GRACE SIERRA

Phone: 602.486.7487 e-mail: gracersierra@hotmail.com

INTRODUCTION
Results oriented individual, proficient in leading cross-functional software development teams in multiple
Project Management approaches. Approaches and disciplines include all facets of project management
planning and implementation. Successes have included the delivery of three-tier applications, long-range
change management, establishing quality assurance initiatives and metrics. Competencies include
facilitation of business, technical and diversity awareness training.

EXPERIENCE HIGHLIGHTS

Lexcel Solutions
Quality Assurance Specialist-Client Services Director 07/06 – 02/10
Guarantee quality assurance of virtualization software and provide services for a large market range of
Financial Institutions, Networks and Merchants in the EFT Industry. The EFT custom software products,
test, per-certify and certify system optimization and complex business rules specific to ISO, ATM, Stress
and Settlement end-to-end system environments.
 Built Business Partner relationships to identify business process and technical solutions for the
“voice of the customer”.
 Guarantee quality assurance on product construct for integration relationship, business to
technical design translation rules, government compliance and card specific mandates.
 Perform end-to-end system, data integration and problem resolution for software Quality
Assurance testing.
 Identify and recommend reengineering, compliance and process improvement opportunities.
 Create Test Plans, Cases, Scripts and Results for Vendor and Client software
certification
 Define and translate logical business requirements into suitable design specifications.

Consultant
Project Consultant 09/03 – 04/06
Deliver content expert consulting services on enterprise level Systems Development Life Cycle Phases
(SDLC) for ATM and Credit Card Origination, Fulfillment and Servicing systems.
 Facilitated management meetings to prioritize and forecast Roadmap business requirements for
“return on investment”.
 Lead Teams through SDLC phases for approved Consumer, Co-Brand, Core and Reward
marketing and acquisition initiatives.
 Create project management related documentation deliverables to include Project Plans, Concept
Proposals, Cost Justifications, Requirements, Functional, Technical Specifications, and Training
Plans.
 Develop Test Plans, Cases and Scripts to perform and quantify Quality Assurance Testing.
 Mentor business analysts on project management development standards and techniques.
 Identify and interpret interface data requirements for Authorization, Fraud, Statement and
Accounting systems.
 Ensure quality assurance on product construct and business process translation rules.
 Liaison with FDR, TSYS and SHC fulfillment and servicing vendors to guarantee viable
system solutions and adherence to SLA’s.
 Perform end-to-end data integration, problem resolution and quality assurance testing on
Origination, Secondary Marketing, Quality Assurance and Country Wide vendor systems.
 Guarantee adherence to financial institution federal compliance and banking data capture
standards.
 Mentor business analysts on project management development standards and techniques.
 Define and translate logical business requirements into suitable design specifications.
 Managed system development, change and implementation releases.
 Identify and close business and technical process gaps.

P.O. Box 204, Scottsdale, AZ 85252

 GRACE SIERRA

Washington Mutual Bank

Senior Technical Lead/Project Manager
Washington Mutual Bank 07/00-10/03
Manage the development of three tier enterprise level Origination, Secondary Marketing, Quality
Assurance and Risk Mitigation systems to:
 Identify and recommend business partner reengineering, compliance and process improvement
opportunities.
 Lead teams through approved project, Systems Development Life Cycle Phases.
 Define and translate logical business requirements into suitable design specifications.
 Develop project management documentation and SQL, Crystal and Access reports.
 Guarantee adherence to financial institution federal compliance and banking data capture
standards.
 Partner with Accenture to lead acquisition initiatives for system integration test and approaches.
 Design relational/dimensional databases for enterprise data warehousing and mining.
 Perform content expert data analysis on Origination, Secondary Marketing, Quality Assurance,
Accounting and Servicing systems.
 Guarantee quality assurance on product construct, integration relationship and translation rules.
 Initiate and lead vendor selection Request for Proposal (RFP), evaluations and
recommendations.
 Conduct project phase specific related Business and Technical Documentation Walkthroughs and
Status meetings.
 Liaison with Empower, Alltel, Cogent, Applntell and Affinity origination and servicing
vendors to guarantee viable system solutions and adherence to SLA’s.
 Facilitate release management meetings, support documentation and scope containment efforts.

American Express
Senior Business Systems Analyst/Project Manager 1996-2000
Lead and develop three tier technical and business partner systems. Develop SQL and Access business
partner reports.
 Conceptualize application architecture and create management proposals.
 Consult on measures/metrics development for process improvements.
 Obtain and compile technical and business requirements.
 Liaison between multiple technical and business groups.
 Negotiate and develop service level agreements.
 Correlate product construct into technical terms.

EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS

Washington Mutual Bank, American Express and Accenture Project Management & Six Sigma Certified.
PMI Certification – In Progress
Maricopa Community and Phoenix College - Finance, Total Quality Management and Programming
Professional Career Development Institute – SQL, SAS & CIM – In Progress

P.O. Box 204, Scottsdale, AZ 85252