SAP Project Manager

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Key Responsibilities & Tasks

The Principal Project Manager is responsible for the overall management of a complex Project throughout its lifecycle, having a relevant qualifications and business acumen to manage large scale, high risk, strategic projects that span organizational boundaries including multiple business units and service partners/vendors. The Principal Project Manager has a key role during the Bid Phase of the customer engagement focusing on shaping the overall delivery approach, including methodology, governance, project structure, organization, scoping, estimation and risk assessment.

The Principal Project Manager provides leadership to the overall team structure responsible for delivering the Project. Where applicable, provides a leading role to junior project managers and a supporting role to a senior Project Manager or Program Manager. The Principal Project Manager also provides a partnering role with Customer and/or Partner Project Management teams

The key Area of Responsibilities of a Principal Project Manager across the Project Life Cycle include:

Before Project kick-off (inception):

1. During the Sales cycle:

1.1. Contribute to the Project structuring and solutioning reviews, assist with definition of the Project scope, schedule, resourcing and risk assessment.

1.2. Contribute to the evaluation of Customer culture and maturity, for adapting the delivery approach and the proposed Project structure. Ensure appropriate methodologies are incorporated.

1.3. Help defining project deliverables

1.4. Align the project proposal with SAP DBS strategy (e.g. via leveraging SAP accelerators and other investments).

1.5. Contribute to Project Proposal Reviews conducted by the Customer, and advocate convincingly the Project Delivery choices and plan.

2. From Sales closure to Project formal Kick-off:

2.1. Facilitate a comprehensive Sales-to-Delivery transition.

2.2. Start building trustful relationship with Customer & Partner stakeholders.

2.2.1. Work with Project Managers and Resource Managers to define the Project team structure, and interview candidates for key roles. Review SoWs for 3rd Parties and sub-contracting entities. Optimize the use of nearshore and offshore delivery by SAP and its partners to achieve cost advantages for the client and for SAP.

2.3. Ensure effective on-boarding of team members; ensure Project Managers and Team members understand and take ownership of their assigned commitments.

2.4. Ensure a safe and effective working environment is established with appropriate logistics & infrastructure. Ensure governance is effectively implemented, relevant standards and project systems are in place to manage the Project in an effective and efficient way. Establish meetings cadence and agendas. Setup the escalation process.

2.5. Manage the Project kick-off meeting, and actively contribute to the event. Take accountability for the definition of the Project success including its expected business outcomes; validate the definitions of “Success" are mutually agreed between SAP and the Customer, at Executive Management and at Project Teams levels.

During Project Execution (Planning / Executing / Monitoring and Controlling):

1. Ensure effective execution of Project Management activities (planning, monitoring and controlling), including:

1.1. Project planning: WBS, deliverables, dependencies, owners, due dates, links to other related plans (e.g. Deployment Plan, Testing Plan, Development Plan).

1.2. Project resource planning and management.

1.3. Project financial planning and management, ensuring a complete and accurate view is available on request, covering actual data from start to date, and forecast date until Project completion.

1.4. Scope management covering full scope definition against the original Statement of Work (or initial Project scope), incorporating the Project Change Management records.

1.5. Manage RAID (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies) log/processes and conduct regular RAID Review meetings, documenting decisions, actions and outcomes.

1.6. Manage the Project deliverable reviews and approval processes, within stated contractual timeline; recording of Minutes of reviews and related approvals for deliverables.

1.7. Manage development of key strategy documents (such as Data Migration Strategy; Test Strategy, Cut-over and Deployment Strategy), and create alignment with the customer on them.

1.8. Work closely with the Project Sponsors and Project Review Boards to facilitate timely decisions necessary for Project delivery.

1.9. Manage escalations and take accountability for the de-escalation process, coordinating recovery activities, negotiations and stakeholders' engagement as necessary; seek for support (esp. RDE) when needed.

2. Governance & Reporting (internal): Review and share outcomes of regular updates internally to DBS

2.1. In compliance with regular tools and cadence (e.g. Felipe, Delivery Portfolio, Account and Market Unit Reviews).

2.2. In compliance with Project requirements as defined in communications plan and standards.

2.3. Internal escalation: leverage internal governance and seek guidance and support from Management (within Delivery Function and/or Territory/LoB leads) in due time, ahead of issues materializing.

2.4. Interface with internal functions (PMO, Controlling, GRC, MCC, etc.) to ensure visibility and transparency of Project progress and results.

3. Governance and Reporting (Customer):

3.1. Prepare and submit Project progress reporting to the Customer as input to governance.

3.2. Build trusting and efficient working relationship with Customer stakeholders (including Executive Sponsors), as well as other 3rd party stakeholders (e.g. System Integrator managers, sub-contractor managers).

3.3. Ensure governance forums are operationalized and recorded as per governance model, including Project Management and Steering Committee meetings.

4. Project team and Quality management:

4.1. Manages the Project Team (virtual and onsite) ensuring all team members are:

4.1.1. Aligned on the use of Project tools, methodology, and are in line with Project objectives

4.1.2. Clear and adequately trained on their own responsibilities and deliverables

4.1.3. Clearly understand and can articulate the value the Customer is seeking to achieve

4.2. Ensure subordinate Project Managers are aligned on project objectives and managing team members effectively; including project scope, methodology, team skills etc.

4.3. Effective upward management to senior Project Manager and/or Program Manager; providing communications and support for overall project / program delivery

4.4. Provides feedback to Project team Members' respective 1st line Managers, imparting fair and constructive performance evaluations and input to development plans. Provide direct coaching feedback to the Project Team members, when appropriate.

4.5. Ensure quality plans and processes are in place and adhered to, 'quality built-in' principles along with appropriate scheduled reviews.

4.6. Coordinate and effectively communicate with other SAP and Customer stakeholders and Project team members (e.g. Virtual Account Team, Customer Business and Program Managers, Account Executives, SSPs, Sales, Architects, Cloud LoBs) to ensure consistent alignment with broader account plans and business strategy. Work towards achieving strong Customer's C-level relationships and becoming a trusted advisor.

At Project Milestones and Project Closure:

1. On delivery of Project milestones and on completion of the Project, ensure timely appropriate Customer sign-off is achieved, particularly on Contractual Deliverables as stated in the SoW.

2. Ensure lessons learnt are captured and feedback provided to appropriate stakeholders.

3. Ensure knowledge transfer to the subsequent owner in life cycle has occurred to support efficient operations (e.g. AMS, Production Support, Run/Operational Teams)

4. Celebrate Project success with teams, using SAP Awards practices, internal communication to the region and to the team leadership.

At Month-End Closure:

1. Ensure accurate Project snapshot and reporting for Month-End closing, using the tools deployed by the region or territory Delivery Management (Felipe).

2. Analyze Variances (Revenue, Cost, Margin, Project-start to Date (FELIPE), Year to Date (YTD)).

3. Forecast Revenue and Cost to complete (Estimated to Complete (ETC), Estimated at Completion (EAC)).

4. Prepare and conduct monthly Project reporting at MU level, covering delivery and financial status.

On a Continuous Basis:

1. Maintain awareness of the DBS strategy in terms of transformation initiatives, methodology, tools, delivery strategy and promote the understanding and adoption within the Project or Program. Lead by example, coach Team Leads and other team members.

2. Maintain up-to-date records of project-related training.

3. Maintain awareness of certification related literature, such as the Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK), driven by the Project Manager Institute (PMI).

4. Contribute actively to the DBS Community/Practice of Project Management (at least regionally) to leverage best practices, share lessons from Projects, and contribute to developing the Project Manager function. Participate in the development of Project management best practices, examples, templates and SAP's Project Management Methodology.

5. Maintain a profound understanding of SAP solutions and of the DBS business processes and functions

Experience & Educational Requirements

Functional Experience 3 - 5 years of project management experience in large scale, high risk, or strategic projects.

3 - 5 years of supervisory or coaching experience in teambuilding and leading teams.

Demonstrated experience leading cross functional teams within a formalized methodology.

Demonstrated experience in managing issues, scope and quality while bring projects to successful completion within the cost and time requirements

Management and Leadership Experience

> Management experience of medium to large size and multilayered teams

> Management of remote resources (global delivery or distributed organization)

> P&L of LoB in medium to large organization is desirable > Strong leadership and people management skills are desirable

> Leading in matrix organization and without formal authority a plus

English: Fluent, a second language is an advantage

Required undergraduate university degree, preferably in commerce, engineering, information technologies or equivalent training and job experience.

Professional Training & Certification

> PMP certification and /or other industry and project management certifications. (not mandatory)

> SAP Activate certification or training. Mandatory.

> SAP Activate for Cloud certification. (not mandatory)

> Project Leadership Excellence (PLEX), Excellence in Delivery Management (EDM) or similar interpersonal skills course

> Understand SAP Solution Manager

> Understand SAP Focused Build

> Project Management Tools (MS Project, Felipe, etc.). Mandatory

> One Service Enablement Courses. Not mandatory

> SAP S/4HANA Training Programs - including management of digital transformation projects.

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EOE AA M/F/Vet/Disability:

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their age, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, age, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, et al), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or disability.
Successful candidates might be required to undergo a background verification with an external vendor.

Requisition ID: 373845  | Work Area: Consulting and Professional Services  | Expected Travel: 0 - 10%  | Career Status: Professional  | Employment Type: Regular Full Time   | Additional Locations: #LI-Hybrid.