OCR Project Manager – SAP S/4HANA & Ariba – AR

Reports to: Transactional Finance – SME

Location: Local Authority (Hybrid working)

Role purpose

To lead the transition of all existing invoice and document OCR activities into the new SAP S/4HANA and/or SAP Ariba landscape, ensuring a controlled migration from legacy solutions, robust integration, and realisation of efficiency and control benefits for the Council.

Key responsibilities

• Project delivery
  • Plan, manage and deliver the OCR workstream within the wider SAP S/4HANA programme from initiation through to handover and post go live stabilisation.
  • Define and maintain detailed project plans, RAID logs, and status reports for OCR-related activities (requirements, design, build, test, cut over, hypercare).
  • Ensure alignment of the OCR project scope with the overall S/4 and Source to Pay (S2P) design, including Finance, Procurement, AP and Supplier Management processes.
  • Coordinate dependencies with other workstreams (Finance, Procurement, Data, Integrations, Change, Testing, Infrastructure).
• Functional & technical scope (OCR / S/4 / Ariba)
  • Lead the mapping of current OCR use cases (e.g. invoices, statements, forms, correspondence) and define the target solution in S/4HANA and/or Ariba (Inbound Invoice Management, document capture, workflow).
  • Work with solution architects and functional leads to design and agree OCR-related processes: scanning, classification, data extraction, validation, workflow routing, exception handling.
  • Oversee configuration and/or development of OCR components and integrations (e.g. scanning solutions, APIs, middleware) to S/4 and Ariba.
  • Ensure non functional requirements are addressed, including performance, throughput, SLAs, auditability, accessibility and security of digital documents.
• Legacy transition and decommissioning
  • Document the current OCR operating model, contracts, SLAs, and technical landscape across the Council.
  • Define the migration strategy from legacy OCR tools and manual processes into S/4/Ariba, including dual running, phased cutover and go live criteria.
  • Plan and manage decommissioning of legacy OCR solutions, ensuring compliance, data retention, and business continuity.
  • Identify and realise benefits from rationalisation (licence savings, support cost reductions, process efficiency).
• Stakeholder and vendor management
  • Act as primary point of contact for OCR within the S/4 programme for internal stakeholders (Finance, Procurement, ICT, Records Management, Internal Audit) and external partners (implementation partners, software vendors, scanning providers).
  • Facilitate workshops to capture requirements, validate designs, and agree changes, ensuring business ownership and sign off.
  • Manage third party delivery, including statements of work, deliverables, acceptance criteria and performance against agreed timelines and quality standards.
  • Provide clear, concise updates for governance forums (Design Authority, Programme Board, Operational Boards, Audit & Risk Committee as needed).
• Data, controls and compliance
  • Ensure OCR processes support accurate and timely capture of financial and procurement data in line with Council policies, HMRC requirements and public sector audit standards.
  • Work with Data and Information Governance leads to ensure compliance with data protection, retention and information security requirements.
  • Embed appropriate controls in OCR workflows (e.g. segregation of duties, approvals, tolerance checks, exception handling, audit trails).
  • Support definition and tracking of KPIs for OCR performance (e.g. straight through processing rate, cycle times, error rates, rework levels).
• Change management and training
  • Develop and deliver the change plan for users affected by OCR changes (Finance/AP teams, Service areas, scanning teams, Shared Service Centres).
  • Work with the Change & Training workstream to create training materials, quick reference guides and communications that explain new OCR processes and responsibilities.
  • Support user acceptance testing (UAT) and business readiness assessments for OCR-related changes.
  • Ensure a smooth transition to BAU support, with clear handover documentation, knowledge transfer and support arrangements.

Person specification

Essential experience

• Proven experience as a Project Manager delivering technology enabled change in a public sector or similarly complex environment.
• Demonstrable experience of leading OCR, document imaging, or invoice automation projects, ideally integrated with ERP or S2P platforms.
• Experience of large scale ERP or procurement transformation programmes, preferably involving SAP S/4HANA and/or SAP Ariba.
• Strong track record in managing cross functional teams and suppliers, with responsibility for budget, timeline, scope and quality.
• Experience of process redesign in Accounts Payable, Procurement or Finance Shared Services, including automation and workflow.

Desirable experience

• Experience working in a UK local authority or wider public sector, understanding of governance, audit and procurement constraints.
• Familiarity with SAP S/4HANA Finance, SAP Ariba (invoicing/Procure to Pay), or other major ERP/S2P platforms.
• Knowledge of information governance and records management standards applicable to electronic documents and scanned records.

Skills and competencies

• Strong project management skills, including planning, risk management, issue resolution and benefits tracking.
• Ability to translate business needs into clear project deliverables and to challenge requirements constructively.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, able to engage confidently from operational teams to senior leadership.
• Analytical mindset with attention to detail, particularly around data quality, exception management and controls.
• Ability to work under pressure, manage multiple priorities and maintain focus on outcomes and benefits.

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent experience in a relevant discipline (e.g. Business, IT, Finance).
• Recognised project management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, MSP, APM, PMP) or equivalent experience.
• SAP, Ariba or OCR related certifications (or commitment to gain them) are advantageous.

Key deliverables

• A signed off target design for OCR within SAP S/4HANA/Ariba, aligned to Council processes.
• Implemented and tested OCR solutions integrated with S/4/Ariba, including workflows and controls.
• Successfully migrated OCR activity from legacy solutions into the new platform, with decommissioning planned and executed.
• Delivered measurable improvements in AP/Procurement processing efficiency and data quality, supported by KPIs and benefits tracking.
• Handed over a stable, supported OCR service to BAU teams with appropriate documentation and training in place.