BLAKE NICKEL, PMP, CSM
Blake.Nickel@yahoo.com linkedin.com/in/blakenickel/ mobile: 917……..
* PRO J ECT SCHEDULE AN D CO NTRO LS CO NSULTANT *
Poised, eloquent and driven project schedule and financial controls consultant with 22 years' experience supporting software and
capital projects within the management consulting, energy, financial services, pharmaceuticals, and federal government verticals.
* AREAS O F EXPERTI SE *
Project Management Schedule Management Cost Control
• Resource management • Critical path method (CPM) • SAP and MS PPM financials
• Issues and risk management • Custom and ad-hoc schedule reporting • Earned value management
• Portfolio management • Project schedule scenario analysis • Budgeting and forecasting
• Agile methodology • Integrated master schedules (IMS) • Training and mentoring
* PRO J ECT M ANAG EM ENT SO FTW ARE *
• MS Project Server & Project Online; Jira 9.0; Oracle Primavera P6; MS Office 365 / MS Teams, Power BI Analytics, Azure Dev Ops
(ADO); Electric Transmission Project Delivery System (ePDS); Unifier, Bentley ProjectWise; Ariba, SAP 7.40; Salesforce Slack
* PRO FESSI O NAL EXPERI ENCE *
Ernst & Young, Remote Sep 2022 – Present
Contract Program Scheduler and PMO Consultant supporting the strategic implementation of CPM 1.0 for the NY MTA.
• Develop, integrate, optimize and control 9 300 line MS Project schedules and weekly tracking and exception reporting.
• Identify and manage cross project dependencies both internal to the program and external to MTA.
• Manage project and program level risk and review process and facilitated weekly program risk review meetings.
• Coach/support PM team on critical path scheduling and schedule management processes.
• Ensure MS project schedules work effort aligns with MTA, NY State and Federal time keeping/work effort reporting systems.
Kaiser Permanente, Remote Apr 2022 – Jun 2022
Contract Program Scheduler supporting the CPM 2.0 Integration Program.
• Integrate, optimize and control 9 1000 line MS Project schedules.
• Developed custom formulas, filters, views and reports in MS Project to effectuate detailed program tracking and reporting.
• Manage project and program level risk review process and facilitated weekly program risk review meetings.
PG&E, San Ramon, CA Jun 2019 – Sep 2019 Jan 2021 – Aug 2021
Project Controls Analyst supporting central coast electric substation construction projects.
• Developed and maintained detailed project budgets and forecasts using Primavera P6 project schedules.
• Harvested SAP actuals and reported on current month actuals and committed spend for the substation’s portfolio.
• Managed contracts, invoices and supporting project management documentation.
Chevron, San Ramon, CA Nov 2013 – Dec 2018 Feb 2020 – Dec 2020
Contract Project Controls Analyst supporting multiple 5MM projects across Chevron. Key accomplishments included:
• Created budget forecasts, harvested SAP actuals reconciled against monthly project budget and adjusted ongoing forecast
accordingly. Tracked vendor SoW’s, purchase orders, invoices and other financial accruals.
• Developed, optimized and maintained resource leveled project baseline schedules using the critical path method (CPM) for the
deployment of several ERP, capital and cloud solutions across Chevron.
• Defined and analyzed critical paths, proactively identified schedule risks and advised on abatement resolutions. Resolved
schedule impacts associated with scope and resource modification scenarios.
• Developed weekly tracking and reporting strategy using earned value to provide an understanding of exceptions, variances,
resource impacts and slippage impacts across programs.
• Developed custom formulas, filters, tables, groups, views and reports in MS Project 2016 to effectuate detailed program
tracking and reporting.
• PMO Workstream Lead responsible for refining and leading fit for purpose risk and issues management processes.
Federal Reserve Bank, San Francisco, CA - Cash Product Office Apr 2012 – Oct 2013
Program Scheduler responsible for supporting Cash Forward Portfolio of agile projects. Key accomplishments included:
• Integrated, optimized and controlled a 1000-line integrated master schedule for the SCA Replacement Program.
• Drafted and facilitated approval of the Integrated Project Schedule Management and Controls Policy.
• System tested and supported defect resolution of MS Project Server upgrade.
• Managed project and program level risk review process and facilitated weekly program risk review meetings.
PIPC / Cognizant – Program Management Office Jan 2012 – Apr 2012
Contract Project Scheduler supporting several 1BN software development programs. Key accomplishments included:
• Integrated, harmonized and controlled an existing set of disorganized and often-conflicting MS Project schedules to represent
the accurate scope of work for the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota Claims Migration Program.
• Developed Project Scheduling and Controls Guidelines applicable on PIPC / Cognizant Program Management engagements.
Collaborated with training teams to incorporate modules into eLearning Center.
PG&E, San Francisco, CA – IT Program Office Jan 2011 – Jan 2012
Contract Senior Project Scheduler supporting PG&E’s Transmission and Distribution Portfolio. Key accomplishments included:
• Developed, optimized and controlled a 2000 line resource loaded effort-driven project and cutover schedule for the Condition
Based Maintenance - Network and Mobile Connect projects.
• Integrated, harmonized and controlled a portfolio of MS Project schedules supporting 12 T&D Project Managers.
• Developed tracking and reporting strategy providing an understanding of earned value (CPI & SPI) variances, resource
impacts and slippage impacts across all projects.
• Created custom views detailing program budget broken down by project, deliverable, resource, and work effort.
• Mentored project managers and junior project schedulers on scheduling and MS Project best practices.
Exelon / PECO – Smart Grid Smart Meter Program Office Jun 2010 – Jan 2011
Contract Program Scheduler supporting PECO’s Smart Grid Smart Meter Program. Key accomplishments included:
• Led complex effort to create, integrate, optimize and control 30 integrated project schedules containing over 8,000 tasks, 400
cross-project dependencies, 700 resources and 450K hours of effort for a multi-faceted $620MM Smart Grid Smart Meter
implementation.
• Developed non-MS Project Server based weekly and monthly tracking and reporting process providing an understanding of
earned value (CPI & SPI) variances, resource impacts and slippage impacts across the program, while saving the company
50K hosting costs annually.
• Defined and analyzed critical paths, proactively identified schedule risks and advised on abatement resolutions and resolved
schedule impacts associated with scope modification scenarios and change requests.
• Developed custom formulas, filters, tables, groups, views and reports in MS Project 2003 to effectuate detailed program
tracking and reporting tailored for all levels of management.
• Established scheduling best practices guidelines and trained junior project schedulers and project managers on scheduling
and control best practices as well as the proper use of MS Project.
* PREVI O US EXPERI ENCE *
Contract Project Scheduler
• Macquarie Bank, Philadelphia, PA - ITG Program Office
• PG&E, San Francisco, CA - Deployment Center of Excellence
• Chevron, San Ramon, CA - Project Management Center of Excellence
• Pfizer, New York, NY - Safety and Risk Program Management Office
• Ernst & Young, New York, NY - Accounting Project Management Office
Contract Project Manager and Junior Project Manager
• Morgan Stanley, New York, NY - Investment Banking Project Office
• Merrill Lynch, New York, NY - Global Markets & Investment Banking Technology
• Wells Fargo, San Francisco, CA - Systems Solutions Group
• Pacific Bell / AT&T, San Francisco, CA - Carrier Access Billing Project Office
* EDUCATI O N AND PRO FESSI O NAL CERTI FI CATI O NS *
• Scrum Alliance, Denver, CO – Certified ScrumMaster (CSM)
• Project Management Institute, Newtown Square, PA - Project Management Professional Certification (inactive)
• Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA - Bachelor of Arts, Economics
