SAP S/4HANA Cutover Lead

• Location: Ottawa, Ontario
• Remote: Hybrid
• Type: Contract
• Job #35633

Our Ottawa based client,

is seeking an experienced SAP S/4HANA Cutover Lead to lead the planning and execution of the City’s SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA transformation cutover.

This individual will represent the City’s interests while working closely with IBM (System Integrator) and internal business, functional, technical, infrastructure, security, and operational teams to ensure a successful go-live.

This is a leadership-focused role requiring proven SAP S/4HANA cutover experience, strong governance capabilities, and exceptional stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage the City’s integrated SAP S/4HANA cutover plan.
• Coordinate all City-owned cutover activities, dependencies, milestones, risks, and resource requirements.
• Lead cutover planning across business, functional, technical, infrastructure, security, data migration, and operational workstreams.
• Coordinate closely with IBM and City project leadership throughout planning and execution.
• Lead cutover rehearsals, mock cutovers, blackout planning, business ramp-down/ramp-up, operational readiness, and deployment activities.
• Validate readiness across all workstreams and support executive Go/No-Go decision making.
• Monitor risks, dependencies, critical path activities, and issue resolution throughout the cutover lifecycle.
• Support transition into Hypercare and operational sustainment following go-live.
• Provide executive-level reporting, governance support, and stakeholder communications throughout the engagement.

Required Experience

• Proven experience serving as the Cutover Lead on at least one SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA transformation.
• Experience developing and executing enterprise cutover strategies for large SAP programs.
• Strong understanding of:
  • SAP S/4HANA transformations
  • Cutover planning
  • Data migration
  • Business continuity
  • Business readiness
  • Operational readiness
  • Hypercare planning
• Experience coordinating multiple workstreams including:
  • Business
  • Functional
  • Technical
  • Infrastructure
  • Security
  • Data Migration
• Experience supporting executive governance, steering committees, and Go/No-Go decision making.
• Excellent communication, leadership, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.

Preferred Experience

• Experience representing the client organization while working alongside a System Integrator (IBM, Deloitte, Accenture, PwC, etc.).
• Municipal or broader public-sector SAP transformation experience considered an asset.
• SAP Activate methodology experience is desirable.

Engagement Structure

This is expected to be a phased engagement:

Phase 1

• Immediate start.
• Develop the City’s integrated cutover strategy and execution plan.

Phase 2

• Light governance/readiness support as required while the project progresses.

Phase 3

• Return approximately early/mid-November 2026 through January 4, 2027 to lead final readiness, rehearsals, cutover execution, Go-Live, Hypercare transition, and stabilization.

Important: Candidates must be comfortable with a phased engagement. The City is exploring options to maintain continuity between planning and execution.