Vusimuzi Meshack Malinga
Johannesburg
Summary
Dynamic Production Support Manager at First National Bank with a proven track record in operational excellence and incident management. Enhanced system performance through strategic upgrades and streamlined processes, achieving significant improvements in efficiency. Strong analytical skills and effective stakeholder communication fostered collaboration and increased customer satisfaction.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Production Support Manager
First National Bank
11.2019 - Current
- Escalated and resolved major service issues.
- Led initiatives to upgrade support tools and technologies, improving overall system performance and stability in the long run.
- Improved production efficiency by streamlining processes and implementing new support strategies.
- Organized schedules, monitored shifts, and made sure there was apt coverage.
- Monitored industry trends for emerging best practices in production support management, ensuring the company remained ahead of the curve when addressing operational challenges.
- Conducted thorough risk assessments on proposed changes or enhancements to production systems, ensuring minimal disruption to ongoing operations.
- Partnered with key stakeholders both internally and externally to align business objectives with production support goals effectively.
- Increased customer satisfaction scores by closely monitoring production issues and ensuring timely resolution of problems.
- Managed vendor relations, negotiating contracts for cost savings and improved service levels.
- Facilitated regular reviews of production metrics, enabling proactive identification of trends or potential bottlenecks that could impact operations.
- Championed a data-driven approach to decision-making within the department, using relevant performance metrics to inform resource allocation and process improvements.
- Developed strong relationships with cross-functional teams to facilitate effective communication and collaboration throughout the production process.
- Implemented agile methodologies to optimize workflow processes, leading to increased output and reduced turnaround time.
- Organized relevant training sessions and personally trained new members of team.
- Streamlined the onboarding process for new team members, reducing ramp-up time and enabling them to contribute more quickly to support efforts.
- Provided status reports to management.
- Enhanced team productivity by providing comprehensive training workshops and continuous mentoring support.
- Created a culture of continuous improvement by fostering open feedback channels and encouraging team members to share innovative ideas for process enhancements.
- Determined quality control standards.
- Reduced downtime for critical systems by proactively identifying potential issues and implementing preventive measures.
- Promoted an environment of collaboration and teamwork by organizing regular meetings, workshops, and team-building events that fostered strong working relationships among staff members.
- Established a robust incident management system, resulting in faster response times and improved root cause analysis capabilities.
- Optimized resource allocation by assessing project requirements, prioritizing tasks, and assigning appropriate personnel to ensure timely completion of deliverables.
- Maintained high employee retention rates through effective leadership techniques, including clear communication of expectations, opportunities for professional growth, and recognition of accomplishments.
- Implemented quality control system to review products against technical specifications and corporate standards.
- Analyzed production data and prepared reports for senior management.
- Managed personnel by implementing company policies, procedures, work rules, and disciplinary action.
- Evaluated employee performance and provided feedback and training as needed..
- Researched latest industry trends and technologies, boosting knowledge and understanding of industrial production.
Technical Test Analyst
First National Bank
03.2013 - Current
- Tailored testing procedures to obtain data most relevant to understanding underlying causes of production limitations.
- Conducted in-the-line testing and evaluated resulting measurements to identify variances in output using current production methods and compare against application-specific tolerances.
- Identified bugs and issues within system and applied troubleshooting techniques for mitigation purposes.
- Participated in available trainings to improve software knowledge.
- Improved software quality by designing and executing comprehensive test plans.
- Reviewed all test cases and test scripts for quality and identified additional areas to review.
- Optimized test cases to maximize success of manual software testing.
- Documented current production methods to identify points of limitation to target for quantification through testing procedures.
- Met with quality assurance, developers and project managers to assess scope and sequence of project.
- Assessed software bugs and compiled findings along with suggested resolutions for development team members.
- Strengthened customer trust in products, meticulously verifying fixes for reported issues and ensuring smooth post-release operations.
- Directed team members to follow specific testing standards and guidelines as outlined in project requirements.
- Identified critical defects, conducting root cause analysis and collaborating with the development team for timely resolutions.
- Reduced production issues by implementing rigorous regression testing before each release.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of system components during end-to-end testing.
- Incorporated delivery requirements into planning of testing schedules.
- Completed pre-implementation testing for new system modifications to assess potential impacts.
- Advised developers on problems with databases, performance and other issues.
- Recommended changes and corrections to developers for optimal software performance and usability.
- Developed and maintained defect databases for known issues.
- Kept scripts and test cases updated with current requirements.
- Documented testing procedures for developers and future testing use.
- Monitored resolution of bugs, tested fixes, and helped developers tackle ongoing problems by providing QA perspective.
- Evaluated product requirements, translating them into detailed test scenarios and validating expected outcomes.
- Established a culture of continuous learning within the team, promoting open discussions on testing challenges and exploring innovative solutions to improve overall test effectiveness.
- Increased overall test coverage, prioritizing high-risk functionalities for thorough examination.
- Supported continuous improvement efforts by analyzing defects trends and recommending process enhancements.
- Enhanced user experience with thorough usability testing and providing actionable feedback to developers.
- Maintained accurate documentation of all testing activities, enabling efficient review of results by project stakeholders.
- Continuously updated technical skills through training programs, staying current on industry best practices for software testing methodologies.
Call Center Agent
First National Bank
02.2007 - Current
- Adhered to company policies and scripts to consistently achieve call-time and quality standards.
- Developed expert knowledge of company products and services to provide accurate information to customers.
- Offered technical assistance for customers experiencing difficulties with online processes or software applications related to company products or services.
- Utilized CRM software to track customer interactions, ensuring timely follow-up on outstanding issues.
- Adapted communication style to meet diverse customer needs, creating positive experiences for all callers.
- Exceeded daily call center metrics, consistently maintaining a high level of productivity and customer satisfaction.
- Resolved customer issues promptly, ensuring satisfaction and loyalty.
- Cross-trained and backed up other customer service managers.
- Responded proactively and positively to rapid change.
- Delivered prompt service to prioritize customer needs.
- Promptly responded to inquiries and requests from prospective customers.
- Maintained up-to-date knowledge of product and service changes.
- Responded to customer requests, offering excellent support and tailored recommendations to address needs.
- Met customer call guidelines for service levels, handle time and productivity.
Sales Agent
Nedbank Personal Loans
03.2004 - 01.2006
- Developed strong relationships with clients through excellent customer service and regular followups.
- Expanded client base by diligently prospecting new leads and effectively presenting product offerings.
- Negotiated contracts with prospective clients, helping to secure long-term business partnerships.
- Increased sales revenue by consistently meeting and exceeding sales targets.
- Identified new areas of opportunity within existing accounts by offering additional products or services based on their needs analysis results.
- Enhanced product knowledge through continuous training and professional development opportunities.
- Presented professional image consistent with company's brand values.
- Stayed current on company offerings and industry trends.
- Met existing customers to review current services and expand sales opportunities.
- Achieved or exceeded company-defined sales quotas.
Education
High School Diploma -
Ladysmith Secondary School
Ladysmith, South Africa12-2000
Skills
- Organizational skills
- Operational excellence
- Incident management
- Project management experience
- Software development lifecycle
- Stakeholder communication
- Service level agreements
- ITIL framework
- Production problem resolution
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Verbal and written communication
- Adaptability
- Analytical thinking
- Analytical skills
Certification
iLAB - Practical Software Testing [2018]
iLAB - Basic Practical SQL [2018]
L & D FNB Premium – Premium Talent Multiplier Series 2019
iLAB - ISTQB Foundation Certificate [2020]
Currently Up-skilling via Udemy on Data Platforms:
Teradata, SQL, Hadoop & Oracle
Currently Up-skilling via Udemy on Programming Languages:
XML,Java & Python
Timeline
Production Support Manager
First National Bank
11.2019 - Current
Technical Test Analyst
First National Bank
03.2013 - Current
Call Center Agent
First National Bank
02.2007 - Current
Sales Agent
Nedbank Personal Loans
03.2004 - 01.2006
High School Diploma -
Ladysmith Secondary School