SAP Project Manager

Here at DS Smith, we are looking for an experienced SAP Project Manager on an initial 12 month FTC contract.

About the Role

The SAP IT Project Manager is responsible for effective Project delivery of a portfolio of projects to convert or migrate to S4 HANA across EMEA. By their nature these projects will be complex and transformational deliverables within DS Smith IT. Specifically, the role holder will: ensure successful delivery to time, stakeholder management, cost and quality of allocated projects and programmes whilst adhering to all DS Smith Delivery Standards and evidencing excellence in control and communication.

As the successful SAP Project Manager, you will bring a strong SAP S4 / ERP implementation background. You will manage project dependencies between the Central IT function and the business units in Europe planning, designing and building SAP S4. The proposed S/4 HANA solution is based on a template for common financial & operations processes, enabling efficiencies through standardisation.

Project Objectives:

• Reduced operational risk from unsupported systems
• Rollout SAP’s S4 Hana based on SAP ‘clean core principles’
• Eliminates legacy support system costs
• Leverage a repeatable SAP Foundation to save costs
• Standardisation efficiencies
• Reliable, consolidated data for reporting & strategic decision-making

In addition to SAP / ERP implementation experience and strong interfacing experience, you will have a strong IT background also having the ability to work across diverse organisations and cultures through communication and engagement with peers, senior managers, and business stakeholders.

Key Accountabilities / Responsibilities

• Leadership: Inspire, manage and lead projects to successful completion.
• Effective Delivery: Accomplish project objectives within the constraints of cost, time, scope and quality.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Work closely with sponsor and business stakeholders ensuring ownership and engagement through the life of the project.
• Adherence to Standards: Follow project management methodology and technical governance requirements and provide regular project reporting, highlighting progress, status, risk and issue management etc.
• Resource Management: Determine needs, secure provision and facilitate the ability to deliver.
• Clarity of Purpose: Ensure all projects are properly defined and organised and that objectives, deliverables, roles and responsibilities are understood – and that plans are maintained to track progress, including identification of any interdependencies.
• Plan Alignment: Work closely with external partners to ensure delivery is aligned with expected timelines.
• Cultural Alignment: Foster a “one team” approach, ensuring no barriers between internal and external resources.
• Budget Setting and Control: Take full responsibility for project costs and ensure tracking of all spend in line with agreed budgets.
• Scope Management: Control scope, ensuring Steering Group oversight of changes (with full understanding of implications). Pro-actively manage potential risks, devise contingency plans and troubleshoot issues.
• Resource Development: Align technical and application resources to the project.
• Service Transition: Confirms solution designs are serviceable through the full System lifespan with clearly understood commercial commitments. Ensures all Strategic projects successfully transition into ongoing BAU service.
• Best Practise Identification: Work with the PMO team to give input on project management standards and support the evolution of internal toolsets.

About you

• Full lifecycle experience of large-scale SAP/ERP replacement Projects and Programmes.
• Strong familiarity with SAP (S4/HANA).
• PRINCE2 Practitioner (or equivalent).
• Experience in IT and business/industry.
• Preferably experience in large, multi-national, cross-functional teams influencing senior management and key stakeholders effectively across the organization and within complex contexts.
• Strong experience in multi-site, multi-country manufacturing environment with deep knowledge of ERP (including SAP), MES and associated infrastructure requirements.
• Ability to both work with and challenge stakeholders, bringing experience and gravitas from an IT perspective.
• Excellent command of written/verbal business English; Fluent Spanish or Portuguese a plus.
• Excellent communication skills (both verbal and written).
• Management of multiple €M ERP replacement projects.
• Ability to present ideas in a user-friendly business orientated language.
• Experience of internal and outsourced delivery models.
• Waterfall and Agile methodology experience.
• Ability to translate project needs into tasks or work-based packages.
• Experience of working with and oversight of 3rd Party SI Partners and internal technical teams.

About us

We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 60,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time.

Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!

“To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed. Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.”