Realisation phase: completion of blueprinting, requirements definition, solution selection and implementation of SAP Travel Management for Expense Claims. Configured and used latest version and portal functionality: ECC 6 Ehp 4 and Express Expense Sheet. Integrated payment solution with Finance Vendors, trained super users and developed unit test cases and scripts.  Liaised with customer and SAP partner project managers, Finance Manager, Budget Manager, Super Users and fellow consultants to agree, develop and deliver solution. Included reports, workflow, related ESS/MSS roles, customised portal iViews and integration tests.  MSS involvement extended to producing the basic MSS solution, including OM structural authorizations.

Quick SAP Standard implementation:
Planned project with customer.  Ran blueprint workshops from HR Director level down.  Delivered draft blueprint within 2 weeks.  Developed, managed and monitored risk & contingency plan.

Reviewed "AS-IS" and "TO-BE" processes with key stakeholders, including workflow development.

Developed solution with 2 direct team members, support personnel and personnel from related projects.  Included doing all MSS and Portal configuration, MSS documentation and testing and training material.

Advised customer on options for related processes such as substitution.  Implementation work completed ahead of target.

Henley Management College - a "The Economist" global top 20 school. Draft dissertation submitted. 

Designed solution for enhancement to self-service functionality, using a new “Assistant” role. 

• Configured new OM evaluation paths for “Assistant Self Service”, including system and unit testing.
• Tested CATS timesheets and PA Time Management entries for new solution.

The streamlined approach adopted saved a few weeks in development time.

Full lifecycle system replacement and enhancement project.  Advised and guided project team on Business Process Re-engineering.  Worked as trusted business advisor, ensuring project charter addressed for BW, Budgeting, Recruitment, OM, PA, Time Management, Appraisals, Benefits, Payroll, ESS/MSS, and Reporting:

• Analysed, designed and agreed upon business processes and configuration solutions with stakeholders and implementation partner via workshops and documented follow-up.  Included:  PA & OM structures; time constraint classes and settings; Vacancies, adverts & applicant tracking; Actions; Infotypes; SAP Standard user screen changes; Pay Scales and ESS/MSS customisation.
• Analysed and recommended changes to organizational units in existing structure and new configuration solutions for managing external committees and Supplier Relationship Management.
•  “Fed” three configuration consultants with requirements, ensuring overall business integration.

Main benefit was improved quality of service as a result of complete business integration and employee lifecycle management.

Designed process for automating creation of 1000s of new portal system users. This required knowledge of the implications of authorisations, portal roles and PA employee groups and subgroups.
 

A successful country rollout provided confidence to the customer that part of their global project team could be disbanded, and led to outsourcing of subsequent country rollouts at reduced cost.

Assignments for SAP in Europe:

• Ran SAP HR ECC5 Academy (excluding only Authorisations) to prepare SAP partner consultants for certification and projects in Finland.
• Ran MSS training course for customers in Switzerland.

Worked with payroll team and payroll provider to upgrade payroll outsourcing solution. 

Developed Europe-specific project plan, as part of a global LSO project.  Identified and recommended opportunities to improve adoption.  For example: worked with global ARIS team lead to develop guidelines; integrated learning processes into HR with detailed ARIS LSO processes and a high-level HR process structure in ARIS; initiated, promoted and contributed to global team production of detailed LSO master data and configuration standards, by drawing on previous Training and Event management experience.

Program design team member, producing business case for new HR, Logistics and Financials functionality:

• Provided business model and detailed explanation of new HR system.   Investigated integration of HR objects into Plant Maintenance, including Jobs, Positions, Qualifications and Work Centres.
• Defined self-service business case and assisted in selecting a suitable business partner.
• Identified SAP HR requirements ahead of on-boarding implementation partner.  Resulted in more effective overall implementation.
• Advised customer on additional SAP HR processes needed for lifecycle of new ESS/MSS functionality – e.g. OM evaluation paths and relationships for optimum maintenance, preparing for E-Recruitment as a long-term solution.  This reduced employee lifecycle costs after implementation.

Support and continuous improvement configuration role for SAP HR OM, PA, Travel Management, Time Management, PD, Workflow and Payroll outsourcing.  This included Actions, Legal Change Packs, upgrades, proposals, demonstrations, change specifications and configuration support – e.g. Travel Management reporting, SAP PD workflow, time evaluation schemas and rules, ESS-like interface changes for time entry.

SAP HR training and support for units within the restructured Transport for London organisation, including some ESS/MSS support.

• Integrated implementation development with support by lobbying for direct support team involvement in design and development.  This halved related support calls. 
• Produced overall method for loading shift plans into SAP Time Management (Shift Planning) configuration.  This became a standard process.

Units worked with went live on time and were happy with the solution and support provided.

Business process architect: high-level process design for Eskom (a "world top ten" electricity utility) for all SAP HR and ESS/MSS processes, including Recruitment and Travel Management.

• Detailed specifications for PA, Time Management, Travel, Benefits, ECM, Payroll, PCP, and Industrial Relations.  Advised on related configuration changes, system testing, processes and training.

Developed “Parent Buddy” program as PTA and School Council member, to more quickly and effectively assimilate families new to son’s school area.  Worked with Habitat for Humanity, to build a house.

Negotiated and partnered with PwC Canada for two years, to use Canadian SAP HR project team configuration and functional preparation materials for customer project teams.  Made proposals, prepared instructors and materials, configured systems, co-ordinated systems, managed development of documentation and presented some training.  Effectiveness of solution resulted in follow-on project business. 

• SAP HR configuration work was done for Disney Worldwide and GTE, including OM, OM Objects, PA Structure, PA Infotypes, Time Management, Managers Desktop (the precursor to MSS) and Actions.

Various implementation assignments, including the following SAP HR role:

• Compaq SAP HR global rollout configuration “factory” team member  – configured three countries in three months (Netherlands, Ireland,South Africa) – PA, Benefits, Basic Pay and Time Management.

SAP HR Super User, responsible for SAP HR Training and Events and Master Data Standards.

• Worked within HR to develop Recruitment, Training & Events Management and Procurement solutions.

Customer Support Director, Hands-on Consulting, Pietermaritzburg
                                                                                       08/1990 – 09/1994

Started and grew a small business, employing up to 5 project staff for corporate training, and project management of accounting/stock/manufacturing software.  Customers included Toyota South Africa, Umgeni Water, South African Railways (Spoornet), and the Provincial Authority (Roads Branch).

 

Regional IBM Salesman – KHK Computers, Pietermaritzburg
                                                                                       05/1990 – 07/1990

Responsible for IBM product sales at a dealer more committed to ICL.

 

Legal Studies – University of  Capetown                              02/1990 – 04/1990

 

Marketing Representative – ISM, Durban & Johannesburg
                                                                                       09/1988 – 02/1990

Promoted immediately from Systems Engineer to Marketing Representative, bypassing intermediate steps. Achieved/exceeded quota each year.  Last quota was revised upwards three times, and over-achieved by 30%.  Total sales R 9 million (approx. GBP 2.2 million)

 

Systems Engineer (SE) – ISM, Durban
                                                                                       03/1987 – 08/1988

Office automation and change management specialist.  Work included a change management pilot for Mercedes-Benz South Africa, for which recognition as “SE of the Quarter” was granted.

 

Systems Engineer (SE) – IBM, Johannesburg
                                                                                       01/1982 – 02/1987

Progressed up the SE career path, starting as a Trainee in 1982, and ending with project management responsibility for a new mainframe and application conversion and a customer installation worth 3 million GBP (SA Broadcasting Corporation, 1985-1986 (SABC)).  Achievements included special contribution awards for work at the SABC and SA Breweries, and an assignment with the IBM “International Systems Center” in Austin, Texas.