Mandisa Ndzuta

Mandisa Ndzuta INTRODUCTION As a professional change and release manager with over 15 years of experience in managing and optimizing IT change and release processes, I bring a proven track record of ensuring seamless transitions and minimizing disruptions. My expertise lies in coordinating crossfunctional teams, implementing best practices, and leveraging advanced tools to drive efficiency and compliance. I excel at identifying potential risks, developing mitigation strategies, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement. My goal is to contribute to the success of your organization by delivering high-quality change and release management solutions that align with business objectives. CAREER CHRONOLOGY Dynamic Visual Technologies, Release Manager November 2023 – Current Massmart + Walmart, Change and Release Specialist November 2021 – 2023 Change and Release Manager Discovery Bank, Change and Release Manager September 2020 - June 2021 Electronic Toll Collection, Change and Release Manager September 2015 - April 2019 Johannesburg Stock Exchange, Service Desk Agent/ Change Management Coordinator August 2008 - August 2015 Aptronics (Wits University), Service Desk Agent January 2007 – July 2008 First National Bank, Online Banking Consultant Month 2006 – Month 2007 LEVEL: AVAILABILITY: BASED AREA: EXPERIENCE: INDUSTRIES: METHODS EXPOSED TO Senior 30 Days Gauteng 15+ Years Retail, Finance, Transportation, Banking, Waterfall, Scrum, Agile BCSNet (City Power), Service Desk First Line Support Month 2006 – Month year TECHNICAL SKILLS MATRIX • • • • • • • ISO/IEC 20000 ITILv3 ITILv4 ServiceNow Jira + Bitbucket Computer Enterprise Service (ISPW) Azure QUALIFICATIONS Diploma in Project Management, Collage Campus, 2007 Matric, Basa Tutorial Institute, 2003 TRAINING • • • • • • • ISO/IEC 20000 Practitioner - APMG International, 2023 ITILv4 Foundation - PeopleCert,2022 (ITSM) IT Service Management Foundation- LinkedIn Learning, 2021 ITILv3 (CSI) Continual Service Improvement- PeopleCert, 2013 ITILv3 (RCV) Release, Control and Validation- PeopleCert, 2011 Purposeful Communication - AstroTech, 2010 ITILv3 Foundation- Loyalist, 2009 EMPLOYMENT DETAILS Dynamic Visual Technologies November 2023 – Current Release Manager Responsibilities • Managing the Release Management lifecycle that involves the stages such as scheduling the release, coordinating between teams, and deployment of release as per the schedule. • Release the software after completing the testing stage and deployment stage, and work closely with the application development team, testing team, and production team. • Maintain proper coordination between these teams to update the project related information. • Define the strategic usage of release management tools to manage the cadence for the release. • Identify the risks that can delay the release and manage them, such that the scope scheduled, and quality of the release is not affected. • Responsible for planning, change tracking, release, deployment, communication, and risk management. • Coordinate the release schedule and resources required depending upon the third-party applications, defect backlogs, planned releases, and infrastructure updates. • Always work to improve the release process. • Make sure that the release is planned, according to the requirements. • Schedule the release readiness reviews before deployment and milestone reviews after each release. • Create plans for the implementation and deployment as per the release schedule. • Plan and give weekly updates on the release activities • Lead the Go-Live activities to deploy the software successfully. • Team up with relevant development teams responsible for building the automation tools used to develop and deploy the software. • Maintain documentation related to procedures on build and release, various notifications lists, and dependencies. Massmart + Walmart November- Change and Release Specialist Responsibilities • Ensure design, implementation and improvement of the change and release management process and governance framework. • Review and validate test strategies before deployment. • Ensure appropriate controls are in place. • Determine the method of deployment and operational readiness of release/s. • Ensure management of dependencies, risks, plans, costing and resourcing for each release. • Identify areas of improvement within the transition process as Release Manager. • Work closely with the configuration administrator and core Application teams for implementing changes. • Ensure timely communication of acceptance of release/s to impacted and critical stakeholders. • Perform service and quality reviews for early post-release life support. • Work alongside the Project Management team to manage timely deliverables and assist in mediating post-release change. • Ensure that no release disrupts business as usual for the customers • Accountable for ensuring that all changes meet objectives on time and on budget. • Accountable for reviewing, evaluating and prioritizing all Request for Change (RFC). • Ensuring all changes are recorded in a designated system. • Manage all changes to services and infrastructure, analysing and ensuring the lowest level of risk and workarounds to the identified risks • Manage change process, implement and maintain the forward change schedule and interface with other process/service owners/managers. • Manage and oversee the work of change control. • Monitor and enforce change management processes; evaluate and improve existing procedures. • Accountable for regular audit testing and resolving issues that may appear during the audits. • Create and analyze metrics to determine effectiveness of process. • Maintain relevant reports/dashboard on changes catalogued and administered. • Ensure regular presentations to the senior management on process/procedure improvements. Discovery Bank September 2020 - June 2021 Change and Release Manager Responsibilities Change Management • Ensure that new IT services and changes to existing IT services are introduced in a controlled and non disruptive manner to the Discovery Bank production environment. • Ensure that Discovery Bank has a robust Change Management process which is clearly understood and followed by all relevant stakeholders. • Ensure that all ICT changes are assessed of their impact to normal business operations and the risk is assessed, documented and either mitigated or accepted • Provide effective communications around changes that informs various stakeholders of the reasons for the change (why?), the benefits of successful implementation (what is in it for us, and you) as well as develop and manage the integration of Change Management to ALL other ITSM processes. Release Management • Develop, manage and maintain the Release Management process and procedures to ensure that software, application and solution releases are rolled out in a controlled and non-disruptive manner. • Ensure that all releases meet a defined release readiness criterion e.g. build standards, testing, user training, release notes, operational support procedures etc. prior to approval and implementation. • Coordinating the documentation (release plan, resource plans, rollback plans etc.) and implementation activities of all release requests. • Provide an interface with the PMO to ensure that all programmes and projects are aligned to the release management requirements. • Communicate and manage expectations of the customer during the planning and rollout of new releases. • Direct, control, coordinate & optimise resources to meet established objectives & deliver agreed results within the defined functional areas. • Proactively identify interconnected problems, develop and model alternative solutions as well as contingency plans to resolve value chain conflicts. • Ensure the consolidation of the risk profile for the area of accountability, manage critical risks and ensure feedback integration. • Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders to ensure integrated approaches in pursuit of collective goals. Electronic Toll Collection September 2015 - April 2019 Change and Release Manager Responsibilities • Managing the DevOps team to make them deliver the services on time and will manage both IT operations and developers. • Work with Business and IT/Systems, as well as other process and functional actors (Practitioners) to determine and address process requirements within technology and budget constraints. • Determine and address process requirements in collaboration with all process and functional stakeholders. • Manage systems defects and liaise with Design and Build team to ensure successful deployments of releases • Establish interfaces with other service management processes and functions. • Monitor change management system efficiency and make recommendations as well as coordinate implementation for improvements. • Convene and chair CAB and ECAB meetings. • Ensure change records are maintained and kept up-to-date, in a concise and detailed manner, record incidents and problems related to planned, change requests while analyzing trends or apparent problems that may occur. • Leads the overall activities of that Change and Release Management team in the delivery of team functions. • Develop and drive the change management processes while ensuring an understanding of its methodology across the organization. • Implement and ensure compliance with the Change and Release and Deployment Management policy, procedures, processes, templates and standards.8 • Work closely with Project and Production Manager to maintain process alignment. • To monitor process effectiveness and make recommendations, as well as coordinate recommendation • Continuous process improvement. • Drive the ITIL framework. • Produce management information and contribute to compilation and submission of regular and ad-hoc reports to Management Committee. • Report of Change Management Status and its integration with Incident Management. Johannesburg Stock Exchange August 2008 - August 2015 Service Desk Agent /Change Management Coordinator Responsibilities • To manage and control all change related issues / requirements / systems in the live production Environments • Monitoring compliance with the agreed Change and Release Management process. • To evaluate the technical implications of change on other systems • To manage, control and coordinate daily and weekend slots changes • Manage the change process and maintain its documentation • Evaluate supporting documentation for the changes • Ensure Change Management Process is adhered whilst keeping Business Interest at heart. • Receive, log and allocate a priority, in collaboration with the change requestor, to all RFCs. • Prepare and chair the weekly CAB meeting. • Review failed or backout changes and unauthorised changes. • After consideration of the advice given by the CAB, authorize acceptable Changes. • Liaise with Change Owner to coordinate Change Assessment, Change Planning, Change building, testing and implementation, in accordance with schedules. • Review all implemented Changes to ensure that they have met their objectives. Refer back any that have been backed out or have failed and perform Post Implementation Review. • Review all outstanding RFCs awaiting consideration or awaiting action. • Analyse Change records to determine any trends or apparent problems that occur. Seek rectification with relevant parties. • Minimise the number of quality and compliance issues caused by improper configuration of services and assets. • Close RFCs. • Produce daily, weekly, monthly and yearly management reports.