SAP SuccessFactors Project Lead

master-TMS•Boston, MA

19h•$160,000 - $180,000

About The Position

Simon-Kucher is transforming its global HR and Finance systems and processes through SKale, its SAP transformation program. The program is implementing SAP SuccessFactors and SAP S/4HANA to establish more integrated systems, standardized processes, and effective ways of working across the international organization. The HR project is moving from global solution design into country localization, testing, data migration, deployment, and business readiness, with go-live currently planned for early 2028. The SAP SuccessFactors Project Lead, also described as the HR Technology Deployment Lead, is responsible for delivering the SKaleHR project through this phase. The role is part of the Global Transformation Office and reports directly to the Global Head of Transformation. It coordinates HR stakeholders, regional deployment coordinators, functional experts, IT colleagues, and implementation partner PwC, largely through virtual collaboration across countries and time zones. The role uses Microsoft 365 tools, including Teams, SharePoint, Excel, and PowerPoint, and expects familiarity with digital collaboration and AI productivity tools. The position combines overall accountability for HR project delivery with practical execution. The lead manages plans and deliverables, coordinates regional and country deployment, oversees partner commitments and cross-functional dependencies, and coordinates testing, defect resolution, data migration, training, and operational readiness. The lead also prepares HR cutover and go-live, coordinates hypercare and handover to operational teams, and enables clear communication, timely decisions, and follow-through. The role requires strong project management, judgment, communication, and understanding of HR technology implementations, but does not require being an SAP technical specialist. Success is defined by establishing a reliable delivery baseline, actively managing milestones and country deliverables, surfacing and addressing risks, supporting stakeholders in meeting their responsibilities, and coordinating a controlled, business-ready implementation that protects business continuity and establishes a reliable foundation for future HR operations.

Requirements

Substantial hands-on delivery responsibility in at least one complex enterprise HR technology implementation, such as SAP SuccessFactors, Workday, or a comparable HCM solution.
Proven ability to independently manage implementation plans, milestones, resources, risks, dependencies, and recovery actions.
Experience driving project activities across geographically distributed teams in a matrixed organization.
Experience coordinating and constructively challenging external technology implementation partners, including managing commitments and delivery risks.
Practical understanding of HR system implementations, including testing, data migration, integrations, access management, and cutover dependencies, sufficient to coordinate specialists and identify potential risks.
Fluent spoken and written English, including the ability to independently prepare executive-ready communications and facilitate complex stakeholder discussions.
Advanced practical skills in PowerPoint and Excel, and familiarity with Microsoft 365 collaboration tools, particularly Teams and SharePoint, or comparable platforms.
Demonstrated experience using at least one AI productivity tool for professional work, with appropriate judgment in reviewing outputs and protecting confidential information.
Proactive and reliable working style, sound judgment under pressure, and flexibility to collaborate across international time zones, including agreed availability during critical project phases.

Nice To Haves

Direct SAP SuccessFactors implementation experience, particularly Employee Central and Time Off.
Experience with multiple international HR technology implementations, ideally including cutover, go-live, and hypercare.
Experience in consulting, professional services, or another fast-paced international environment.
Practical knowledge of HR operations, business processes, and regional deployment requirements.
Experience managing HR/Finance implementation dependencies, such as payroll integration, time tracking, reporting, or SAP S/4HANA interfaces.

Responsibilities

Maintain an actionable HR project plan covering milestones, deliverables, responsibilities, dependencies, resources, and critical paths.
Assign a named owner, deadline, and agreed completion criteria to every significant deliverable.
Monitor progress, verify completion, identify deviations early, and coordinate corrective action when delivery is at risk.
Provide project direction to regional deployment coordinators and establish effective coordination across regions and countries.
Ensure local HR teams understand their tasks, deadlines, dependencies, and required contributions.
Track country deliverables, address capacity constraints, and escalate unresolved blockers while balancing project requirements with ongoing business operations.
Act as the primary Simon-Kucher HR delivery counterpart to PwC, coordinating commitments, deliverables, risks, and required decisions.
Work with Finance, IT, and HR functional experts to manage dependencies across systems, processes, data, and implementation activities.
Constructively challenge delivery assumptions and ensure appropriate business and technical owners review and accept specialist deliverables.
Coordinate planning and execution of HR testing, defect resolution, data migration, and validation with responsible teams.
Ensure required business inputs, resources, test results, and sign-offs are available at relevant project milestones.
Track training and adoption readiness, identify gaps, and secure corrective actions from responsible owners.
Coordinate HR-specific cutover activities and regional readiness within the integrated program cutover framework.
Ensure cutover dependencies, readiness evidence, contingency requirements, and outstanding issues are visible to decision-makers.
Coordinate HR hypercare and the structured handover of outstanding responsibilities to operational teams.
Prepare clear project updates, decision materials, implementation schedules, and stakeholder communications.
Organize productive working sessions with suitable preparation, participants, objectives, and documented follow-up.
Resolve issues within the role's authority, escalate decisions and risks promptly, and keep stakeholders informed about progress, changes, and required actions.