IM Transcend Deployment Director

Jobtailor; Cork; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in Ireland (Cork) seeks a senior Deployment Lead to own end-to-end ERP deployment programs, aligning with business objectives and funding constraints. You will guide global teams, coordinate cutovers, and ensure GxP compliance throughout planning and execution.

The role requires deep ERP deployment experience, strong stakeholder engagement, and ability to manage complex multi-release programs in a regulated life sciences environment. Travel up to 25% may be needed.

Qualifications

• BA/BS or equivalent experience required; MA/MS/MBA preferred.
• University level degree in supply chain, business/IT technical/scientific area or comparable education/experience.
• Proven success leading global cutover or deployment teams for complex Business transformation programs (ERP and broader functional areas).
• Strong knowledge of Deployment methodologies, data migration, system integrations, interfaces and infrastructure transitions.
• Demonstrated program and project management skills, including planning, resource orchestration and stage-gate deployments.
• Experience managing, mentoring and developing cross-functional teams and third-party resources.
• Comfortable with GxP environments, documentation controls and audit expectations.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation and executive reporting skills with a track record of aligning cross-functional partners to outcomes.
• Familiarity with automation, testing best practices and process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, etc.).
• Deep expertise in ERP Deployment including Solution Confirmation, Program Increment, Testing, Cutover for large-scale, multi-release programs, preferably in a global environment.
• Experience in managing complex cross-functional activities with a focus on mission critical business focused activities.
• Proven experience managing complex system landscapes and dependencies during cutover, including data migration, environment readiness, and mock cutover rehearsals.
• Strong leadership, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills, including experience working with business leaders, IT teams, system integrators, and global/regional teams under tight timelines.
• Familiarity with CSV, SDLC, GxP compliance , and regulatory requirements for life sciences or other highly regulated industries.
• Experience in the Pharmaceutical/Life Sciences sector is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own a Deployment Strategy aligned to program objectives, timelines, compliance and funding constraints.
• Lead project teams in the successful delivery of the system deployment in alignment with the business and funding requirements.
• Coordinate and ensure Release activities and milestones that clearly define business tasks, dependencies, resource assignments, success criteria.
• Lead, mentor and manage the deployment team and cross-functional deployment resources; provide direction, coaching and capacity planning for Deployment activities.
• Responsible for all Deployment activities across Scope, Schedule, Budget and Quality working with Global Template Owners, Business process owners, CEBA & PMO teams to minimize downtime and business impact.
• Ensure compliance with GxP, documentation management and audit requirements throughout Deployment planning and execution.
• Manage vendor and third-party cutover responsibilities and SLAs; coordinate internal and external resources to meet cutover milestones.
• Establish and maintain an effective stakeholder engagement model with Functional, Business Partners and Program Governance, communicating status, risks, issues and expected benefits.
• Adhere to Deployment methodology, incident escalation paths, support rosters and SLAs in coordination with Service Delivery and Functional Teams.
• Ensure rapid incident response and coordinated resolution during the lifecycle of the project; ensure effective triaging of issues, root cause analysis and prioritized remediation plans.
• Manage vendor and third-party responsibilities and SLAs; coordinate internal and external resources to meet program milestones.
• Implement KPIs and performance management processes to track readiness, delivery quality, defects and realized value; capture lessons learned and apply continuous improvement.
• Drive adoption of new technologies (automation, orchestration tools, generative AI where appropriate) to improve cutover predictability, repeatability and speed.
• Provide timely, clear escalation and reporting to senior management and program leadership on program milestones, issues and mitigation plans.
• Adhere to a consistent Deployment Methodology for all IM Transcend releases, ensuring consistency and repeatability across regions and business units.
• Establish governance for the release across all stakeholders, including tools, templates, and best practices.
• Ensure alignment with SAP Clean Core principles and compliance with regulatory requirements during deployment activities.
• Provide matrix leadership for global and regional teams, including business SMEs, JJT & system integrators, and validation experts.
• Collaborate with Deployment Leads, PMO, and technical teams to manage dependencies and ensure adherence to integrated plans across releases.
• Act as the primary interface between program leadership and execution teams, driving alignment on scope, timelines, and readiness within all the deployment domains.
• Oversee end-to-end stakeholder engagement , including leaders at various levels to ensure that the scope of the deployment is clearly defined.
• Manage risk identification and mitigation strategies to ensure business continuity as part of the deployment.
• Validate business readiness checkpoints and coordinate issue resolution, collaborating with the local SME’s during critical milestones.
• Partner with Change Management teams to ensure stakeholder awareness and readiness for cutover activities.
• Support creation of various playbooks, communication plans, and training materials for global and regional teams.
• Provide clear reporting and status updates to senior leadership during cutover phases.

Skills

Deployment Strategy

Project Management

Stakeholder Engagement

GxP Compliance

SAP S/4HANA

Solution Manager

Data Migration

Process Improvement

Lean Six Sigma

Regulatory Compliance

Global/Regional Coordination

Education

BA/BS or equivalent

MA/MS/MBA preferred

University degree in supply chain or IT

Tools

SAP S/4HANA

Solution Manager

Job description

Responsibilities

• Develop and own a Deployment Strategy aligned to program objectives, timelines, compliance and funding constraints.
• Leading project teams in the successful delivery of the system deployment in alignment with the business and funding requirements.
• Coordinate and ensure Release activities and milestones that clearly define business tasks, dependencies, resource assignments, success criteria.
• Lead, mentor and manage the deployment team and cross-functional deployment resources; provide direction, coaching and capacity planning for Deployment activities.
• Responsibility for all Deployment activities across Scope, Schedule, Budget and Quality working with Global Template Owners, Business process owners, CEBA & PMO teams to minimize downtime and business impact.
• Ensure compliance with GxP, documentation management and audit requirements throughout Deployment planning and execution.
• Manage vendor and third-party cutover responsibilities and SLAs; coordinate internal and external resources to meet cutover milestones.
• Establish and maintain an effective stakeholder engagement model with Functional, Business Partners and Program Governance, communicating status, risks, issues and expected benefits.
• Adhere to Deployment methodology, incident escalation paths, support rosters and SLAs in coordination with Service Delivery and Functional Teams.
• Ensure rapid incident response and coordinated resolution during the lifecycle of the project; ensure effective triaging of issues, root cause analysis and prioritized remediation plans.
• Manage vendor and third-party responsibilities and SLAs; coordinate internal and external resources to meet program milestones.
• Implement KPIs and performance management processes to track readiness, delivery quality, defects and realized value; capture lessons learned and apply continuous improvement.
• Drive adoption of new technologies (automation, orchestration tools, generative AI where appropriate) to improve cutover predictability, repeatability and speed.
• Provide timely, clear escalation and reporting to senior management and program leadership on program milestones, issues and mitigation plans.
• Adhere to a consistent Deployment Methodology for all IM Transcend releases, ensuring consistency and repeatability across regions and business units.
• Establish governance for the release across all stakeholders, including tools, templates, and best practices.
• Ensure alignment with SAP Clean Core principles and compliance with regulatory requirements during deployment activities.
• Provide matrix leadership for global and regional teams, including business SMEs, JJT & system integrators, and validation experts.
• Collaborate with Deployment Leads, PMO, and technical teams to manage dependencies and ensure adherence to integrated plans across releases.
• Act as the primary interface between program leadership and execution teams, driving alignment on scope, timelines, and readiness within all the deployment domains.
• Oversee end-to-end stakeholder engagement , including leaders at various levels to ensure that the scope of the deployment is clearly defined.
• Manage risk identification and mitigation strategies to ensure business continuity as part of the deployment.
• Validate business readiness checkpoints and coordinate issue resolution, collaborating with the local SME’s during critical milestones.
• Partner with Change Management teams to ensure stakeholder awareness and readiness for cutover activities.
• Support creation of various playbooks, communication plans, and training materials for global and regional teams.
• Provide clear reporting and status updates to senior leadership during cutover phases.

Requirements

• BA/BS or equivalent experience required; MA/MS/MBA preferred.
• University level degree in supply chain, business/IT technical/scientific area or comparable education/experience.
• Proven success leading global cutover or deployment teams for complex Business transformation programs (ERP and broader functional areas).
• Strong knowledge of Deployment methodologies, data migration, system integrations, interfaces and infrastructure transitions.
• Demonstrated program and project management skills, including planning, resource orchestration and stage-gate deployments.
• Experience managing, mentoring and developing cross-functional teams and third-party resources.
• Comfortable with GxP environments, documentation controls and audit expectations.
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation and executive reporting skills with a track record of aligning cross-functional partners to outcomes.
• Familiarity with automation, testing best practices and process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, etc.).
• Deep expertise in ERP Deployment including Solution Confirmation, Program Increment, Testing, Cutover for large-scale, multi-release programs, preferably in a global environment.
• Experience in managing complex cross-functional activities with a focus on mission critical business focused activities.
• Proven experience managing complex system landscapes and dependencies during cutover, including data migration, environment readiness, and mock cutover rehearsals.
• Strong leadership, facilitation, and stakeholder engagement skills, including experience working with business leaders, IT teams, system integrators, and global/regional teams under tight timelines.
• Familiarity with CSV, SDLC, GxP compliance , and regulatory requirements for life sciences or other highly regulated industries.
• Experience in the Pharmaceutical/Life Sciences sector is highly preferred.
• Proficiency with SAP S/4HANA , including understanding technical architecture, integration points, and tools such as Solution Manager ; knowledge of Fiori and relevant modules is a plus.
• Fluent in Written and Spoken English.
• Travel on the Job: Yes Percentage Traveled: Up to 25% (Domestic + International)

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in Deployment Strategy, Project Management, and Stakeholder Engagement, with a strong focus on compliance and quality in GxP environments. Proven ability to lead cross‑functional teams and manage complex ERP Deployment activities while ensuring alignment with business objectives.