CLASSIFICATION Exempt

The ERP Project Manager is responsible for the successful implementation of the University’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) administrative computer system, including, but not limited to, the following components: student information system, human resources/payroll system, finance system, financial aid system, advancement/development system, workflow system, web-based interface, and all associated hardware, implementation services, and staff training. 

Education: A Master’s degree or the equivalent is required. A degree or academic experience in a technology-related field is preferred.

Experience: At least ten years of progressively responsible project management experience, including at least three years of experience overseeing or directly managing large-scale technology projects is required. Experience implementing or overseeing the implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system is preferred.

Skills: Excellent project management, interpersonal communication, organizational, and decision-making skills are required. The ability to work with individuals of varying technical knowledge is required. The ability to work collegially with a variety of personalities and develop a consensus is required.

Effort: A strong work ethic is required. The ability to lead a large-scale project implementation with far-reaching impact is required. The willingness to regularly communicate with a broad base of stakeholders is required.

Other: The scope of the job sometimes requires working in the evenings and on weekends.

1. Provides effective management of the ERP system implementation by assuming primary responsibility for coordinating project personnel, tasks, timelines, and budgets to ensure the project is completed on time, within the University’s quality standards, and within the project budget.

2. Participates in the development of the ERP implementation project plan, including the establishment of the necessary organizational committee structure, development of measurable project objectives, creation and publication of an overall project schedule (including deadlines) and identification of key project milestones.

3. Serves as the primary contact to work directly with the vendor (SunGard Higher Education) Project Manager to assist and coordinate most activities related to the implementation, including scheduling meetings and interviews and reviewing deliverables.

4. Assumes primary responsibility for defining project strategies, identifying the roles and responsibilities of key project personnel and groups, identifying project risks and developing and enacting strategies to overcome them, creating project contingency plans, and allocating project resources effectively.

5. Works with the functional teams to lead the university’s culture change that is necessary to ensure a successful ERP implantation by clearly explaining the necessity for the ERP system and responding to questions from the campus community.

6. Facilitates communication of project goals and accomplishments, current project status, justifications for variances, recommendations for major changes, documentation of system functionality and upcoming events via regular updates to Administrative Council, all project teams, the overall campus community, and other constituencies as appropriate.

7. Ensures the implemented system modules meet specifications and quality standards to satisfy user requirements and are maintainable by applicable University staff.

8. Develops, tracks, maintains, and regularly reports the project’s budget by utilizing necessary controls and reporting to ensure the project remains within the established budget. 

9. Assumes primary responsibility for identifying and resolving issues or conflicts that jeopardize the project’s implementation timeline and/or budget, including working with vendor representatives in good faith to attempt to resolve any disagreements.

10. Tracks the project’s status and regularly monitors and reports progress toward, or attainment of, the project’s goals and objectives.

11. Coordinates with vendor representatives to co-develop project-related documents describing the project definition, project schedule, service requirements, configuration management, communication plan, training plan, testing plan, and the quality assurance plan.

12. Serves as the focal point for the ERP implementation project for the campus community, the vendor representatives, and the media regarding project plans, project status, milestones achieved, major project scope changes, and other project activities.

13. Determines the staff training necessary to ensure successful implementation of each ERP module and coordinates the delivery of necessary training to the appropriate University staff.

14. Develops and enforces University/vendor policies and procedures to ensure applicable legal requirements are met.

15. Coordinates the celebration of project milestones that are successfully achieved to promote and maintain the morale of the project personnel involved or affected. 

16. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development training, and attending training and/or courses as directed by the President.

17. Contributes to the overall success of the ERP implementation by performing all other duties and responsibilities as assigned.