Project Manager

CUTOVER LEAD

The key responsibility of this role is to support the project PMO to develop the cutover plan and enable transition to new SAP system from old legacy systems . The role will plan / coordinate cutover activities with the technical and business stakeholders. The scope of the cutover plan developed / executed will include technical, process, data and procedural (eg. Risk mitigation) plans.

Planning / execution of cutover approach

• Develop/maintain detailed cutover plan ensure alignment with project / programme plan milestones.
• Develop/maintain local resource plan for the cutover activity, support the program lead in requests for site-based resource eg. For reconciliation activity.
• Ensure that Site and Programme resource levels / quality are appropriate to support delivery of the cutover plan. Reporting to the program manager where variances are identified.
• Track progress against detailed cutover plan, ensuring that the site team provide timely updates to enable actionable status reporting to the programme and site steering group.
• Ensure the site team and the SAP Site Lead / cutover coordinators understand activities to be performed by the site using One Step Ahead workshops for cutover etc. Arranging for additional communication / education upon the cutover approach as required.
• Ensuring risks / issues and associated mitigation plans are recorded and tracked in the project RAID log associated with cutover activity.

Cutover Planning

Drive development of the site details of the cutover plan and act as (or support the site appointed) business cutover coordinator

Post Go Live Stabilisation – for hypercare period after go live

• Drive closure of key post go live cutover activity and associated issues post go live items from the cutover plan.
• Ensure appropriate post go live stabilisation metrics are established to demonstrate business stabilisation post cutover.
• Manage the handover to business as usual support team. Ensuring criteria to allow transition to support team are established from a site perspective eg. closeout of key issues, establishment of site support structures to work with the business as usual support team.

Requirements:

• SAP Project management experience gained on system / business change projects.
• Understanding of the key cutover project phases for site deployment of an ERP solution.
• Experience of managing stakeholders at all levels across a business unit.
• Ability to influence individuals outside own reporting lines.
• Understanding of key business processes within the scope of the deployment – not as SME but generic process knowledge
• Excellent English language skills both verbal and written.
• Preferably having excellent language skills for local site language both verbal and written.
• Organised and methodical in general approach to work.
• Entrepreneurial skills in terms of innovation and problem solving are key along with tenacity, tough-mindedness and ability to influence and demonstrate strong team working abilities and commitment.
• Self-motivated, detail oriented, highly organised, and be able to easily interface and collaborate with a diverse group of individuals – having a “can-do” approach and style of operation.
• Determined and resilient to identify resolutions to issues within own span of control.
• Calm under pressure, action orientated, organised and disciplined.