Location : Austin Texas / Sunnyvale CA (Onsite)
Type of Job : Contract : 12 Months
Experience : 15+ Years
Role Summary:
We are seeking a highly experienced and resilient Project Manager to lead the critical cutover phase of our SAP S/4HANA enterprise transformation. In this high-visibility role, you will be responsible for the end-to-end strategy, planning, execution, and management of the S/4HANA cutover and go-live activities.
The ideal candidate possesses deep expertise in orchestrating complex SAP cutovers, managing intricate runbooks, coordinating data migration, and aligning business and technical teams to ensure a seamless transition from legacy systems to S/4HANA with minimal business disruption.
Key Responsibilities:
Cutover Strategy & Planning:
Develop, own, and maintain the comprehensive S/4HANA Cutover Strategy for Operations while collaborating with XF leads, encompassing technical, functional, data migration, and business transition activities.
Build and manage the detailed Cutover playbook (minute-by-minute/hour-by-hour project plan) integrating all tasks, dependencies, durations, and resource assignments.
Define the ramp-down (legacy system freeze) and ramp-up (S/4HANA activation) strategies, including blackout periods and business continuity plans.
Establish cutover governance, entry/exit criteria, and decision-making frameworks (Go/No-Go criteria).
Execution & Mock Cutovers:
Plan, coordinate, and lead multiple Mock Cutovers (Dry Runs / Dress Rehearsals) to validate the playbook, identify bottlenecks, and optimize cutover timing.
Direct the execution of the actual production Go-Live weekend, acting as the primary command center lead and orchestrator.
Partner closely with the Data Migration team to ensure data extraction, transformation, and load (ETL) activities are seamlessly integrated into the cutover plan.
Manage technical cutover activities, including system landscape provisioning, transport management, and integration enablement.
Stakeholder Management & Communication:
Co-lead the Cutover Command Center, providing real-time status updates, identifying critical path delays, and driving rapid issue resolution.
Communicate cutover progress, risks, and mitigation strategies to executive steering committees and key business stakeholders.
Collaborate with System Integrators (SIs), internal IT teams, business process owners, and third-party vendors to ensure absolute alignment.
Required Qualifications:
Communication: Exceptional executive-level communication and presentation skills.
Experience: 10+ years of IT Project/Program Management experience, with at least 5+ years dedicated to large-scale SAP ERP implementations.
S/4HANA Cutover Expertise: Proven track record of successfully leading the cutover phase for at least two (2) full-lifecycle SAP S/4HANA implementations in highly complex, global environments.
Methodology: Deep understanding of SAP methodology and agile/hybrid delivery models.
Technical Acumen: Strong understanding of SAP architecture, transport management (ChaRM), data migration processes, and integration points with legacy/third-party systems.
Crisis Management: Demonstrated ability to remain calm under pressure, make rapid, data-driven decisions, and manage high-stress situations during Go-Live weekends.
Tools: Expert proficiency in project management and playbook tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Jira, ServiceNow, SAP Solution Manager).
Preferred Qualifications:
PMP, PgMP, or Certification.
Scrum Master or Agile framework certification.
SAP certifications (e.g., SAP Activate Project Manager).
Experience within the tech industry.
Experience working with global teams across multiple time zones.
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