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Jane Loewen - Business Resume

 

PROFILE:

Highly skilled documentation expert, business analyst and trainer looking to use her communication and analytical skills within a progressive and challenging environment.

Summary of Qualifications:

  • Over 22 years of IT-related business experience across various industries including financial services, telecommunications, legal/accounting firms and government

  • Seasoned technical writer/documentation specialist with over 13 years’ experience

    • Expertise in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio and FrontPage

    • Writer of user manuals, policy and procedure documents, process-map flowcharts, customized forms, templates, RFP responses, staff communications, business plans, technical guides

    • Competent and creative in all standard media including print, online and web

    • Adept at SME interviews and independent research

    • Superb at standardizing the “look and feel” of a company’s documentation

  • Accomplished business analyst for over 13 years

    • Business requirement determination for either new applications or enhancements to current ones

    • Gap analysis, JAD session facilitation, process analysis and documentation, functional specs

    • Proficient in working at all business levels, from senior management to front line staff

  • Effective trainer/teacher in corporate settings for over 13 years

    • User training material development, hands-on training delivery (one-to-one and classroom)

    • Ongoing first and second level user support/troubleshooting in post-training period

  • QA testing experience that includes over 12 years of successful, thorough application testing

    • Test case assessment, writing test scripts, executing tests in controlled environment

    • Logging problems and following through to successful resolution

    • Parallel tests for conversion/migration situations

  • Top-notch communication and people skills, enhanced by a warm, enthusiastic personality

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Skills:

  • Technical writing and editing

  • Business analysis

  • Training

  • Testing

  • Facilitating

  • Public speaking

  • Workshop presentations

  • Research

  • Web design

 

Work Experience:

Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Global Core Operations

Technical Writer     (contract, Sept. 2005 to March 2006)

  • Wrote "knowledge items" that provided step-by-step procedures for problem resolution of common service requests, for use by internal Help Desk personnel

  • Designed and wrote detailed user guides and "Quick Reference" cards for customized applications upon request from the Training and Development group

  • Wrote user communications for upcoming implementations

  • Created testing and error logs to track testing of enhancements to a bank-wide internal Service Request system; performed testing, documented steps and results, worked with developer to fix errors and followed through until resolution


 

ACI Worldwide (Canada), Software and Services Division

Technical Writer     (contract, May 2004 to April 2005)

  • Wrote and edited documentation for major project partnered with HP/TD Bank (upgrading BASE24 on TD ABMs) using MS Word, Excel, Visio and PowerPoint

    • Process and procedures documents, QA material, customized forms, templates, spreadsheets, etc.

  • Designed web pages (in HTML) for Software and Services group on company’s intranet, with links to project documentation

  • Converted project Word documents into Help files (.chm format) for online search capability


 

Hewlett-Packard (Canada), Business Process and Knowledge Management

Technical Writer     (contract, July to September 2003)

  • Created business process documents and templates for Business Process Design team using MS Word and Visio

  • Revised existing documentation on Knowledge Management database to ensure compliance to corporate standards

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Ontario Government, Integrated Justice Project

Technical Writer     (contract, July to December 2002)

  • Created technical documentation as required for the Technical Architecture team of an Ontario Government cross-Ministry project (e.g. server installation guides, ‘Proof of Concept’ testing strategies) using MS Word and Visio

  • Designed templates to provide standardized format for team usage

  • Proofed/edited all team documents for external distribution


     

Nortel Networks/PricewaterhouseCoopers, Payroll System Design Project

Session Facilitator/Documentation Specialist     (contract, December 2001)

  • Facilitated IT cross-functional team sessions for an end-to-end design review of major payroll systems redesign project

  • Prepared strategic agenda and critical support materials for sessions

  • Led sessions, capturing issues, gaps, key points, deliverables and conclusions on flip charts, and mediating where necessary

  • Created documentation to summarize session proceedings and results: executive summary (high-level objectives and deliverables), action items, issues log, agenda/minutes (from scribe’s transcriptions), etc. using MS Word, Excel and Visio


Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Credit Process Re-Engineering Project

Business Analyst/Technical Writer     (contract, March to August 2001)

  • Developed business requirements for Fulfillment and People Design/Training sub-projects on the Process Design team of a bank-wide credit re-engineering project, defining impact on these areas of the process redesign

  • Created business process documents including process mapping Visio flowcharts, Excel spreadsheets and matrices, PowerPoint presentations, and other documentation as required by the project

  • Edited all material produced by other team members

  • Prepared information packages for key stakeholders, and communicated with them and business unit representatives to clarify issues, business processes and data analysis results, and to obtain approval/signoff on corresponding documentation

 

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Manulife Financial, Application Services Division

Technical Writer     (contract, December 2000 to February 2001)

  • Created and revised technical documents for the desktop applications supported by the IS Application Services group

  • Designed templates for standardized format


Ajilon Canada

Technical Writer/Researcher     (special assignment, November 2000)

  • Wrote Contractor’s Guide for Ajilon Canada to use with large-scale clients, outlining contractor/client responsibilities

    • Pilot handbook was written for those working at Hewlett-Packard, and involved researching, designing and writing both general and specific information related to all aspects of the work environment, as well as accountabilities to Ajilon

    • Created major section on Health and Safety, using material gathered from Internet and other sources


EDULINX Canada Corporation, Policies and Procedures Department

Technical Writer     (contract, July to November 2000)

  • Produced user guide, training material and customized forms for new in-house applications used for student loan financing

  • Wrote and revised policy and procedure documents, process mapping flows (in Visio), user guides, business plans for new project presentations and RFP responses (including 300-page Federal Government RFP response document that subsequently won)

  • Set up Lotus Notes database (sections, documents, links) for internal use of all RFP-related material

  • Assisted business analysts in documentation related to new application development projects


Legal Aid Ontario

Technical Writer/Business Analyst     (contract, January to April 2000)

  • Wrote AS/400 user manuals for IS department to provide screen samples, field explanations/specifications and operating procedures for various segments of the business process, such as:

    • Day-end, month-end and year-end procedures

    • Inquiry functions

    • Processing/data entry functions

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PricewaterhouseCoopers, Global Technology Solutions - Documentation Services

Technical Writer     (contract, September to December 1999)

  • Wrote technical documentation for ongoing projects and applications as member of Applications Support documentation team, including:

    • User guides and training material

    • Standard operating procedures

    • Y2K contingency plans, backup procedures, etc.

    • End user communication (e.g. wrote the corporation-wide internal communication outlining system availability/schedules, year-end Y2K tasks each user should perform before Dec. 31, etc.)

  • Researched customized “hotel reservation” desktop application already in use, and wrote detailed user guide for shutdown and startup procedures, collaborating with business unit managers in Toronto and Chicago


Royal LePage, Y2K Project - Residential & Corporate Division

Business Analyst/Technical Writer/Tester     (contract, January to June 1999)

  • Gathered business requirements related to Y2K readiness of desktop applications being used by residential and corporate real estate staff, and performed analysis on findings to create business cases of modifications needed, testing to be done, etc.

  • Wrote detailed test plans for the applications determined to be Y2K non-compliant, and conducted testing in lab environment

  • Analyzed test results, logged errors, ensured resolution, and subsequently obtained business manager signoff when complete

  • Prepared all relevant documentation to meet project and corporate requirements, including end user communications


Bell Sygma/CGI, Bell Canada 'BESI' Server Infrastructure & Desktop Modernization Project

Technical Writer/Business Analyst/Trainer    (contract, December 1997 to September 1998)

  • Produced all required documentation for BESI Deployment team on nation-wide Bell Canada project of deploying and standardizing 38,000 workstations on NT domain, including:

    • Internal team manuals (e.g. Installation Manual, Control Centre Procedures Manual)

    • Process mapping flow charts and data flow diagrams (in Visio)

    • User training material (e.g. application procedures, reference guides)

    • End user communications (e.g. 'Welcome Package' provided to each user at deployment, letters, e-mail announcements)

    • Customized forms (e.g. installer worksheets, checklists, department/client signoff forms)

  • Worked with team project managers to analyze business requirements and define business process

  • Trained other team members and business unit managers on use of the new forms and documents, both in printed format and using online access/updates

  • Presented business process documents and corresponding user requirements at project workshops attended by major stakeholders across Bell Canada

  • Facilitated JAD sessions, and formalized results in detailed written communications to attendees and other interested parties

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CGI Group, Electronic Commerce Division

Business Analyst     (1997)

  • Analyzed business requirements for migration of client ABM machines to a new banking switch product developed in-house (based on ACI Base 24 software)

  • Created required documentation, such as project task matrices and schedules, user task requirements, spreadsheets

  • Communicated user responsibilities to representatives in business unit communities, and provided support as required


Scotiabank, Domestic Customer Service Centre 

Computer Specialist     (contract, 1995 to 1997)

  • Updated sections of Policy and Procedure manuals as required by new system applications


Bank of America Canada, Foreign Currency Services Division

Business Analyst/Systems Liaison/Technical Writer/Trainer     (1990 to 1995)

  • Wrote all user manuals (operations, trading, accounting) for customized in-house banking applications on AS/400

  • Trained staff on system and application usage – menus, screens, field values, department functions, reports, etc.

  • Worked as key analyst on system development team, responsible for designing and enhancing in-house AS/400 programs for online foreign exchange trading and related back-office functions (accounts, settlements, customer service, etc.)

    • Accomplishments: project management, developing and testing new programs (in conjunction with user community and in-house programmers), problem analysis, writing user manuals, and providing ongoing user training and first-level support

  • Special assignments:

    • Automation of Sydney, Australia branch to AS/400 system in February 1993 (on-site in Sydney for one month)

      • Organized project, wrote user manuals, oversaw conversion, ensured proper results (balancing, account reconciliations)

      • Trained all Australia users on use of new system and processes:  traders, operations, customer service

    • Conversion from IBM system 36 to AS/400 in April 1991 (Toronto head office)

      • Designed and carried out extensive test plan including several parallel tests with user community

      • Performed problem discovery and resolution on test results

      • Provided staff training (pre- and post-conversion) and ongoing user support


 

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Pre-1990 Employment History:

1987 - 1989         Bank of Montreal   (Computer Specialist, Purchasing Manager)
1984 - 1986         Office Automation   (Account Executive)
1984                   Israel Discount Bank   (Business and Systems Analyst/Trainer)
1983 - 1984         Canada Trust   (Savings Supervisor)
1982 - 1983         Continental Trust   (Systems Liaison/Supervisor/Trainer)
1977 - 1979         Royal Trust   (Assistant Manager, Savings Supervisor, Teller)

 

Technical Expertise:

Tools:  MS Office XP, 2000 and 97 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access), Project, Visio, FrontPage/HTML, iGrafx, RoboHelp, Adobe Acrobat, PDF Converter, PhotoDeluxe, Internet Explorer, Netscape, Lotus Notes, WordPerfect

 

Platforms:  Windows (XP, 2000, 98, 95, 3.1, NT);  IBM AS/400, System 36

 

Relevant Courses:

University of Toronto course “Computer Concepts and Applications”

  • finished first in class, final mark of 95%; perfect marks in Basic programming and Lotus assignments

 

Royal Trust Head Office

  • successfully completed extensive supervisory training program offered for management personnel

 

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Education:

Bachelor of Music degree: University of Toronto (1989) - Music Education/Voice

Awards:  Neil D. Graham Graduating Scholarship, William Croombs Memorial Scholarship, Rosedale IODE Award in Music, Barry Manilow Scholarship, Clementina Sauro Memorial Award, and Dean’s Honour List
 

Bachelor of Arts degree: McMaster University (1975) - Sociology

Full scholarship from Ford Motor Company of Canada
 

Grade 13 Honours Diploma: Richview Collegiate Institute (1972) – Math and Languages

Ontario Scholar

 

Community Involvements:

IT-related:  Volunteer at CNIB Recording Studio, working both as technician (using DAISY recording software) and narrator

 

Other:  Private teacher (singing), musician (singer/pianist), volunteer performer at hospitals/nursing homes, Royal Conservatory of Music Examiner and Workshop Specialist

 

References available on request

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Web Design by Jane Loewen        Webmaster e-mail: jane@janeloewen.com
Last updated: August 15, 2006