ERP Senior Program Manager (Contractor)

Macmillan Publishers; Gordonsville (VA); Remote; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dynamic ERP Senior Program Manager to lead the implementation of SAP S/4HANA. This strategic role involves overseeing multiple workstreams, managing project teams, and ensuring alignment with business objectives. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in large-scale ERP implementations and a strong grasp of program management tools like Atlassian Jira and Confluence. This position offers the flexibility of remote work with the requirement for extensive travel, making it an exciting opportunity for a seasoned professional eager to make a significant impact.

Qualifications

• 10-15 years of experience in IT project and program management.
• Extensive experience leading SAP S/4HANA implementations.
• Strong understanding of project management methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end implementation of SAP S/4HANA.
• Manage program budget and track expenditures.
• Mentor Project Managers in their planning and execution.

Skills

SAP S/4HANA Implementation

Project Management

Leadership

Stakeholder Management

Change Management

Analytical Skills

Problem-Solving

Communication Skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology

Master's Degree Preferred

Tools

Atlassian Jira

Atlassian Confluence

Job description

MPS, a division of Macmillan Publishers, a leading US publisher of Trade and Academic titles, has a job opening for a ERP Senior Program Manager (Contractor). MPS provides back office support, warehousing, and, fulfillment for Macmillan US, and is their primary distribution facility for North America.

Position Summary:
The ERP Implementation Sr. Program Manager is a strategic leadership role responsible for the successful end-to-end implementation and integration of SAP S/4HANA software systems across the organization. This role will lead and manage the overall program, encompassing multiple workstreams and project teams, ensuring alignment with business objectives, timelines, budget, and quality standards. The Sr. Program Manager will also directly lead and mentor a team of Project Managers responsible for individual workstreams within the SAP S/4HANA implementation program. Furthermore, this individual will serve as an Atlassian Jira and Confluence expert, responsible for maintaining Jira projects, project plans, and timelines, as well as building and managing dashboards, RAID logs, and project deliverables within Confluence to support the program's execution and transparency. This individual will be a seasoned program management professional with deep experience in large-scale ERP implementations, specifically SAP S/4HANA, demonstrated success in leading complex, cross-functional initiatives and managing project management teams, a strong proficiency in utilizing the Atlassian suite for program management, and the ability to travel extensively both domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities:

Program Leadership and Management:

• Provide overall strategic direction and leadership for the SAP S/4HANA implementation program.
• Develop and maintain the comprehensive program plan, including scope, timelines, budget, resources, and communication strategies.
• Establish and manage program governance structures, including steering committees and working groups.
• Monitor program progress, identify and proactively manage risks, issues, and dependencies across all workstreams.
• Ensure adherence to established methodologies, standards, and best practices for ERP implementations.
• Manage the program budget, track expenditures, and ensure financial accountability.
• Facilitate effective communication and collaboration across all project teams, business stakeholders, and external partners.
• Report program status, risks, and issues to executive leadership and stakeholders on a regular basis.
• Drive decision-making processes at the program level.
• Oversee change management activities related to the ERP implementation.
• Ensure successful transition to the new SAP S/4HANA environment.
• Manage vendor relationships and contracts related to the implementation.

Team Leadership and Mentorship:

• Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Project Managers responsible for managing individual workstreams within the SAP S/4HANA program (e.g., Finance, Supply Chain, Sales, Technical).
• Provide guidance, support, and oversight to the Project Managers in their planning, execution, and issue resolution efforts.
• Foster a collaborative and high-performing team environment.
• Conduct regular performance reviews and provide feedback to direct reports.
• Ensure Project Managers are utilizing consistent methodologies and tools.

SAP S/4HANA Expertise:

• Leverage deep knowledge and understanding of SAP S/4HANA functionalities, implementation methodologies (e.g., SAP Activate), and best practices.
• Collaborate with functional and technical teams to ensure the SAP S/4HANA solution meets business requirements.
• Stay abreast of the latest SAP S/4HANA updates, trends, and innovations.

Stakeholder Management:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key business stakeholders across different departments and levels of the organization, both domestically and internationally.
• Understand their business needs and ensure the SAP S/4HANA implementation addresses those needs effectively.
• Manage stakeholder expectations and ensure alignment throughout the program lifecycle.
• Act as a point of escalation for stakeholder concerns related to the program.

Quality and Compliance:

• Ensure the SAP S/4HANA implementation adheres to relevant quality standards and compliance requirements.
• Oversee testing strategies and ensure thorough testing of the implemented system.
• Facilitate audits and reviews as necessary.

Atlassian Jira and Confluence Expertise:

• Serve as the primary expert for Jira and Confluence within the SAP S/4HANA implementation program.
• Establish and maintain Jira projects, boards, and workflows to effectively track program progress, tasks, and issues across all workstreams.
• Develop and manage detailed project plans and timelines within Jira, ensuring dependencies and critical paths are clearly defined and monitored.
• Configure and maintain Jira dashboards to provide real-time visibility into key program metrics, progress, and risks for various stakeholders.
• Design, develop, and maintain Confluence spaces and pages for program documentation, including project charters, plans, specifications, meeting minutes, and other relevant deliverables.
• Build and manage comprehensive RAID (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, and Dependencies) logs within Confluence, ensuring they are regularly updated and accessible.
• Create and manage other project deliverables in Confluence, such as communication plans, change management plans, and training materials.
• Train and support Project Managers and other team members on the effective use of Jira and Confluence for program management.
• Ensure consistency and adherence to Jira and Confluence standards across all program teams.
• Troubleshoot Jira and Confluence issues and implement best practices for their utilization.
• Stay informed about new features and updates within Jira and Confluence and recommend their adoption where beneficial to the program.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10-15 years of progressive experience in IT project and program management, with a significant focus on large-scale ERP implementations.
• Extensive and demonstrable experience leading and managing full lifecycle SAP S/4HANA implementations is mandatory.
• Proven track record of successfully managing complex, cross-functional programs with significant budgets and timelines.
• Demonstrated experience in leading and mentoring project management teams.
• Strong understanding of SAP implementation methodologies (e.g., SAP Activate) and best practices.
• Excellent knowledge of project management methodologies (e.g., Waterfall, Agile, Hybrid).
• PMP or PgMP certification preferred.
• Exceptional leadership, communication (written and verbal), interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills, with experience interacting with international teams.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making abilities.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and complex environment, potentially across multiple time zones.
• Experience managing third-party vendors and consultants, including international partners.
• Strong understanding of change management principles and practices.
• Proven expertise in Atlassian Jira and Confluence, with a strong understanding of their features and capabilities for program and project management.
• Demonstrated experience in configuring and maintaining Jira projects, boards, workflows, and dashboards.
• Proven ability to create and manage comprehensive project documentation, RAID logs, and other deliverables within Confluence.
• Experience in training and supporting teams on the effective use of Jira and Confluence.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively, both domestically and internationally, estimated at 30% - 50% of the time.

Preferred Qualifications:

• SAP certification(s) related to S/4HANA implementation.
• Experience with specific industry best practices related to ERP implementations in a global context.
• Experience with cloud-based ERP deployments.
• Familiarity with data migration strategies and tools for SAP S/4HANA in international environments.
• Atlassian Certified Jira Administrator or Confluence Administrator certification is a strong plus.

This position is available fully remotely but will require extensive travel, domestically and internationally. This candidate would be onboarded through a third party vendor, Noor.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are actively seeking job applicants who reflect a broad representation of differences, including race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender Identity/expression, physical ability, neurodiversity, age, family status, economic background and status, geographical background and status, and perspective. We believe that the best companies reflect the incredible diversity in viewpoints, backgrounds, and identities of the world in their staffs, and are committed to inclusive hiring across departments and levels.

Qualifications Education

Preferred

Masters

Masters

Bachelors

Bachelors

Behaviors

Required

Dedicated : Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity

Team Player : Works well as a member of a group

Leader : Inspires teammates to follow them

Detail Oriented : Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well

Licenses & Certifications

Preferred

Project Mgmt Professional

Equal Opportunity Employer
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