A Day in the Life: Project Manager

January 12, 2023

by Tiffany McCabe

At BDK, Inc., one of our biggest assets is our people. Our teams are comprised of innovators, problem solvers, trailblazers, and leaders with more than a century of combined experience in the IT field. Our motto, “IT Made Simple” directly correlates to our down-to-earth and service-oriented employees who make IT approachable for our customers.

Our “Day in the Life” blog series highlights some of our organization’s integral contributors, while offering insight into the day-to-day work life and culture at BDK. This week, Brandon Harrison, BDK’s Project Manager, provides a glimpse into how he ended up working for BDK, Inc., the breadth of work he manages, and what makes BDK, Inc. a great place to work and grow.

What is your role at BDK?
As Project Manager, my role at BDK is to oversee the end-to-end process for major IT projects and tasks for our customers, including managed services data center operations, and some EDI/ERP and Development projects.

My main responsibilities include setting up projects and creating reports in our project management system; working with our various teams to delegate appropriate resources and hours for tasks; assisting Sales in creating formalized quotes to customers; liaising between BDK and our customers regarding project status; getting in front of any issues (foreseen and unexpected); and reviewing projects before they are closed out for debriefing and future learning. Secondary tasks for my role running bi-weekly sales meetings to go over closed projects, as well as onboarding for new BDK employees and helping manage some of our interns.
How did you end up in the IT field and ultimately working for BDK?
I'm thankful I ended up in the IT field and at BDK! I had no IT experience prior to starting here, but I had a strong interest in technology and some basic help desk experience from a previous job. When I applied to BDK, they really valued my problem-solving skills and my personality, and took me in to train and learn more.

I started off as a Level 1 technician for the MSP team and worked there for eight months before transitioning into project management. I created a system and format that was easily trackable, and for the next year I worked as a 50/50 resource. As the company grew, they needed a dedicated resource, so I stayed with the project management role and still step in when the queue gets too overloaded.
Describe your typical day as a Project Manager?
My typical day as a Project Manager is quite busy and no two days look completely the same. I usually start my mornings by debriefing our MSP manager, to make sure any urgent issues are addressed first. At the beginning of the week, I'm usually prepping for client and internal meetings also.

In the afternoons, I am typically in a lot of meetings, doing future planning and follow up on projects. I also take care of some ad hoc tasks, like inventory tracking to figure out where things need to be billed, and I do some interviewing for new hires. For those new employees that come onboard, I make sure everything is ready and in place for their first few days/weeks.
What do you enjoy most about working for BDK?
I really enjoy the interesting and varied challenges that come with working for BDK. It's always something different and keeps me on my toes. Additionally, I appreciate the strong and supportive working relationships I have with my colleagues. It is really great to have a team of people that can work together to solve problems and create great solutions.

Overall, I'm very glad I found my way into the IT field and to BDK. It's been an amazing learning experience and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

Check back in the coming weeks for more “Day in the Life” features of our team members. To read more of our content and learn more about our team, click here.

A Day in the Life: Project Manager

January 12, 2023

by Tiffany McCabe

What is your role at BDK?
As Project Manager, my role at BDK is to oversee the end-to-end process for major IT projects and tasks for our customers, including managed services data center operations, and some EDI/ERP and Development projects.

My main responsibilities include setting up projects and creating reports in our project management system; working with our various teams to delegate appropriate resources and hours for tasks; assisting Sales in creating formalized quotes to customers; liaising between BDK and our customers regarding project status; getting in front of any issues (foreseen and unexpected); and reviewing projects before they are closed out for debriefing and future learning. Secondary tasks for my role running bi-weekly sales meetings to go over closed projects, as well as onboarding for new BDK employees and helping manage some of our interns.
How did you end up in the IT field and ultimately working for BDK?
I'm thankful I ended up in the IT field and at BDK! I had no IT experience prior to starting here, but I had a strong interest in technology and some basic help desk experience from a previous job. When I applied to BDK, they really valued my problem-solving skills and my personality, and took me in to train and learn more.

I started off as a Level 1 technician for the MSP team and worked there for eight months before transitioning into project management. I created a system and format that was easily trackable, and for the next year I worked as a 50/50 resource. As the company grew, they needed a dedicated resource, so I stayed with the project management role and still step in when the queue gets too overloaded.
Describe your typical day as a Project Manager?
My typical day as a Project Manager is quite busy and no two days look completely the same. I usually start my mornings by debriefing our MSP manager, to make sure any urgent issues are addressed first. At the beginning of the week, I'm usually prepping for client and internal meetings also.

In the afternoons, I am typically in a lot of meetings, doing future planning and follow up on projects. I also take care of some ad hoc tasks, like inventory tracking to figure out where things need to be billed, and I do some interviewing for new hires. For those new employees that come onboard, I make sure everything is ready and in place for their first few days/weeks.
What do you enjoy most about working for BDK?
I really enjoy the interesting and varied challenges that come with working for BDK. It's always something different and keeps me on my toes. Additionally, I appreciate the strong and supportive working relationships I have with my colleagues. It is really great to have a team of people that can work together to solve problems and create great solutions.

Overall, I'm very glad I found my way into the IT field and to BDK. It's been an amazing learning experience and I'm grateful for the opportunity.

Check back in the coming weeks for more “Day in the Life” features of our team members. To read more of our content and learn more about our team, click here.