Experts in Fit

Solutions come in many shapes and sizes. When it comes to your project, you need a solution that fits. Consulting expertise meticulously tailored to meet your goals.

At Taleo, we offer a range of professional consulting services in the fields of Program and Project Management, Business Analysis, Change Management, Project Control and Project Scheduling. We pride ourselves on our ability to match clients with consultants that meet the requirements for skill and experience, while also matching our clients’ needs in terms of cultural fit, aptitude and personality.

Taleo was founded in 2010 as a response to the commodity-based approach to consulting taken by large body shops. In an effort to avoid delivering inconsistent results to clients, we’ve taken a different approach.

Differentiators:

Many firms offering consulting related services tend to be recruiters focused on amassing large resume databases. We are quite the opposite. Taleo does not accept resumes from any and all consultants who express interest. Instead, we invest in assessing consultants, validating their skills and experience, understanding their personality and individual work style. We then determine if we will add them to our team or not. Over the years we have been building our portfolio of competent consultants and saying no to those deemed mediocre or less. Our goal is to have a portfolio of the best, proven, competent professionals who consistently deliver results on client engagements. When you work with Taleo you have access to this portfolio versus a data warehouse of resumes and non-assessed individuals. When we share a consultant’s profile with a client, they know that this person is established, capable and has been qualified by Taleo. As a result of our quality approach, our consultants land 76% of the assignments they interview for and are invited to extend their contracts 89% of the time.

Experts in Fit

You are a Calgary based business that must complete various projects and initiatives to support your overall business mandate. Delivering projects, completing process and business analysis isn't your core competency. You do it because it supports a greater need. You may have a team of people who can do some or most of the work BUT...

You need contract specialists from time to time to cover staff shortage or provide specific skills and experience that are important. You are seeking a supreme fit for your need, not just a match of skills or experience, but an individual who will integrate into your culture, how your team works together and the unique nuances of your company's style.

Project solutions in IT, business and EPC is our specialty. It is all we do; it is our passion; it is our competency, and it is what we do very, very well. This expertise is even more effective when we assess our staff and our clients' working styles. We match our people to assignments based on three key criteria 1) cultural fit 2) skills and knowledge 3) type of experience.

Project Management: Our Project Managers average over 20 years of experience, overseeing a variety of projects across a wide spectrum of industries and functions typically on business, IT or EPC initiatives. Productive from day one, they are well-versed in the application of project management, product development, and systems methodologies with access to all of our industry best practice processes, templates, and models.

Program Management: These highly seasoned professionals have the extensive project and program management experience required to effectively lead programs of all sizes and complexities. Taleo's Program Managers are trained to interact with your management executives to achieve success for your program as well as provide constructive and objective recommendations on ways to improve your project management environment.

Organizational Change Management: This area of expertise is much more then simply providing communication or training experience. Taleo OCM consultants have the ability to help our client's internal leaders transform their organization. They enable these leaders to take their organizations through positive change due to triggers such as new technologies, new processes, new structures or M&As.

Project Controls Specialists: Taleo has a specialized pool of expert Project Controllers, Planners, and Schedulers who average 10+ years of experience in project planning, estimating, cost control, issue and risk mitigation, and project reporting.

Business Analysis: Research shows that 56% of all consultants employed on major IT programs are performing some kind of business analysis yet only 17% of them have had any formal Business Analysis training. Taleo business analysts are proven experts in the area of requirements definition and implementation. Process improvement is a unique skillset which, when successfully applied, can bring significant benefits to the organization. Our Business Analysts offer comprehensive solutions in process modeling.

Delivery Improvement Services: In addition to execution services focused on delivering a set of specific objectives relating to a project, Taleo provides services targeted at systemic issues affecting the organization's performance. The opportunities range from the appropriate methodology, project offices approach, reviews, coaching and more.

Project Reviews (Recovery, Success Assurance, Lessons Learned): The consequences of failed projects can be grim. According to findings from the Center for Business Practices (CBP) nearly half of an organization's projects are at risk at any given time, no matter the size of the organization. With so much at stake, early detection and action is key to avoiding the substantial losses associated with troubled projects and project failures. Taleo addresses project reviews at both the organizational and individual project levels, depending on your specific needs.

Performance Management: Taleo has developed a framework for measuring the performance of Project Execution practices to evaluate their effectiveness and demonstrate strategic business impact. Measurement provides you with the information necessary to make intelligent decisions about what you do. For example, you might want to understand the performance of your project management processes, your project office, or your Project Management training initiatives. Taleo will work with you to develop a measurement program customized for your organization to accurately demonstrate performance results to key stakeholders.

Project Management Maturity Advancement: Advancing project management maturity improves your organization's effectiveness at executing projects. We work with our clients to assess the current level of maturity, develop an achievable improvement plan, and help keep the momentum going by supporting the execution and measurement of the recommended improvements.

Coaching and Mentoring: We help bridge the gap between theory and practice. Taleo' Mentors work closely with your personnel to reinforce their understanding of sound project management or business analysis concepts and help them apply these concepts within their work practices. This type of personalized knowledge transfer from experienced resources encourages the development of competencies more easily gained through example, guided learning, and hands-on practice.

Project Portfolio Management Assessment: Working on the right projects at the right time is critical to sustain a competitive advantage, yet many organizations struggle with allocating limited resources and assets wisely. Taleo's project portfolio management (PPM) approach helps you select and manage an optimal portfolio of projects - one that maximizes your organization's responsiveness, revenues, and adaptability. Taleo helps structure your PPM practices to provide your organization with a consistent way to select, prioritize, and manage projects that deliver maximum business value.

Project Management Office (PMO): Implementing standard project management practices and improving project success rates are two of the main reasons why organizations establish project management offices (PMOs). Yet there are many complex factors that impact the ability of a PMO to operate effectively. Often overlooked is the crucial role a PMO can play in organizational governance, supporting centralized project prioritization and resource allocation decisions. Recognizing the PMO's strategic value, Taleo has pioneered a process for designing, implementing, and refining the practices and structure of a project management office.

Rare Threads

Taleo people are unconventional and driven: we pride ourselves on being different, which in turn helps us to think laterally and come up with ideas that might not be obvious at first sight. They are derived from a rich human experience and a capacity for change, learning, and adaptation.

Matthew Hillhouse Owner / Managing Partner

In university while wrapping up my undergraduate degree, I was drawn to both the adventure and discipline required to be a commercial pilot and flight instructor. Freshly graduated and a few years into flying I met an amazing business man (whose hobby included flying a small diversified fleet of airplanes!) who became a key differentiator in the course of my life. Bill was the CEO of a venture capital firm with boundless creativity, commitment and intellect.

It was easy for me in the beginning to have a strong admiration for his ability to recognize true potential in small under developed businesses. It took me longer to appreciate his strategy and method in growing me. I was consistently thrown in to uncomfortable and foreign scenarios where I had little experience. He pushed me to learn things on my own and knew somehow that I was capable of doing it. With the aggregate of my lessons and successes, I developed an uncanny ability to diagnostically assess a clients situation and integrate myself seamlessly in to the team.

Founder of Taleo in 2010, Matthew serves as managing partner. He works daily with the business team, Taleo’s clients and consultants in supporting the ongoing pursuit of delivering high valued results on each and every assignment.

Laurel Sim Owner / VP of Portfolio Management

As an award winning program manager and senior project manager, Laurel applies her wisdom and experience in managing Taleo's portfolio of active assignments. Laurel's natural passion and talent lies in the area of helping others be their best. Laurel and her team of senior project managers are paired with each and every Taleo consultant to provide support, an advisor, a sounding board and a confident. The mission is simple... help our consultant be the best they can be, wow the client, deliver the goods and keep building our track record. Through Laurel's consistent approach to quality, Taleo demonstrates that two heads are indeed better then one.

Ryan Buchan Talent Manager

Ryan is our talent scout who is always on the lookout for that rare consultant who brings the skills, experience, wisdom and certain style that makes them standout. He has developed a comprehensive approach to finding and assessing top talent which ensures that Taleo always has the best to offer our clients. Ryan's role is critical to the success of our clients and our business. Through his effective and selective people selection he helps support the steady growth of Taleo.

Kevin MacPhie Business Manager

Kevin MacPhie is our Business Manager. The reason Kevin is such a great fit has everything to do with his passion and extensive experience in customer service. His career training has honed his attention to detail – a quality that helps ensure our clients are in good hands and not being overlooked. Extensive hospitality leadership experience makes him a natural for working with all clients, understanding their specific requirements and making sure they have access to the right Taleo talent. Education and experience aside, he is a fun-loving, charismatic person with a passion for connecting with people. His professional priority is building meaningful, lasting relationships for the mutual benefit of Taleo’s consultants and clients.

Karen DayAdministrative Manager

Karen Day is our Administrative Manager, who brings 25 plus years of experience and knowledge to Taleo. She devotes her time to ensuring all general office procedures, HR, financial, and payroll aspects of our business are handled quickly and professionally.

Karen works with the Taleo Team to create closer relationships with both our clients and consultants on a daily basis as well as through the planning and execution of social events.