The retail group operated in 26 countries and ran a central IT portfolio management.
My role as strategic IT portfolio manager was to invest purposefully and optimize resource usage along with the team. We focused on digitizing wholesale and our own transformation into an agile IT service provider. I reported to the executive board and the CIO.
Preparing decision papers and creating presentations.
Providing transparency with up-to-date dashboards.
Administrative and operational advising of project managers and teams.
Coordinating and validating status reports, documents, and budgets.
Conducting steering committees and cross-functional meetings.
Collaborating closely with IT experts in security, risk, and data management to integrate risks and opportunities into project evaluations.
Skills and Tools for Strategic IT Portfolio Management: Lean Portfolio Management, PPM, Multi-Project Management, PMO, Stakeholder Management, Strategy, Digitization, Workshops, Controlling, Business Cases, Risk Management, Decision Management, Think Cell, CIP, C-Level.
The challenge in “agilizing” strategic IT portfolio management was transforming the PPM process into an agile framework in a hybrid project environment.
Introducing a structured, agile decision-making process.
Making portfolio decisions more data-driven instead of expert-based—in close coordination with experts in security, risk, and data management.
Shortening decision intervals to 3 months instead of 6 or 12.
Tracking success via metrics instead of KPIs (OKR instead of business cases).
Implementing a continuous improvement process as part of supporting change management and lean management.
Communicating with C-Level, the board, and operational levels.
Administrative and operational advising of project managers and teams.
Skills and Tools for “Agilizing”: Lean Portfolio Management, PPM, Multi-Project Management, PMO, Change Management, Business Cases, Controlling, SCRUM, PRINCE2, KPI, Metrics, OKR, CIP, DMS, Explainer Videos, Stakeholder Management.
The goal in expanding the IT portfolio management tool into an agile framework was to extend and adapt the tool I developed according to the agilization of the PPM process. The environment was very heterogeneous, hybrid, cross-business-unit, and constantly changing. The PPM tool had to respond quickly and flexibly and relieve management through automation.
Connecting with peripheral IT governance processes/interfaces.
Integrating corporate controlling, linking business, IT, and operations.
Increasing value through dashboards, refining UX, and adding features.
Communicating with C-Level, coordinating collaboration with cross-sectional companies and internal cross-functional teams.
Skills and Tools for expanding the IT portfolio management tool: SCRUM, (Lean) PPM, PMO, BPMN, Business Case, Metrics, Jira, Low-Code Workflow Platform K2, Visio, Azure DevOps, SAP, EAM, BizDevOps, Stakeholder Management, Change Management, Continuous Improvement Process CIP, DMS, Workshops
My interim role focused on supporting strategic PPM in day-to-day operations.
Administrative and operational advising of project managers and teams.
Providing transparency with up-to-date status reports.
Monitoring project progress and managing dependencies.
Preparing decision papers.
Conducting structured decision-making processes.
Coordinating and validating status reports, documents, and budgets.
Skills and Tools for supporting Strategic IT Portfolio Management: Interim Management, Stakeholder Management, PPM, PMO, Business Analysis, Process Consulting, Controlling, Trello, Jira, Confluence, Think Cell.
When evolving the PPM tool from interim to permanent, after a failed standard software rollout, the interim solution I developed and that worked very well was expanded into the permanent solution.
Aligning with PPM business and peripheral business/IT stakeholders.
Developing a product vision and roadmap, maintaining the product backlog.
Managing implementation.
Customizing workflows on the Low-Code Workflow Platform K2.
Skills and Tools for evolving the PPM tool: PRINCE2, PPM, PM, Business Case, Metrics, KPI, OKR, BPMN, Low-Code Workflow Platform K2, Visio, Azure DevOps, Jira, Confluence, SAP, EAM, DMS, Stakeholder Management, Requirement Management, Continuous Improvement CIP
The task in evaluating a new PPM standard software (SaaS) in a corporate environment was to assess a portfolio management solution. The challenge was that a very complex and conflicting requirement landscape met a complex vendor market. I developed a generic decision matrix.
Creating a comprehensive decision matrix that yields an objective result.
Capturing user stories from all roles (across all hierarchy levels and cross-functional teams of an international corporation) and weighting them.
Analyzing 9 software offerings, conducting application tests, exchanging experiences with other companies, and meeting with vendors.
Skills and Tools for evaluation: PPM, PM, Requirement Management, Decision Management, Process Consulting, IT Consulting, EAM, SAP, Confluence, Stakeholder Management.
In designing and implementing a central IT portfolio management tool (interim solution), the newly established IT portfolio management needed a management and decision tool that could be rolled out quickly, was “management-ready,” and could flexibly respond to constantly changing requirements.
Capturing current and target processes of IT PPM.
Designing and implementing it on the low-code platform K2.
The PPM tool was meant to set new standards for modern tools in the company: enjoyable to work with, user interface and usability were highly demanded by the customer and were implemented to full satisfaction.
Skills and Tools for design and implementation: PRINCE2, PM, Process Consulting, UI-UX, BPMN, Low-Code Workflow K2, Visio, Azure DevOps, SAP, EAM, DMS, Requirement Management, Product Management, Design Thinking
When designing a new company-wide IT project management approach, the rigid and tool-heavy ISO-certified enterprise-level project management was replaced by a framework-setting “Project Framework.”
Designing a new project management process based on PRINCE2.
A disruptive approach with very complex and tension-rich requirements gathering.
Leading the change management team.
Skills and Tools for design: PRINCE2, PM, Change Management, Multi-Project Management, PMO, Disruption, Workshops, Process Consulting, Requirement Management.
To support project and program managers in designing and implementing a “digital project folder,” a project management tool was developed, rolled out, and continuously improved.
Designing and implementing a “digital project folder” on the low-code workflow platform K2.
Customizing the workflow on the low-code platform K2.
Consolidating with central governance processes and tools.
Building and leading the key user group.
Maintaining the product backlog.
Participating and mediating in committees and expert groups as a change agent.
Skills and Tools for the “digital project folder”: PRINCE2, PM, PMO, Key User, Design Thinking, Visio, Azure DevOps, Low-Code Workflow Platform K2, HP PPM, SAP, EAM, Stakeholder Management, DMS, Change Management, Requirement Management, Product Management, Workshops.
During the rollout of the new IT project management “Project Framework,” the framework initiated at the enterprise level in the previous project was now rolled out to divisions and departments, and staff were empowered to work with it.
Developing internal specifications and allowable margins within the strategic project framework.
Communicating and integrating with peripheral governance processes.
Collaborating with committees and department heads.
Training and documentation for about 150 employees.
Skills and Tools for rollout: PRINCE2, PM, PMO, Change Management, Multi-Project Management, Stakeholder Management, Workshops, Process Consulting, HP PPM, SAP IM/PS, DMS
I help large companies make teams effective, processes efficient, and results sustainable. My focus is on holistic process management, managing implementation in the front and back office as a project manager, PMO, and change manager. I really enjoy diving into new topics and projects quickly and bringing stakeholders together for further developments. This breaks down barriers so we not only talk but also implement safely and efficiently. With 20 years of experience as a process and project management consultant and as an accompanying IT manager in DAX companies and in international corporate environments, I’m a competent contact for your projects.
I’m known for strong strategic and conceptual thinking, and a methodical, structured work style. I see the big picture, quickly recognize connections, and communicate between business areas and IT on equal terms. I’m fit and eager to learn—professionally, technically, or personally—there’s no standing still for me.
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