Senior Programme Lead – One Payroll (SAP S/4HANA)

Job Posting Organization:
The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian organization dedicated to saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build pathways to peace, stability, and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impacts of climate change. Established in 1961, WFP operates in over 80 countries, employing thousands of staff members who are committed to the mission of eradicating hunger. WFP is recognized for its efforts and was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 202

• The organization emphasizes diversity and inclusion, encouraging qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply. WFP's core values include Integrity, Collaboration, Commitment, Humanity, and Inclusion, which guide its operations and interactions with partners and beneficiaries. To learn more about WFP, visit their official website and follow them on various social media platforms for updates and news.

Job Overview:
The Senior Programme Lead for the One Payroll initiative at WFP will play a crucial role in leading the implementation of a strategic digital transformation project aimed at consolidating payroll systems into a unified SAP-based solution. This position requires a strong leader capable of navigating complex, multi-stakeholder environments to ensure the successful rollout of the SAP system, which is aligned with the ongoing upgrade to SAP S/4HANA and other HR solutions. The Programme Lead will be responsible for overseeing the entire project lifecycle, from initiation through to post-go-live stabilization, ensuring that all deliverables meet the defined business requirements and operational readiness criteria. This role is pivotal in establishing a sustainable payroll operating model that enhances efficiency, compliance, and service delivery across WFP, ultimately contributing to the organization's mission of achieving zero hunger.

Duties and Responsibilities:
The Senior Programme Lead will be responsible for the following key duties and responsibilities:

• Programme Leadership and Delivery: Lead the end-to-end delivery of the One Payroll Programme, ensuring alignment with the phased SAP consolidation strategy and overall programme roadmap. Drive execution across all project phases, including initiation, design, build/configuration, data migration, testing, deployment, and stabilization. Ensure deliverables meet business requirements and operational readiness criteria.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Governance: Act as the primary coordination point across various departments, ensuring effective collaboration and alignment on priorities and timelines. Support programme governance structures and facilitate decision-making processes. Establish communication mechanisms to ensure transparency and manage stakeholder expectations.
• Planning, Scope, and Delivery Management: Develop and maintain integrated project plans that capture scope, milestones, and resource requirements. Ensure effective scope management through structured requirements gathering and control of change requests. Oversee execution of key delivery activities, including data cleansing, system configuration, and user acceptance testing.
• Risk, Issue, and Dependency Management: Proactively identify and manage programme risks, maintaining risk and issue registers. Track dependencies across technical and business workstreams to prevent bottlenecks.
• Financial and Resource Management: Lead budget planning and financial tracking in line with the approved business case. Monitor resource utilization and propose corrective measures to maintain financial control and programme viability.

Required Qualifications:
Candidates must possess an advanced university degree in IT, Business Administration, Finance, or a related field. Additionally, certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2, Agile, or equivalent are desirable. The role requires 10-12 years of progressive project/programme management experience, particularly in large-scale ERP/SAP implementations. Experience with Workday, HR/payroll, or shared services transformation is highly desirable, along with a proven track record of managing global, multi-stakeholder programmes. Candidates should also have a strong understanding of how technology can optimize workflows in geographically distributed teams.

Educational Background:
The educational background required for this position includes an advanced university degree in fields such as Information Technology, Business Administration, Finance, or related disciplines. Candidates with additional certifications in project management methodologies like PMP, PRINCE2, or Agile will have an advantage. This educational foundation is essential for understanding the complexities of the role and effectively leading the One Payroll Programme.

Experience:
The position requires candidates to have a significant level of experience, specifically 10-12 years in project or programme management. This experience should include a strong focus on large-scale ERP/SAP implementations, as well as familiarity with Workday and HR/payroll transformations. The ideal candidate will have a history of managing complex, global programmes that involve multiple stakeholders and require a high degree of coordination and leadership.

Languages:
Fluency in English (level C) is mandatory for this position. Additionally, knowledge of other languages such as Spanish, French, or Arabic is considered a strong asset, enhancing the candidate's ability to engage with diverse teams and stakeholders across the organization.

Additional Notes:
This position is a consultant role at Level 3, with a contract duration of 11 months. The role is based in Rome, Italy, at WFP's headquarters. The organization offers a highly inclusive and multicultural working environment, with a commitment to the personal and professional development of its employees through various training and mentorship programs. Compensation details can be found in the Terms and Conditions section of the vacancy announcement. WFP is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities throughout the recruitment process.