Powering Innovation: Oxford’s Role in Steering a SAP S/4HANA Implementation

For the past four decades, Oxford has been at the forefront of empowering clients to navigate complex challenges and realize their vision for the future.

The Start of a Transformational Partnership

A $12 billion start-up company, having divested from its parent company, needed to establish a new SAP S/4HANA instance to support its venture. Recognizing our expertise and successful history with their former parent company, they reached out to Oxford to fill key roles in their SAP S/4HANA implementation.

Navigating Inception to Implementation

The client’s goals included consolidating onto one instance of SAP S/4HANA for simplification and speed, achieving real-time access to KPIs for efficiency and growth, and adopting up-to-date technology to support the user experience.In short, they needed one ERP to replace 32 legacy systems, with 60 countries in scope and 20,000 users impacted.

One ERP to replace 32 legacy systems with 60 countries in scope and 20,000 users impacted. 

Bridging the Expertise Gap: Oxford’s Unique Contribution

For this project, the client engaged two Systems Integrators (SIs) in the market, who were responsible for the majority of the project delivery. However, the client engaged directly with Oxford for the very niche, senior-level S/4 consultants. We worked alongside the SIs to bridge the gap between what they could deliver and what the client needed in terms of high-level expertise. The main challenge the client faced was the expertise for senior-level roles. The SIs didn’t have consultants with the right experience; neither did the client. We were able to fill those gaps with niche, highly experienced, senior-level consultants who needed no ramp-up time and bridge the skills gap between the SIs and the client. Additionally, finding consultants who had worked on large-scale projects across multiple locations, and had dealt with time differences and language barriers was crucial. Oxford has the expertise to find people with experience in massive multi-country projects.

Dedicated Client Support: Building Strong Relationships

To ensure exceptional support and responsiveness, we established a dedicated team for this client, comprising an Account Manager, Recruiter, and Director of Strategic Accounts (DSA). The Account Manager was the primary point of contact, taking job specifications from the client, briefing the lead recruiter, and ensuring the client’s needs were met. The lead recruiter was responsible for taking job specifications, gathering CVs, and setting up interviews. The DSA worked with Procurement to put contracts and other commercial agreements in place and performed regular site visits to maintain strong client relationships. This team was always available to react promptly to any requests. By nurturing relationships through regular communication and onsite visits, we built a strong partnership foundation that facilitated seamless collaboration and trust. Over three years, the client consistently turned to us for their needs. There was a constant flow of requests throughout the project, and the client became accustomed to how quickly we could fulfill their needs, knowing they would receive CVs within one to two days in most cases.

Mobilizing Forces: Oxford’s Global Deployment Strategy

Over three years, we provided 170+ consultants globally, including Solution Architects and Leads the client could not procure from their Systems Integrators. Because the SIs were oftentimes unable to provide individuals with the right skill set who had worked on large-scale, global initiatives, we were trusted to find these niche roles. 95% of the time, we were able to provide CVs to the client to review within 24-48 hours, and the right person would start the following week. Central to Oxford’s contribution was the remarkable retention rate of 98.5% among deployed consultants, which often included multiple contract extensions.

Over three years, we provided 170+ consultants globally, including Solution Architects and Leads the client could not procure from their Systems Integrators.

This unprecedented level of stability not only ensured continuity in project execution but also fostered a conducive environment for collaboration and innovation, setting the stage for sustained success. With regular communication and site visits from each member of the Oxford team, we bridged critical skill gaps and empowered the client to confidently navigate complex implementation challenges.

Comprehensive Expertise for SAP S/4HANA Implementation

Throughout the SAP S/4HANA project, we have provided an extensive range of specialized roles to ensure the success of the implementation. This included:

• Solution Architects:
  • S/4 Solution Architect Project Manager
  • SAP EWM Solution Architect
  • SAP FI Solution Architect
  • SAP GTS Solution Architect
  • SAP PP Solution Architect
  • SAP PS Solution Architect
  • SAP Q2C (Quote to Cash) Solution Architect
  • SAP Q2C (SD) Solution Architect
  • SAP S2P (Source to Pay) Solution Architect
  • SAP SD/OTC Solution Architect
  • SAP VIM Solution Architect
• Project Management and Leadership:
  • SAP Analytics Lead
  • SAP Cutover Manager
  • SAP Data Validation Lead
  • SAP Hypercare Lead
  • SAP Release Manager
  • SAP Security & Compliance Manager
  • SAP Service Delivery Manager
• Technical Specialists:
  • SAP Basis
  • SAP CO Integration Lead
  • SAP Data Architect
  • SAP S/4 Security Consultant
  • SAP TM Techno-Functional Consultant
• Training and Testing:
  • S/4 Service Trainer
  • SAP Test Co-Ordinator
  • SAP Test Lead
  • SAP Test Phase Manager

This diverse and comprehensive expertise ensured we could address every aspect of the client’s needs, from architecture and integration to security and compliance, ensuring a seamless and successful SAP S/4HANA implementation.

Continuing the Journey: Oxford’s Commitment to Empowering Growth and Innovation

As the client continues to forge ahead on its journey of growth and expansion, Oxford remains steadfast in its commitment to empowering transformative change. Through strategic guidance, unparalleled expertise, and unwavering support, we continue to redefine industry standards and set the stage for a future fueled by innovation and opportunity.

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