(RFP500598) Manager, Business Processes Transformation (Rome, Italy)

• Lead the implementation of the program vision, roadmap, and value case, aligning key milestones to institutional priorities and the Alliance’s 2026–2030 Strategy objective of Embody Institutional Excellence.
  
• Champion business process reengineering as the guiding principle of the project, ensuring that process improvement and simplification precede system configuration, and that the Alliance does not replicate legacy inefficiencies in the new environment.
  
• Lead the vendor selection and Request for Proposal process prior to mobilization; manage the external implementation partner throughout the project lifecycle, including performance monitoring, invoice validation, and coordination with the infrastructure team.
  
• Track and report on project budget and expenditure; monitor Business Owner time commitments against agreed allocations and flag risks promptly.
  
• Coordinate the six end-to-end process improvement threads - Opportunity to Impact (funding pipeline, grants and sub-grants, research outputs, and impact reporting), Procure to Pay (requisitioning through supplier payment, supplier master, approval matrix, and accounts payable), Hire to Retire (onboarding through separation, organization structure, position administration, and payroll), Plan to Deliver (multi-year budgeting, planning tool integration, budget execution, and fund checking), Record to Report (general ledger, cost accounting, period close, financial statements, and statutory and audit compliance), and Foundation (master data, chart of accounts, system configuration, access management, integrations, and reporting infrastructure) - across Business Owners and functional teams, ensuring cross-workstream coherence and timely sign-off at each phase gate.
  
• Oversee the data migration strategy in coordination with the Systems Integration and Data Management and Open Science teams and external partner, including master data deduplication, dry-run planning, and general ledger opening balance reconciliation.
  
• Connect with IT security and access management as a managed area throughout the project, with a mandatory security sign-off required before go-live.
  
• Liaise with the designated Change Management lead to ensure that stakeholder communications, change impact assessment, training coordination, and user adoption are effectively planned and executed across the organization.
  
• Work with the Global Director, Digital Transformation and Business Owners to baseline key performance indicators and define a benefits tracking framework prior to go-live; coordinate a post-implementation review to assess value realized.
  
• Manage program risks and scope changes through a formal change request process, with escalation to the Steering Committee as required.
  
• Provide regular executive-level progress reports to the Global Director, Digital Transformation and the Steering Committee, including risk assessments and lessons learned.
  
• Lead go-live preparation, cutover execution, and hypercare coordination; close the program and hand over to operations.
  

Requirements

• Master’s degree in Information Systems, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field.
  
• Minimum 8 years of ERP program management experience in complex, multi-entity environments, with a strong emphasis on business process reengineering and operational improvement.
  
• Proven experience with Unit4 Business World or comparable ERP platforms (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Workday) at program governance level, with a focus on outcomes and delivery rather than hands-on configuration.
  
• Fluency in English; Spanish, Italian, or French as an added advantage.
  
• Background in business process optimization methodologies such as Lean or Six Sigma.
  
• Familiarity with CGIAR, international research, or non-profit environments is desirable.
  

• Proven experience with Unit4 Business World or comparable ERP platforms (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Workday) at program governance level, with a focus on outcomes and delivery rather than hands-on configuration.
  
• Demonstrated ability to facilitate end-to-end business process redesign across Finance, Procurement, Human Resources, and Research Operations, driving simplification and measurable improvement.
  
• Demonstrated vendor management and contract oversight capability with certified ERP implementation partners, including service level agreement management, scope control, and invoice validation.
  
• Strong track record in leading cross-functional teams, driving stakeholder engagement, and managing organizational change in distributed, international organizations.
  
• Experience with data migration planning, including master data deduplication, general ledger opening balance reconciliation, and dry-run management.
  
• Experience defining and tracking benefits realization frameworks and post-implementation key performance indicators.
  

Benefits