IT Manager with U.S. corporate background seeks a position in a development organization in China that combines leadership skills, grassroots development and appreciation for language and culture.
For 16 years I have worked in the information technology divisions of various U.S. companies as manager, system administrator and software developer. At the same time I have consistently nurtured an interest in culture, languages and community development through travel, study and language acquisition.
I now desire to blend my professional experiences of innovation, problem solving and technology with my cross-cultural interests. I seek a position as a leader, project manager or technology consultant for a development organization working in China.
Please contact me at jrlsl90@charter.net [1] for a copy of my full resume. Here is a brief summary of the accomplishments and values that make me an ideal candidate for this task.
Leadership
• I pursue the core values of the organization, even when it’s not convenient.
• I ask “How can things function better?” and pursue positive change for myself and my team.
• Conflict is easy to start and difficult to resolve, so I work diligently to diffuse conflict through communication and understanding.
• Not all of my efforts have been successful – I have walked with failure and have learned from the experience.
• I pitch in to help whenever possible. Even for overnight system maintenance shifts, I don’t ask my staff to do anything I wouldn’t do myself.
Management
• I hire and fire staff, perform performance appraisals, address personnel issues, evaluate workload, assign new tasks and coach my team to excellent performance.
• I evaluate project ideas, estimate timelines and monitor tasks to completion.
• I identify stalled projects, determine the obstacles that prevent success and coach the participants to a successful conclusion.
Innovation and Problem Solving
• I enjoy finding creative solutions for the most troublesome problems.
• I take responsibility for my ideas, even when they fail, but quickly develop new approaches until an acceptable solution is found.
• When older solutions fail to meet modern demands, I lead my team to develop new approaches.
Technical Understanding
• I have worked with many of the fundamental technologies that underpin our Internet-driven world. I am able to evaluate what technology truly brings value and what is just hype.
• I develop training materials and knowledge management systems so that information is available to as many people as possible.
• Both in processes and in purchases, my preference is for simple, flexible, sustainable designs. One project I managed recently replaced 52 custom-connected computers with 9 off-the-shelf models for a savings of US $280,000/year.
Team Building
• I build positive relationships with workers and managers in other departments. I listen closely to understand what their needs and motivations are.
• I encourage my staff to view other departments as colleagues, not competitors.
• Although projects should achieve their goals, I value people over accomplishments and make sure that relationships are built even while progress is made.
Language / Culture
• I realized my interest in cross-cultural issues two decades ago as an exchange student in Germany. I still maintain advanced skills in German.
• I recently completed an 18-month company-sponsored Mandarin training course.
• I have traveled several times to China, as well as Russia, Europe, Central and South America.
Social Issues
• By working with local farmers, I support sustainable agricultural efforts in my community
• I volunteer for a non-profit agency providing tax services for low-income citizens. This year through my initiative we extended the program to the local expatriate Chinese community.
Financial Responsibility
• I develop budget estimates, analyze project financials and arrange purchasing for projects over US $1,000,000.
• I served as the treasurer for a local non-profit agency and implemented routine financial reporting to the members.