Jennifer Ciostek

Project Manager • Social Media Marketing Specialist • Data Analyst • Phoenixville, PA, US

Available for hire fromNegotiable

Contracts

Vice President - Program and Project Management in Financial Services

I am a seasoned professional with over 11 years of project management, product management, and business analysis experience in investment management operations, alternatives operations, financial software, and SaaS environments. Recognized for my natural aptitude for providing technical and functional oversight for dynamic projects, cultivating collaborative relationships with colleagues and stakeholders, and driving continuous improvement, I have a verifiable history of contributing directly to company success throughout my career.\n\nI have consistently exceeded project and performance goals and am adept at achieving maximum operational output with minimal resource expenditure. My professional focal points include business analytics, product management, technical writing, team leadership, SDLC management, requirements gathering, stakeholder engagement, and consulting. Delivering superior administration in these areas requires effective communication skills, negotiation skills, business acumen, strategic planning, project management, and resource management to support efficiency and maximize returns.\n\nIn my role as a Senior Business Analyst with Automated Financial Systems, I improved test script completion by 30% through new and effective processes. I also leveraged knowledge of Agile methodology and JIRA to oversee the SDLC and played a key role in the success of go-live operations for the BB&T client product implementations by proactively documenting use cases, outlining technical and business functional requirements, mapping data for API connections, and performing testing.\n\nColleagues describe me as a progressive, driven, down-to-earth, technical, and strategic expert who can be relied on to offer superior solutions that deliver impactful results on time and under budget.

Projects

Global Investment Operations & Accounting Transformation Program

I joined the project mid-execution, assuming the project manager role after a gap during the end of planning. I rebuilt the global Project Management Office (PMO) function in the execution phase, establishing and executing governance mechanisms to oversee 30+ workstreams. I viewed and enhanced the stakeholder communication plan to manage executive-level communications, including regular updates to executive committees such as BIC, AMOC, and the Executive Steering Committee. I facilitated stakeholder engagement across 30+ workstreams, coordinating complex communications to drive consensus on program changes and ensure alignment with project objectives. I created centralized RAID log processes as part of the risk management plan, identifying previously unrecognized risks and documenting mitigation strategies to address potential impacts proactively. I led integrated change control forums, reducing cycle time from 4 to 2 weeks by standardizing change management processes and ensuring efficient decision-making. I managed scope through systematic requirements tracking and established quality management processes to ensure migration readiness. I implemented a critical triage process and facilitated daily monitoring and controlling activities through command centers, managing over 300 issues while maintaining adherence to program baselines and objectives. Additionally, I facilitated the creation of a centralized documentation repository for lessons learned, enabling the team to collate and document insights to inform future migration waves and facilitate knowledge transfer across regions. See More

Transformation of Alternatives Operations Taxonomy and Process Landscape

Objectives: The objectives of the project were to transform alternative Operations through process optimization, workflow automation, and operating model enhancements. Role: My role is Business and Program Manager for Alternatives Operations. My Responsibilities: I developed the business case and project charter and created the scope baseline, defining clear objectives and deliverables for the project. Iled requirements gathering across multiple workstreams, collaborating with key stakeholders to ensure alignment with organizational priorities. Using the collected requirements, I created a comprehensive project management plan that included the work breakdown structure (WBS), timeline, and resource allocation. I played a key role in the procurement management process, overseeing the selection of the vendor for the Treasury operating model. This involved drafting the procurement management plan, facilitating vendor evaluation, and supporting contract negotiations to ensure the vendor’s solutions aligned with project requirements and budget constraints. I coordinated cross-functional teams to implement six automated workflows and optimized the Treasury operating model, ensuring seamless collaboration and alignment with project goals. I established quality metrics and control mechanisms to monitor deliverable quality and adherence to standards. During the execution phase, I managed stakeholder engagement through regular executive presentations and updates, leveraging a tailored stakeholder communication plan to ensure transparency and buy-in. I monitored and reported on project progress using performance metrics, ensuring deliverables were completed on time and within budget. At project closure, I facilitated sponsor approval of final deliverables, developed an efficiency-tracking framework, and conducted a lessons-learned session to capture insights for future initiatives.See More

Work History

Vice President - Program / Project Manager and Business Manager- Alternative Investments

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Freelance Business Analyst

Confidence Enterprises LLCMay 2018 - Oct 2021 • 3 yrs 6 mos• Mentored sales representatives to achieve over $1 million in combined annual sales, utilizing web-based solutions for customer relationship management. • Created user guides, Wordpress websites, training documentation, training videos, and standard operating procedures. • Presented internationally to audiences of over 2,000 participants on technology for business automation and efficiency. • Designed and implemented a mobile onboarding and training app to global users, providing monthly time savings of over 1,000 hours.

Senior Business Analyst / Product Owner

Automated Financial Systems, Inc. (AFS)Feb 2014 - Apr 2018 • 4 yrs 3 mos• Served as a Product Manager responsible for overseeing the internal AFSVision base product, including documenting industry requirements, identifying enhancements, and prioritizing requested features. • Spearheaded product upgrades and implemented new features using web-based workflows and APIs. • Aligned objectives and bridged communications with cross-functional teams to direct the company-wide JIRA process and oversee software development lifecycle (SDLC); leveraged Agile methodology to deliver multiple initiatives ahead of time. • Played a key role in the success of go-live operations for BB&T client product implementations by proactively documenting use cases, outlining technical and business functional requirements, mapping data for API connections, and performing testing. • Gathered project requirements by presenting at and participating in 50+ large meetings consisting of external senior management banking teams. • Boosted productivity and efficiency while significantly reducing error/return rates by 50% across 100+ technical and functional requirements documents by defining new department standard operating procedures (SOPs). • Increased test script completion by 30% by developing and implementing a new process and delivering high-quality leadership for business validation testing efforts in other departments. • Led the product originations compliance strategy and contributed to successful regulatory compliance. • Cultivated positive relationships with clients while providing consulting and guidance for financial software implementation projects. • Identified and resolved bugs and issues prior to software delivery through quality assurance testing. • Liaised with clients to facilitate the transition from non-AFS systems, including the discovery phase, design, development, testing, UI design, web services interfaces, and production implementation.

Associate

JPMorgan Chase & Co.Nov 2007 - Feb 2014 • 6 yrs 4 mosBUSINESS ANALYST / PRODUCT OWNER, JAN 2012 TO FEB 2014 • Facilitated a dynamic project focused on transitioning the reconciliation process from MS Excel to a fully automated web-based reconciliation tool by defining requirements, establishing goals, overseeing UAT, and contributing to project governance efforts, resulting in 85% time savings and improved controls. • Generated 80+ hours in productivity gain per week through operating model improvements impacting multiple investment management lines of business; developed solutions by analyzing metrics and data. • Engaged with internal stakeholders to prioritize tasks and identify solutions for the TLM product roadmap. • Tracked and monitored all business functionality, defects, and enhancement requests in JIRA. RECONCILIATIONS BUSINESS OPERATIONS MANAGER, FEB 2010 TO JAN 2012 • Supervised and directed the global reconciliations and system administration teams for investment management, with over 30 direct and indirect reports. • Fostered collaborative working relationships with cross-functional investment management teams to enhance risk mitigation. • Decreased overall syndicated loan cash exceptions by 75% through system improvements, resulting in receiving the Service Excellence Award. • Devised and implemented an operating model for the new TLM reconciliation tool based on key metrics and current gaps; defined and developed procedures. • Drafted and prepared detailed reports for senior leadership to influence executive-level decision-making. BANK LOANS SPECIALIST, NOV 2007 TO FEB 2010 • Gained experience supporting syndicated loan maintenance, reconciliations, SOX audits, and issue resolution. • Received the Service Excellence Award for identifying and resolving a complex market-wide operational bank loan issue caused by an agent bank and acquiring $350K in overdue payments for the company. • Played a key role in doubling department volumes in less than one year by mentoring and supporting peers.

Marketing And Business Development Coordinator

Luckman & AssociatesFeb 2007 - Oct 2007 • 9 mosI was responsible for compiling and analyzing small business loan applications and coordinating with outside vendors when necessary for completing loan processing. • Performed client analyses, utilizing Microsoft Excel skills. • Facilitated distribution with outside vendors for completing loan processing. • Developed and designed marketing methods and products including oversight of the outsourcing of web design to a local vendor.

Data Processing Specialist / Bank Teller

Adams County National BankMay 2005 - Jan 2007 • 1 yr 9 mos

Education

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Master of Business Administration (MBA)2010 - 2012

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Bachelor Degrees, Management and Finance2003 - 2007

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