Our Project Delivery and Support team at Scotiabank is a dedicated community of project management resources supporting Global Technology teams and Business partners with best-in-class management expertise. We are innovators, collaborators, and work with cutting-edge technologies to best serve our customers and employees. Our team focuses on the growth and development of our people, and we enable change by listening to our team and continuously improving our processes.
One of our Project Managers, DanDan, shares what a typical day looks like on the Project Delivery and Support team; from her daily routines, why she loves being a Project Manager, and more!
Meet Project Manager, DanDan!
My name is DanDan, and I began my journey at Scotiabank as a Project Manager in 2019! While I don’t recall when I first decided to pursue Project Management as my profession, being a project manager on the Project Delivery and Support team fits my personality and I truly enjoy what I do each day. Our team is a diverse community of subject matter experts, and together, we help drive delivery towards Scotiabank’s vision for a better future.
Each morning, I start my day by creating my to-do list and catching up on emails. Before diving into my projects, I find it useful to first organize my thoughts, review the meetings I have for the day, and prioritize my tasks accordingly.
After reviewing the day ahead, we have a daily project meeting to connect with our team members on timing and deliverables. This meeting provides helpful insights into the teams’ accomplishments and progress, and it helps me stay attentive to any obstacles that are preventing my team members from delivering their best results. One of the key reasons I enjoy being a Project Manager is our ability to understand the team’s strengths and weaknesses and help everyone work both collaboratively- and individually. As a team, we apply best practices like booking follow-up discussions, looping in external teams, following escalation protocols, reviewing deliverables, and more to provide concrete recommendations on how to move forward. I take pride in helping my team members remove any barriers to their success and making sure they know they do not have to take on complex challenges alone.
Another reoccurring theme in my daily routine is planning. Each day, I plan deliverable timelines, agree on priorities with internal and external teams, and provide resource planning. Once planning is complete, the next action item is governance and communication. I leverage the project’s organizational structure to understand who to go to, and for which purpose. I then communicate critical information to project teams and stakeholders to help ensure all activities are adhering to timelines and expectations.
Being a Project Manager requires juggling several tasks at once and ensuring the strengths of our technical experts are being best leveraged. In my role, I work on Global HR projects which are cycle-driven, therefore, time is the biggest constraint and efficient time management is key to success! Our hybrid working model has enabled me have a better work-life balance during busy cycles, as working remotely allows me to save on commute time and spend more time recharging and taking breaks when needed. When I need help, I can also count of the PD&S Community of Practice forums to get advice from a peer. I really enjoy the forums, as I can search for answers, get important updates, and reach out to readily available subject matter experts. The forums are also a great place to meet new people and connect with other Project Managers!
On the Project Delivery and Support team, the opportunities are limitless. There are always new and exciting projects to work on, and new things to learn. I’m constantly growing and finding new ways to challenge myself and expand my skillset. Helping my colleagues achieve success while pursuing my own career goals motivates me to put my best foot forward everyday!
If you are a Project Management professional looking to take the next step in your career, we’re hiring.