James Lord (Jimmy)
Implementation & Project Delivery Professional
Hartwell
Summary
Experienced Implementation Manager with 30+ years of expertise leading technology planning and deployment initiatives. Skilled in researching and resolving installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting challenges. Proficient in managing implementations from start to finish, emphasizing streamlined setup and documentation oversight.
Overview
32
32
years of professional experience
Work History
Director – IT Strategy: Market Performance Partnerships
Optum
06.2019 - 03.2024
- Successfully led the strategic alignment and implementation of technology solutions to support the onboarding of 100 to 1,500+ personnel, resulting in measurable revenue uplift and the coordination of 20–30 concurrent project teams across Revenue Cycle, IT, PMO, and Analytics functions.
- Delivered high-impact presentations of complex technical solutions to C-level executives during sales engagements, contributing directly to multi-million dollar client wins and long-term partnerships.
- Directed cross-functional integration efforts of Microsoft Teams and Outlook across large hospital networks transitioning to outsourced IT and operational services, enhancing collaboration and workflow efficiency.
- Partnered with Operations to evaluate and select technologies based on Claims and Remittance data analysis, ensuring alignment with contractual revenue targets and business outcomes.
- Provided program management leadership across 20–30 concurrent project teams to drive timely and cost-effective implementation of client-specific technologies.
- Acted as a trusted liaison between hospital CIOs/Senior IT leadership and internal executives, fostering alignment, transparency, and executive sponsorship throughout transformation initiatives.
- Championed initiatives to simplify and modernize healthcare operations, leveraging technology and strategic process improvements to reduce complexity and drive value for clients.
Technical Business Analyst
Optum
01.2014 - 06.2019
- Optimized data management processes by analyzing workflows, identifying bottlenecks, and implementing process improvements.
- Improved communication between IT and business units by serving as a liaison and translating technical concepts into easily digestible terms.
- Conducted gap analyses between current state systems/processes and future state goals in order to formulate action plans aimed at bridging identified discrepancies.
- Gathered feedback from end-users to identify areas for system enhancements or adjustments to better align with evolving business requirements.
- Maintained documentation of system changes to facilitate knowledge transfer among team members while ensuring ongoing support capabilities were maintained throughout the lifecycle of a given solution.
- Direct all of the technical team's implementation tasks and responsible for coordination between the technical and operational aspects of the project.
- Successfully built over 16 of these teams the past 4 years partnering with some of this countries premier hospital groups.
- Mentored several TBA's to educate them on Optum's best practice methodology.
Senior Project Manager
Precyse
01.2013 - 01.2014
- Oversaw and directed all Early Adopter client initiatives, ensuring successful delivery of pioneering solutions.
- Led cross-functional teams of 3 to 6 professionals in the implementation of Computer-Assisted Coding (CAC) and Clinical Documentation Improvement (CDI) technologies across small to mid-sized hospital systems.
- Developed and executed a best-practice project deployment framework for Precyse’s Natural Language Processing (NLP)-driven CAC, CDI, and Medical Transcription solutions.
- Managed the rollout of a new Medical Transcription platform in collaboration with an offshore partner in India, significantly enhancing transcription audio quality, which resulted in marked improvements in both productivity and employee retention.
IT Project Manager
Precyse
01.2012 - 01.2013
- Led all internal IT projects across the organization, ensuring alignment with business objectives and timely delivery.
- Successfully managed the migration of SaaS solutions to a new data center by forming and leading a cross-functional team of 10 stakeholders; achieved 0% downtime during the transition through strategic planning and execution.
- Partnered with the CIO to develop and implement a strategy enabling hospital groups to transition from paper charts to electronic health records (EHR), expanding digital adoption in key markets.
- Directed a joint team of Precyse and EDCO professionals to develop a comprehensive ROI model, benefit analysis, and proposal toolkit for EHR migration.
- Designed and delivered training for the sales team on the new EHR migration methodology, resulting in improved client engagement and streamlined proposal generation.
Lead Project Manager
AT&T
01.2011 - 10.2011
- Spearheaded the end-to-end execution of Web Services implementation projects, ensuring seamless integration and successful delivery of high-quality solutions.
- Developed comprehensive project plans covering all phases, including Business Requirements Definition, Solution Architecture, Client and In-House Development, Test Data & Case Creation, System Testing, and Deployment of Integrated Solutions.
- Led frequent client-facing meetings to drive alignment, including Project Kickoffs, Status Updates, Expectation Management, Issue Resolution, Escalations, and delegation of Action Items.
- Authored detailed Business Requirements Specifications and Solution Approach documents, clearly outlining Project Scope, Assumptions, Risks, and Contingencies, ensuring transparency and clarity for all stakeholders.
- Directed the development and communication of key Milestones and deliverables, effectively managing project timelines and expectations.
- Managed an average of 15 to 20 concurrent projects with durations ranging from 3 to 6 months, consistently delivering results on time and within scope.
Director – Strategic Business Development
Ingenico
01.2009 - 01.2010
- Led a high-performing team to successfully establish and expand Ingenico's market presence across the U.S. and Canada, identifying and capitalizing on untapped opportunities.
- Managed a cross-functional team of 5 Account Executives, 3 Channel Sales professionals, 2 Sales Engineers, 1 System Engineer, and a Senior Product Manager, fostering collaboration and driving business growth.
- Conceptualized and built a go-to-market strategy by assembling a dedicated team of Sales, Product Management, and Marketing professionals, positioning unmanned kiosks as a high-potential, underserved market.
- Spearheaded the execution of the marketing plan, generating over $500,000 in new business within 10 months, significantly surpassing targets.
- Directed global initiatives, coordinating with teams across the Netherlands, France, Germany, Poland, Spain, and the U.S., ensuring alignment and consistency across all markets.
- Oversaw the Business Unit budget and worked closely with the Controller to manage P&L, ensuring financial performance aligned with strategic goals.
Channel Manager – Latin America
RedPrairie Corporation
05.2007 - 09.2009
- Spearheaded the development and management of strategic relationships with Channel Re-sellers across Latin America, driving regional growth and market penetration.
- Led Channel Re-sellers to consistently exceed sales quotas, optimizing performance and achieving outstanding revenue results under my guidance.
- Directed a team of 3 high-performing Re-sellers, overseeing their efforts to successfully sell Retail and Workforce solutions to major retailers, grocers, and C-store organizations in Latin America.
- Empowered and coached re-seller teams of Account Executives, equipping them with advanced skills and strategies to effectively communicate the value and competitive advantages of our products and services.
- Designed and formalized a comprehensive Sales and Service program, establishing standardized processes to ensure operational consistency and excellence across all Channel Partners.
- Collaborated closely with Channel Partners to develop and implement corrective action plans, addressing product and service deficiencies and driving improvements in both customer satisfaction and sales performance.
- Orchestrated the successful market launch of Redprairie’s Retail Supply Chain and Workforce Management Solutions in Mexico and South America, establishing a strong foundation for regional success and growth.
Account Executive
BlueCube/RedPrairie Corporation
01.2005 - 09.2009
- Spearheaded new business development efforts within the Petroleum and Convenience Store vertical, driving market penetration and pipeline growth.
- Consistently exceeded sales targets through strategic account management, solution selling, and client-centric engagement.
- Secured a landmark deal with Pilot Travel Centers, closing the first industry deployment of an advanced, predictive workforce forecasting and scheduling solution in the convenience store sector.
- Led complex, consultative enterprise software sales encompassing Business Intelligence, Supply Chain Management, Workforce Optimization, Fleet Route Planning, Execution Management, and professional services.
- Achieved a 100% customer reference rate—an unprecedented benchmark—while becoming the first Account Executive to negotiate contract terms mandating client participation in co-marketing initiatives with RedPrairie.
- Cultivated strategic, globally focused partnerships with POS vendors, generating high-quality leads and RFP opportunities from Petroleum and C-Store organizations across Asia Pacific and Latin America.
- Successfully launched RedPrairie’s Back Office solutions for small to mid-sized convenience store chains, expanding the company’s addressable market and product footprint.
Operations Manager
Retail Data Systems
01.2004 - 01.2005
- Directed RDS-Southeast Deployment Operations, ensuring efficient execution and service excellence across regional initiatives.
- Spearheaded regional revenue growth, scaling Southeast operations from $1M to $4M annually through strategic planning and operational optimization.
- Built and led a high-performing Installation Department, recruiting and managing a team of 3 installers and 1 staging specialist to support growing deployment demands.
- Proactively addressed performance gaps through targeted action plans, resulting in improved team productivity and accountability.
- Standardized operations by developing and documenting comprehensive procedures for installation and staging workflows, driving consistency and scalability.
- Designed and launched a performance-based compensation program that incentivized initiative and productivity; successfully adopted company-wide as a best practice.
- Developed and executed a cross-functional training program to enable sales, implementation, and support of Radiant Systems’ enterprise-class SaaS solution, unlocking a new recurring revenue stream.
Project Manager
Retail Data Systems
01.2003 - 01.2004
- Directed cross-functional teams of 5–7 RDS/client resources to successfully implement Radiant POS systems across small and mid-sized convenience store chains.
- Delivered 100% of assigned projects on time and within scope, consistently achieving successful rollouts.
- Developed and executed comprehensive project plans in MS Project, covering key phases such as data loading, on-site testing, pilot execution, milestone tracking, and full-scale deployment.
- Facilitated regular stakeholder meetings to drive project alignment, including kickoff sessions, status updates, expectation management, issue resolution, and escalation handling.
- Owned the definition, tracking, and communication of project milestones and deliverables, ensuring clarity and accountability across all phases of the project lifecycle.
Program Manager
Radiant Systems
01.1998 - 01.2000
- Led a cross-functional team of 2 Project Managers and 2 Developers, ensuring alignment on client deliverables and strategic objectives across multiple concurrent technology initiatives.
- Oversaw daily operations and drove the successful execution of all active group projects, ensuring on-time delivery, budget adherence, and alignment with client expectations.
- Implemented performance improvement strategies by coaching direct reports through corrective action plans, resulting in improved project outcomes and increased team effectiveness.
- Closed a landmark $1M/year recurring development services agreement with Speedway SuperAmerica for 2,800 units—the largest recurring revenue contract in company history at the time.
- Developed and institutionalized the company-wide Business Requirement Specification (BRS) methodology, now adopted by all Project, Program, and Product Managers as the standard for documentation and client alignment.
- Leveraged MS Project to manage full project lifecycle, including planning, execution, and reporting, enabling data-driven status updates and proactive risk mitigation.
Manager – Customer Service
Radiant Systems
01.1994 - 01.1997
- Led cross-functional teams comprising 40 computer hardware support representatives, a 2-person RMA/repair depot, a 6-person field service team with its supervisor, and a 6-person installation crew with its supervisor, ensuring seamless operations and high service standards across all units.
- Delivered exceptional technical support to high-profile Radiant Systems clients, including Speedway, Conoco, Amoco, and Valero, consistently exceeding service expectations for leading convenience store chains.
- Developed a high-performing talent pipeline by mentoring team members, fostering professional growth, and maintaining a bench of promotion-ready employees to support long-term organizational success.
- Directed the creation and standardization of call center procedures, leading documentation efforts that enhanced consistency, training effectiveness, and operational efficiency.
- Monitored and managed key performance metrics, regularly presenting results and strategic insights to executive leadership to drive data-informed decisions.
- Implemented performance improvement plans, collaborating with team members to address skill gaps and interpersonal challenges, resulting in measurable gains in productivity and team cohesion.
Implementer
MicroBilt Corporation
06.1992 - 01.1994
- Installed IBM hardware and delivered POS software training to client groups of 5–20 users, ensuring rapid adoption and minimal disruption.
- Developed a two-week crash course on POS/back-office support, significantly improving the onboarding process for new call center staff.
- Promoted to internal consultant role, spearheading the rollout of standardized call center procedures across newly acquired companies.
Education
No Degree - Management
Kennesaw State University
Kennesaw, Georgia 04.2001 - 01.2008
Skills
Building effective teams
undefinedTraining
- Escuela San José El Viejo (Spanish language immersion), Antigua, Guatemala
- Miller Heiman sales training
- The Complex Sale sales training
Timeline
Director – IT Strategy: Market Performance Partnerships
Optum
06.2019 - 03.2024
Technical Business Analyst
Optum
01.2014 - 06.2019
Senior Project Manager
Precyse
01.2013 - 01.2014
IT Project Manager
Precyse
01.2012 - 01.2013
Lead Project Manager
AT&T
01.2011 - 10.2011
Director – Strategic Business Development
Ingenico
01.2009 - 01.2010
Channel Manager – Latin America
RedPrairie Corporation
05.2007 - 09.2009
Account Executive
BlueCube/RedPrairie Corporation
01.2005 - 09.2009
Operations Manager
Retail Data Systems
01.2004 - 01.2005
Project Manager
Retail Data Systems
01.2003 - 01.2004
No Degree - Management
Kennesaw State University
04.2001 - 01.2008
Program Manager
Radiant Systems
01.1998 - 01.2000
Manager – Customer Service
Radiant Systems
01.1994 - 01.1997
Implementer
MicroBilt Corporation
06.1992 - 01.1994
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