SAP Project Manager - Finance (Contract-to-Hire)

Macmillan Publishers is seeking a highly skilled and motivated SAP S/4HANA Implementation Project Manager as a member of the Project Management Office (PMO). The SAP S/4HANA Implementation Project Manager will lead and drive multiple complex SAP S/4HANA implementation projects with a specific focus on optimizing Finance business processes. This pivotal role requires a seasoned project management professional with deep expertise in SAP methodologies, a strong command of Atlassian tools (especially Jira), and exceptional stakeholder management, communication, and reporting capabilities. You will be instrumental in ensuring the successful delivery of our SAP S/4HANA initiatives, enabling significant business value and transformation within our finance operations.

We are seeking a candidate for a 6-month contract position with a strong likelihood of transitioning to a permanent role based on performance and business needs.

Responsibilities:

• Project Leadership and Execution: Lead the full lifecycle of multiple SAP S/4HANA implementation projects, from initiation and planning through execution, monitoring, and closure.
• Team Management: Build, lead, and motivate cross-functional project teams, including internal resources, external consultants, and business stakeholders. Foster a collaborative and high-performing team environment.
• Project Planning and Strategy: Define project scope, objectives, and deliverables in collaboration with stakeholders. Develop comprehensive project plans, timelines, and resource allocation strategies, with a strong emphasis on financial processes.
• SAP Finance Expertise: Manage project activities related to SAP S/4HANA Finance modules, including:
  
  
  
  
  • AR - Credit and Risk Management: Implementing and optimizing credit and risk management processes within Accounts Receivable.
  • AR - Post Payments: Managing and automating post-payment processing activities in Accounts Receivable.
  • General Ledger (GL): Overseeing the implementation and configuration of the general ledger.
  
  
  
  
• Business Process Alignment: Work closely with business stakeholders in finance and accounting to ensure the SAP S/4HANA solution aligns with and optimizes key financial business processes.
• Risk and Issue Management: Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate project risks and issues, particularly those related to financial operations. Develop and implement effective contingency plans.
• Budget Management: Manage project budgets effectively, ensuring projects are delivered within financial targets. Track expenses and report on budget variances.
• Atlassian Expertise (Jira Focus): Leverage Jira and other Atlassian tools (e.g., Confluence) to effectively plan, track, and manage project tasks, dependencies, and progress. Configure and optimize Jira workflows and dashboards to provide clear visibility into project status, including specific tracking of finance-related activities.
• Stakeholder Management: Develop and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders at all levels of the organization, including finance leadership, accounting managers, and internal auditors. Effectively manage expectations, address concerns, and ensure alignment throughout the project lifecycle.
• Communication and Reporting: Establish and maintain clear and consistent communication channels with all stakeholders. Prepare and present regular project status reports, highlighting progress, risks, and issues. Tailor communication to different audiences, with specific attention to communicating changes and impacts to finance teams.
• SAP Methodology Expertise: Apply a strong understanding of SAP implementation methodologies (e.g., SAP Activate) and best practices to ensure successful project delivery.
• Change Management: Support change management activities to ensure smooth adoption of the new SAP S/4HANA system by end-users, with a focus on training and supporting finance personnel.
• Quality Assurance: Ensure the quality of project deliverables and adherence to relevant standards and processes, including testing of financial processes.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities for process improvement within the project management framework and contribute to the development of best practices, especially in the context of SAP Finance implementations.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business Administration, Accounting, Finance, Information Technology). PMP or other relevant project management certifications are highly desirable.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience managing complex IT implementation projects, with a significant focus on SAP S/4HANA implementations.
• Strong expertise in SAP Finance (FI) modules, with a focus on AR - Credit and Risk Management, AR - Post Payments, and General Ledger processes.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively, both domestically and internationally, estimated at 20% - 30% of the time.
• Proven track record of successfully leading multiple SAP S/4HANA implementation projects simultaneously.
• Deep understanding of SAP S/4HANA functionalities and implementation methodologies (e.g., SAP Activate).
• Expert-level proficiency in Jira and the Atlassian suite (Confluence, etc.), including workflow configuration, dashboard creation, and reporting.
• Exceptional stakeholder management skills with a proven ability to build strong relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels, including senior finance leadership.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly and concisely to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage project budgets and resources effectively.
• Experience working with cross-functional teams and managing external consultants.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and dynamic environment.
• Experience with Agile methodologies is a plus.
• Knowledge of change management principles and practices.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in Publishing is a plus.
• Familiarity with other SAP modules and technologies.
• Experience with SAP Solution Manager or other SAP project management tools.
• APICS certification is a plus.

This role will have an hourly rate of $60-$65/ hour and be onboarded/paid through Noor.

Macmillan Publishers is the U.S. trade company that is part of the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group, a large family-owned group of media companies headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Holtzbrinck Publishing Group's publishing companies include prominent imprints around the world that publish a broad range of award-winning books for children and adults in all categories and formats.

U.S. publishers include Celadon Books, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Flatiron Books, Henry Holt & Company, Macmillan Audio, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, The St. Martin's Publishing Group, and Tor Publishing Group. In the UK, Australia, India, and South Africa, companies in the Holtzbrinck Publishing Group publish under the Pan Macmillan name. The German publishing company, Holtzbrinck Deutsche Buchverlage, includes among its imprints S. Fischer, Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Rowohlt, and Droemer Knaur.

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. The successful candidate for this position will be an employee of Macmillan Publishing Group, LLC.