporate projects that contributed significantly to operational goals.Administered a critical $10m international transmission and switching gateway upgrade project for the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. Delivered the project by its’ strict deadline, despite a last minute vendor failure to meet a software delivery requirement. Initiated a risk mitigation plan that ensured that the vendor met requirements on time.Developed and implemented a project for Reach Ltd, a $4 billion Telstra – PCCW joint venture, in order to separate the International business unit sales operations processes from the Telstra parent company’s domestic operation. This included the direction of a team of 10 project managers and technical writers. Re-engineered the billing, activation, and assurance processes of the international products being turned over. This project was achieved within three months to realize a strict delivery date.

  • General Manager

    • Jan 1997 - Dec 1998

    Created Telstra NZ’s Network Technology Group ($6m) and provided leadership for telecommunications operations. Administered all staffing, organisational planning, and business operations procedures for the Network Technology Group New Zealand. Directed a $150m, three-year CAPEX program and an annual OPEX program of $5m. Successfully led a team of dedicated operations staff to maintain service delivery during the six week Auckland Power Crisis, protecting a $100m/pa revenue.Negotiated the delivery of mobile access conditioning (Code 029) for the NZ Telecom Network, including interconnection, and a 40% reduction in network and data access costs.Created and implemented an Assurance and Activation Procedures/Work Instructions process to support released products.Inspired the staff towards continuous professional improvement. Introduced a quarterly bonus scheme to reward the team efforts.

  • International Business Development Manager

    • Jul 1994 - Dec 1996

    Responsible for NZ, UK, Eastern Europe and China.Supported our commercial managers in an endeavor to build and manage a dedicated data network for Guangdong Post and Telegraph. I lead a team of designers and constructors to support the presentation to the client.Lead a team to design and build a switching solution in response to a China Telecom Tender. This was approved by the management team, who then went ahead and presented it to the client.Prepared several satellite solutions for our satellite group, which was accepted by Chevron in Kazakhstan, another on Sakhalin Island and Almaty in Kazakhstan.One tasks in Almaty was to present to the Kazakhstan Government, proof that Telstra had spent the US$15m promised.My support for Telstra UK and Telstra NZ included their back of house systems provided by our IT group. This involved running continuous releases, delivering upgrades and fixes as required to their Administration, HR, Billing, Activation, Assurance and Network Management systems. Here I honed my skills in managing decentralised and cultural diverse teams in many time zones.In 1995 I was instructed by a senior Telstra Executive to build the Telstra NZ technical solution as fast as possible. This meant acquiring a suitable site for switching, data and transmission equipment. This was achieved in 1996. In late 1996, lead a bid team to respond to a Shell NZ tender. The bid was unsuccessful but only because Telstra NZ having only commenced operations in 1995 did not have a long enough track record in NZ for Shell NZ to commit to. The team was applauded for the quality of the submission.Supported and contributed to the International engineering team attaining ISO 9000 certification.

  • Construction Manager

    • Jul 1992 - Jun 1994

    Lead and managed a team of technical staff installing and upgrading mobile base stations and customer 2 Mb links in South Australia and the Northern Territory.Mobile work involved upgrading existing analogue sites, converting analogue sites to digital sites. It also saw the establishment of new digital sites. The teams would also carry out the detailed commissioning and cutovers.The 2Mb work entailed the delivery of digital data solutions to customers who expected immediate install timings. This was despite the provisioning systems then employed, often requiring lead times of 3 to 6 months. It was a credit to our teams ability to find many ways of delivering, despite the systems that supported us. I was personally involved in the process improvement efforts, to try to resolve these delays.Seconded by the National Manager Construction to join a team in Sydney to investigate project management software tools to increase the oversight and management of the Construction Branch's CAPEX program.

  • Construction Manager

    • Feb 1990 - Jun 1992

    Managed a team building and commissioning transmission networks for the NT Region. One of these projects saw the digital transmission technology on optical fibre replace the Overland Telegraph analogue line between Adelaide and Darwin.Supported and contributed to the process improvement improvement programmes working towards AS3901 and ISO9000 accreditation. This was achieved by the SA/NT region followed by the National organisation shortly afterwards.

  • International Project Manager

    • Jul 1989 - Jan 1990

    Seconded to Olex Australia to establish a project office in Bombay (Mumbai) India. This project managed the design and install of a fibre optic cable solution between the India Petrochemical Company's facilities in Mumbai and its plant south of the city. This involved the establishment of the office, administration staff and communications. It also involved representing Olex at project meetings with the client. My work was completed when the Olex Project Director was appointed and took over.Olex then deployed me to Islamabad, Pakistan to plan their cable requirements and delivery schedule for a Islamabad to Karachi fibre optic cable route.Olex also deployed me on another contract in Cochin, India for a fibre optic cable solution for a Reliance requirement.Unfortunately I suffered a stroke brought about by a tropical infection caught whilst overseas. This meant that I could not work in the International arena until I recovered.

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  Telecom Australia

  • Communications Consultant

    • Dec 1986 - Jun 1989

    Part of a team established by the NT Regional Manager to manage the Government and Mining Industry communications needs.Provided the first ITERRA Customer installation for HeliMuster, operating out of the Victoria River Downs station.At this time BP was drilling for oil in the Timor Sea, and engaged our group to investigate ways of improving communications from there drilling platforms offshore. This was done using a fixed satellite terminal solution to start with. It provided significant operational cost savings to BP.Our group was sub-contracted by the South Australian Commercial Projects Group to manage the communications contract for the new Tindal Airforce Base. This project was successfully completed in 1988.Defence also tasked us with providing satellite communications for their forward radar requirements, which saw us develop a portable solution, capable of being towed and transported by RAAF Hercules.The mining community had many a varied needs which we were able to meet to the customers satisfaction.

  • Technical Officer

    • Oct 1985 - Nov 1986

    Coordinated the design and construction of the telecommunications solution for the Amadeus to Darwin Gas Pipeline.This included the communications support for the 3 spread contractors using the ITERRA satellite solution. We had to develop new products to allow the spread camps to follow the construction of the pipeline as they moved.One major achievement was the legal acceptance of faxed welding reports to Sydney for legal acceptance of each weld, before the next join in the pipeline could be welded. This replaced the need for telexed reports which were unworkable at the spread camps.

  • Technical Officer

    • Jul 1985 - Sep 1985

    Engineering support. Maintaining numbering plans and coding records.

  • Acting Technical Officer

    • Jan 1984 - Jun 1985

    Lead a team managing the top end HF Radio network providing telephone services to the outback stations and aboriginal communities of the Top End of the Northern Territory.Lead the upgrade project to all of the base station equipment from RACAL to CODAN.

  • Technician

    • Jan 1981 - Dec 1983

    Member of a team maintaining exchange, transmission and customer equipment including HF Radio services to outback stations in the top end of the NT. This included the repeater stations on the Darwin to Mount Isa microwave route.

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  St. John Ambulance Northern Territory Australia

  • Katherine NT

  • Regional Ambulance Officer

    • Nov 1979 - Dec 1980
    • Katherine NT

    Established and managed the Katherine Region St. John Ambulance Service. This service covered the top half of the NT excluding the Darwin area.This provided the emergency medical services for the region supported by full time and volunteer resources. I managed the first aid and ambulance transpor...

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  Telecom Australia

  • Bordertown South Australia

  • Acting Technical Officer

    • Jan 1975 - Oct 1979
    • Bordertown South Australia

    Lead a team of technical staff maintaining subscriber services, exchanges transmission links and interstate microwave links in the Bordertown region of South Australia.

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  Post Master Generals Department

  • Bordertown SA

  • Technician

    • Jan 1968 - Dec 1974
    • Bordertown SA

    Member of a team of technical staff maintaining subscriber services, exchanges transmission links and interstate microwave links in the Bordertown region of South Australia.

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  Post Master Generals Department (PMG)

  • South Australia, Australia

  • Technician in Training

    • Jan 1963 - Dec 1967
    • South Australia, Australia

    Started training in the PMG TIT school in Adelaide SA. Spent the early years on rotation in all areas of the PMG engineering operations in Adelaide before moving to Bordertown SA maintaining most technologies deployed at that time, including Manual switchboards, automatic exchanges and long line ...