bio:
Ajay Kabra PROCESS EXCELLENCE & QUALITY / SOFTWARE CONSULTING/PROJECT MANAGEMENT - Over 22 years of impressive experience in project delivery... Read More
Ajay Kabra
PROCESS EXCELLENCE & QUALITY / SOFTWARE CONSULTING/PROJECT MANAGEMENT -
Over 22 years of impressive experience in project delivery, implementation of software systems & quality processes
- Seasoned, technically inclined and highly empowered professional with incredible experience acquired over the years in diverse areas encompassing, agile scrum, test management, project management, end-to-end business delivery, Pre-sales, executing & implementing high valued projects for niche customers and emerging technology in various industry verticals spanning Defense, Banking, Telecom, Systems Integration, IT/ITES
- Extensive experience in the implementation of Agile Scrum practices, Tetsing practices, CMM, CMMi & Agile, PMP, PRINCE2 based consultancy support, new IP/ Product development, setting-up testing centers in offshore locations, client relationship management and business development
- Proven ability to present solution strategy, testing capabilities and service offerings to the clients & various high level dignitaries; participate in technical discussion, bidding activities, responding to RFPs/ RFQs and developing project proposals,
- Solutions oriented with progressive experience & professional competencies in Need Assessment, Business Process understanding, Requirement Mapping, Application Development, Testing, Procedure Development, Training, Business Process Re-engineering and Project Documentation
- Incredibly hardworking and an assertive people manager with demonstrated capabilities in directing large workforce having varied skill sets and ensuring optimal resource utilization.
- Responsible for liaising with clients, resource mobilization, project documentations and ensuring quality delivery. Demonstrates an extremely high level of accuracy and attention to detail. Possess keen business acumen in analyzing and understanding business requirements, customer-value maximization and developing new business processes.
- Proactive and goal-oriented leader with established record of success in leading corporate technology initiatives; equipped with outstanding communication and motivational abilities to facilitate attainment of strategic goals and bottom line objectives
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
- Meticulously managed large projects worth INR 25 Million - 2 Projects in Cairo, Egypt
- Successfully leading the Agile Scrum Practice in QAI India, providing high end consulting for implementing Agile Scrum practices and developing new IP for Agile-Scrum methodologies
- Successfully completed 69 formal appraisals across the global and continents for various organizations using SW CMM and CMMI as benchmarking reference models
- Offered a variety of CMM, CMMI and Agile Scrum based consultancy and training services to a number of clients in USA, UK, Russia, Malaysia, Dubai, Korea, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Egypt, Ukraine, UAE, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Philippines, Turkey and India.
- Managed large projects handling 5 customers in a single contract in Bangladesh and 40 customers in 2 contracts in Egypt - Role - As a Project Manager
- Specialization in Non Model consulting - Focus on Business Process Improvement
- Involved in Managing activities, people and budgets required to successfully complete projects for an On time, On Budget and On Scope
- Demonstrate value-centered and performance-focused approach in achieving the results in demanding scenarios specialization in Non Model consulting and emphasize on Business Process Improvement
- Accountable for Delivering profitable results across multiple business lines in QAI India Ltd
- Actively involved in developing new IP for Agile-Scrum methodologies.
- Serviced multiple fortune 500 companies with consulting, implementation support of process improvement, using standard industry benchmark frameworks like SW CMM, CMMI, ISO, Agile Scrum, Project Management and Six Sigma
- Proven expertise in offering a variety of CMM, CMMI and Agile based consultancy and training services to a number of clients in USA, UK, Russia, Malaysia, Dubai, South Korea, Japan, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand, China, Egypt, Ukraine, UAE, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and India.
- Successfully carried functions as an Independent Consultant with JP Morgan Chase based at their New York offices for a world wide support (Delaware, Houston, Glasgow, and London).
- Mentored 2500+ professionals, and has conducted more than 50+ Public Workshops of SEI’s Official 3-day Introduction to CMMI workshop across the global. Has conducted a number of Corporate Trainings in area of Agile Test Management, Concepts of Testing, Testing using Metrics and Measurement, Estimation, Project Management, Risk Management and Structured Testing, Requirements Management, Metrics, Internal Audits, Agile Scrum, Statistical Control and Concepts, CMMI related High Maturity trainings, etc.
- Has assisted clients to set up testing centers in offshore locations as a line of business.
Educational Background and Certifications:
Pursuing Executive MBA from Bombay University
- 1st Semester Completed - Scored 77.1%,
- 2nd Semester Completed - Scored 80%,
- 3rd Semsster - Completed - Results Awaited , Expected in Late March 2012
Pursuing Post Graduation Diploma in Operations Management from Symbiosis Institute of Management Studies - (Currently on – scheduled completion Dec 2013)
Diploma in Software Quality Assurance from NMIMS, Bombay – 1997
Diploma in Computer Applications from NCC UK – 1989
Diploma in Computer Programming from Aptech – 1989
Professional Qualifications / Certifications
- High Maturity Lead Appraiser for CMMI® for Development V1.2 (2001 – March 2010)
- SEISM Authorized Instructor: Introduction to CMMI® for Development V1.3 (Since 2010 - Current)
- SEISM Authorized Instructor: Introduction to CMMI® for Development V1.2 (Since 2002 - Nov 2011 - Model Sun-Setted)
- Certified PMP, Project Management Institute (Since 2010)
- Certified PRINCE2 Practitioner - APMG, UK (Since 2011)
- Certified Scrum Master (Since 2010)
- Certified PMP-ACP (Agile Certified Practioner), Project Management Institute - (Since Oct 2011)
- Six Sigma Black Belt (Since 2007)
- ITIL Foundation V2 Certified (Since 2008)
- ITIL Foundation V3 Certified (Since 2010)
- Certified Quality Assurance (CQA) (Since 1996)
- Certified Software Test Engineer (CSTE) (Since 1997)
- Certification in Total Quality Management (Since March 2011)
- Certification in Business Continuity and Disaster planning (Since March 2011)
- Certified Software Business Analyst (CSBA) (Since - March 2011)
- Recognized Trainer for "Mastering Agile Scrum" Workshop of QAI India Ltd (only resource of QAI India)
work:
Principal Consultant at QAI India Ltd
Mumbai,
India
May 2004-Present
Principal Consultant / High Maturity, Testing, Agile Scrum, Project Management (PMP, PRINCE2) Consultant, since Mar 2010
Involved with 2 customers to implement Scrum Practices.
@ One of the Client in Ukraine - Participated @ Client Site to develop a new Agile Scrum Variant, which used the basic concepts of Scrum, Participated in development, review and post implementation review of the Agile Scrum practices in the Organization. Performed Internal Audits and Gap Analysis on the process implementation
@ One of the Client in India - Participated @ Client Site to develop a processes based on Scrum, which used the basic concepts of Scrum, Participated in development, review and post implementation review of the Scrum practices in the Organization. Performed Scrum Trainings, Internal Audits and Gap Analysis on the process implementation. Participated in the implementation as Scrum Master, Performed all elements / role of Scrum Master
Providing project management consulting services to various customers, using Agile Scrum, PMP and PRINCE 2 approaches, this includes Gap Analysis, training, acting as Scrum Masters (for berif period of 4 months) assistance in developing relevant templates, guidelines and checklists as needed for the required environment.
Invovled with Organizations to implement Agile Scrum Practices, Provided relevant trainings on Agile Scrum approaches and practices to various levels of management at the customer environment (Multiple Clients).
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High Maturity Lead Appraiser & Principal Consultant May 2004 – Mar 2010
Involved in process consulting and Formal Appraisals for organization using CMMI for Development , performing Gap Analysis, Spot Checks, SCAMPI Class “B” and “C” appraisals as Formal Appraisals, i.e. SCAMPI Class “A”
Conducted SEI Authorized Introduction to CMMI for Development
Launched the only CMMI High Maturity course globally which is currently the only course available in a public mode, India and Asia-Pac)
Lead Project Teams as a Project Director Cum Manager for delivering High end solutions on Process Improvement in Egypt with a team size of 14+ resources (achieved ON TIME, ON BUDGET AND ON SCOPE COMMITMENTS)
Lead Project Teams as a Project Manager for delivering High end solutions on Process Improvement in Dhaka with a team size of 6+ resources (achieved ON TIME, ON BUDGET AND ON SCOPE COMMITMENTS)
2004-Present
Quality Consultant and CMMI LA at JP Morgan Chase
New York, New York
United States
May 1998-April 2004
Involved in process consulting, conducting Formal Appraisals for organization using SW CMM and CMMI for Development, performing Gap Analysis, Spot Checks, SCAMPI Class “B” and “C” appraisals, Formal Appraisals, i.e. SCAMPI Class “A”
Conducting SEI Authorized Introduction to CMMI for Development
Performed Quality Audits (Internal Audits), developed monthly dashboards for CIO
Assisted in setting up Near Shore location (Houston)
Successfully performed 17 formal appraisals within a span of 6 years
Successfully supporting 250 resources in New York
1998-2004
Project Manager / Test Manager at TANDON INFORMATION SOLUTIONS
Mumbai,
India
October 1994-February 1998
Quality Manager – Testing, Aug 1995 – Feb 1998
Instrumental in setting up independent testing function for TIS
Managed a team for 4 resources and led the Testing Team of 2 resources for an onsite testing project (using automated testing tools)
Initiated the certification for ISO 9001
Lead Testing Teams as Project Manager for a Onshore assignment, Setup the Testing Centre of excellence for the client using proven automated testing tools and technologies
Project Manager, Oct 1994 – Aug 1995
Successfully executed and managed two projects - HRMS & Payroll and ERP for Manufacturing
Role in the HRMS - Project Lead and in ERP - Sr. Systems Analyst cum Lead
Led the first international project for Client ADP (Formerly jETECH) and performed early outsourcing
Role - Project Manager cum Coordinator for jETECH, Client based in LA, USA
1994-1998
Project Leader at PRAGATI SOFTWARE PVT LTD
Mumbai,
India
March 1993-September 1994
Managed multiple projects and involved in overall project planning, business analysis, system design, development and implementation support
Managed a team of 8 members across multiple projects and primarily handled transaction processing including Financial Packages, Inventory Management, Payroll Packages for various Teksons, Meghraj Financials, Gammon India, Texport Textiles, etc., using Clipper, dBase IV
1993-1994
Programmer / Developer at Rallis India Ltd
Mumbai,
India
April 1990-February 1993
Involved in designing, developing and implementation of Order Processing System for the Pharma division of the company using MS COBOL, Clipper, dBase IV, as well as provided implementation support to the system
Performed High level analysis and provided training to users across all depots of Rallis India
1990-1993
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| Location: | Mumbai, India |
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