July 1994 - July 1995

NatWest Life Assurance, Trinity Quay, Bristol

Contract Configuration Manager

Skills Used:

MS-DOS 6.2, MS Windows 3.11, MS Office 4.3, Lotus Ami-Pro.

I joined NatWest Life Assurance initially as a System Tester working on POS system being developed both in-house and with outside suppliers for release at Christmas 1994. However, shortly after starting, I was seconded to the Configuration team for Project Luke, the aim of which was to re-equip the sales force with the best facilities in the industry. The system entailed each seller (approx. 2500) having a 486 laptop with Financial Planning System, Gemini Comms and associated POS software. Lead and diary information would be transmitted to mainframe via X25 links for further processing, acknowledgements being transmitted back to each laptop either in the current or later transmission session. Configuration work encompassed the following duties: Responsibility for building and maintaining a database of 10,000+ software and documentation items residing on 15 different hardware platforms in several locations in the UK. To provide management information on the status of all such items. To co-ordinate with suppliers in providing information about current and future deliverable items, matching faults and fixes to new deliverables. Builds of software from the various on-site software suppliers for development, User Acceptance and live release. Configuration of laptop and desktop machines with NatWest Life POS systems. Maintenance of inventory of laptops, modems and printers used by development and testing teams along with software release versions loaded on each machine. Maintenance of consumerables stock levels. Responsibility for the creation, maintenance and running of regression test packs for each new software release. Creation of release installation procedures. Carrying out software release upgrades. User Acceptance and system test support. The nature of the job entailed working extended hours including weekends as required. In September 1994 I was promoted to Configuration Manager with full responsibility for the above duties.

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