Karine M et Alexandra R
Karine: “After working in market risk, financial risk and ALM for more than 10 years, I joined the project team of the Crédit Agricole SA Financial Division. My desire to share my business expertise and exchange new experiences led me to become a Business Project Manager. I’ve been in the job for more than a year now and I’ve had to work with different profiles ranging from multi-disciplinary business experts to IT developers or ALM managers from the Regional Banks.”
Alexandra: “With a Master’s degree in accounting and financial sciences and techniques, I became Project Manager after eight years of professional experience as a statutory and regulatory consolidation accountant. What I appreciate in this position is coordinating and leading stakeholders towards a common goal. It is a rich and strategic position with close interactions with sponsors, business teams, internal and external project management teams and ad hoc experts.”
How would you describe the position of “Finance Project Manager “?
Our shared vision is that the Group Project Manager is the central figure, the coordinator of the Project entrusted to him/her. He/she coordinates the various stages till the completion of the project. He/she manages cross-cutting teams and as such demonstrates strong human qualities: attentiveness, ability to bring people together and motivate them. In short, he/she must excel through their leadership.
In concrete terms, our role is to convey the functional needs and business challenges of the management team and to facilitate relations between the various parties involved, with a constant concern to steer the project towards the objectives defined by the line management. Each day, we adapt to the way the different players operate, and constantly strive to solve problems by consensus. We keep track of the progress of work, budget compliance and effective coordination of stakeholders. We analyse results and lastly we ensure the start of production. We also have a role to support and provide training in the preparation for the changes resulting from the projects.
We’re currently working on various Group-level strategic projects. Karine is working on the implementation of the new ALM tool in order to produce reports on interest rate risk indicators and provide reports to the regulators. Alexandra is leading Projects to set up regulatory reporting systems for European supervisory and regulatory bodies, to enable the production and transmission of financial information on behalf of the Crédit Agricole Group
What are the peak periods of your job during the year?
The project manager is an action-oriented person in charge of one or more projects simultaneously. This requires constant involvement. Our tasks are determined by the schedule of the project or projects. Although the statement of requirements drafting phase corresponds to the quietest period, this first brick is fundamental because it should make it possible to structure and streamline needs. This is followed by a monitoring and coordination phase for all stakeholders (development departments, production departments, experts, etc.) in order to stay the course and adhere to the roadmap that has been previously defined. The pace picks up as the production target date approaches.
With regard to Group projects, we have a significant comitology to prepare and organise on a regular basis in order to provide visibility on the project’s progress at all levels of project governance: meetings with business line managers, videoconference meetings with representatives of the 39 Regional Banks and/or entities depending on our scope of action and quarterly steering committee meetings with the Chief Financial Officer of Crédit Agricole SA.
At the same time, the change management phase is launched via documentation, training and support to help and mobilise users.
To release tension, we have a tradition of celebrating with all the players when we achieve a milestone, whether big or small, with impromptu celebrations.
Can you describe your typical day?
Alexandra: “The Project Manager’s job is made up of dialogue and interaction. The project team is always made up of a variety of profiles and experiences, and the work is rich in encounters and learning. This job requires a lot of autonomy and initiative. You can work on totally different projects and therefore acquire a wide range of technical knowledge. You meet many people both in-house and externally, with a lot of visibility.”
Karine: “There is no typical day. That is what makes the job of project manager attractive, in particular for people who like change and novelty. The weeks are punctuated by meetings to discuss with the business line and the IT teams, project committees, to monitor the progress of work, from the drafting of the statement of requirements to its implementation.”
What career path is required to reach your position and what are the possibilities for development?
There are many different types of Project Manager profiles: people with IT backgrounds, project management positions or from finance like us. Production experience or “hands-on” experience is an asset for the job of Project Manager, because you arrive with excellent knowledge of business processes and issues, which enables you to better understand the challenges and constraints of the different parties. This job requires technical skills in Finance or Risk Management, an aptitude for management systems or project management skills. Coordination skills are also important because a project manager organises and coordinates a project until its implementation. You must therefore be organised, committed and responsive.
There are many opportunities for career development, given that our missions are so cross-functional and varied. The latest mobilities have proven that we can legitimately return or transfer to operational or even management functions. We can progress within the function itself: moving towards bigger projects, with broader responsibilities and larger teams to manage, or on a completely different scope. We can join the IS Department, the Risk Management Department or a subsidiary to contribute our expertise and know-how.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of taking up a similar position?
Karine: “The project’s manager’s job is exciting. It allows you to develop many different skills and to appreciate the added value of working cross-functionally. We benefit from very close contacts with the business teams. It is a good way to broaden your knowledge of the bank’s activities and risks, as well as your organisational, analytical, coordination and internal and external co-ordination skills. Project management is a skill in its own right that is today highly valued on a CV.”
Alexandra: “Project managers can sometimes be seen as an add-on. However, given the number of people involved with varied expertise and the number of successive tasks to be accomplished, it is essential to have someone with a central role. It is essential to coordinate and maintain the guiding principle throughout the project because it is easy to lose track, especially with long-term projects. You never have an orchestra without a conductor or a ship without a captain!”
Karine and Alexandra: “To sum up, the position of project manager requires curiosity, initiative, team spirit, cooperation and the ability to adapt to a changing environment. It also requires a desire to fulfil the needs of the “client” as well as interpersonal and instructive skills in dealings with the “client”. So come and join us if you have the makings of a leader.”