Project Management Support, State of Pennsylvania: The Public School Employees’ Retirement System - PSERS
Overview
The Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) was established on July 18, 1917, to provide retirement benefits to public school employees of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The members eligible to participate in the System include all full-time public school employees, part-time hourly public school employees who render at least 500 hours of service in the school year, and part-time per diem public school employees who render at least 80 days of service in the school year in any of the 775 reporting entities in Pennsylvania.
Project Scope
The State of Pennsylvania, The Public School Employees’ Retirement System - PSERS required Project Management expert for managing and administering all aspects of a critical project with ease, such as:
- Act 5 Implementation Project
- End-to-end Project Management working in tandem with executive leadership to manage program area staff
Solution
The objective of the project included Project Management support with proper communication skills by understanding the nuances of the project along with managing it offering timely escalations.
V Group supported the client by proper planning and setting the right tone by dividing the above Project into several phases with a streamlined approach. The Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) was developed with a comprehensive project plan.
To start with, addressing the needs, we helped the client in providing end to end project solution that was responsible for all aspects of the project for a successful completion adding great benefits and values. This allowed proper monitoring of the work performed and escalating risk deliverables, as and when they were needed driving business growth. Expertise in Project Management methodologies (EPMM, PMP, PMBoK, etc.) with exposure to LEAN and agile management concepts allowed the project to move ahead in a streamlined manner.
We helped in developing and maintaining an integrated global project plan, comprised of multiple, significant sub-projects including - scope statements, work performance measurements, activity and milestone lists, project schedule, human resource plans, team performance assessments, and communication management plan in accordance with PSERS and Commonwealth standards. We also provided assistance in developing project plans for not all but a few of the sub-projects associated with the implementation of Act 5.
As projects comprised of multiple deliverables, they were prioritized as per the need at that time with a streamlined approach and great productivity. Creation and management of the integrated project plan, monitoring of the Project milestones, execution of the project plan, project status, and meetings were done in a systematic manner with a focused approach to meeting the deadlines.
In addition, scope changes, risk, issue tracking/mitigation, and coordination across project teams, all the project plans were overlaid efficiently and effectively. Internal and external negotiations with the project teams (Internal customers, vendors) were done successfully and progress was traced from time to time to get the desired results. Scope, resources, timelines, costs/budget; quality, communication, and procurements were managed with dedication and attention.
With a strategic approach, we acted as the point of contact for escalations, status reports were prepared and presentations to management were given adhering to project management standards and methodologies. Effective development and execution of training and education on standard project management requirements and methods, facilitating meetings and reporting and creating models to improve business decisions were created.
With comprehensive analysis and understanding of the current environment, V Group Served as a liaison between Agency and the solution’s contract to help the client achieve desired goals within specific time and cost parameters, ensuring that all tasks added value and supported the strategic direction of the agency.