Section 4 – Work Experience

Project Manager at a fund management organisation: the aim of the project was to demonstrate to the regulator that clients had not been disadvantaged as a result of errors in client accounting.  This involved:

  • - Preparation of the project initiation document
  • - Development of a test plan to satisfy the regulators
  • - Management of a team of six staff
  • - Management reporting
  • - Liaison with external parties

Management post at a major retail bank, where responsibilities included the selection of a new planning and budgeting tool.  This included:

  • - Requirement gathering and terms of reference
  • - Preparation of the ITT (Invitation to Tender)
  • - Evaluation of responses to the ITT
  • - Management of supplier visits and demonstrations
  • - Research into supplier references
  • - Facilitation of the decision process

Management post at a major US investment bank: the candidate helped manage a programme to renovate the listed derivative back office processes and systems.  Responsibilities included:

  • - Detailed project plan preparation
  • - Implementation of project reporting system and processes
  • - Project management on sub-projects within the programme
In this final section you should use one to two pages to back up the statements you have made on the first page with more contextual evidence.  Experience is not laid out in chronological order, so projects can be selected and given priority listing if they are particularly relevant to the post.  John Smith has chosen to demonstrate his suitability for this particular role by ensuring that two projects relating to reporting and budgeting systems are right at the top of the CV.

The reader will have been looking for:

  • - Project management skills
  • - A suitable qualification
  • - Experience of systems selection management
  • - An understanding of the budgeting process
  • - Sector expertise
  • - Experience of managing a systems rollout in the finance function

John can tick all of these boxes, and has ensured that the reader can see that.  John is likely to be a serious contender to be short-listed for this particular role.