Specialist Resourcing Solutions to Deliver the CFO Agenda

Of all the corporate functions, Finance remains under seemingly constant pressure to meet new demands on transparency, efficiency and control. Increased shareholder scrutiny, disruptive technologies which threaten existing business models, and credit and market turbulence; all create challenges and opportunities; that the Finance Function must be equipped to deal with. As a consequence Finance Function Transformations have become a routine feature on the corporate landscape.

Unfortunately however; finance transformation isn’t straightforward and there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. No two journeys look entirely the same. The myriad combination of drivers, base lines, objectives, ambitions and appetite to absorb change; means that everyone has different starting points and just as likely, different end points.

Priorities, Drivers & Key Issues

Whilst every finance transformation journey is unique; what can be said of all transformation initiatives is that they are both stretching and resource intensive. Typically highly visible, they can also be risky, as project teams strive to maintain ‘business as usual’ activities against the backcloth of significant upheaval. This project-based nature can present unique resourcing challenges to an organisation, as the demand for people can be very ‘lumpy’, and the skills required can be very specific and specialised. The need to draw on scarce resources exactly when required, ratchet-up or stand down implementation teams at will, or deploy people globally normally rules out large scale resourcing from within the business. Freeing up skilled individuals from their line management roles can take months to negotiate and can simply create pressures elsewhere.

So in many situations, management turn in the first instance to the large systems integrators and consultancies. Their strong reputations, global operations and promise of skills in depth and breadth are seen initially, at least, as a low risk option. Yet experienced independent transformation programme directors (many of which are former Big 4 Consultants) suggest that handing over the end-to-end delivery of a transformation initiative exclusively to a consultancy can be ineffective and costly. There are numerous accounts of how badly managed ERP implementations can significantly damage companies and the credibility of their finance functions. Whilst consultancies may claim to have strength and depth in many areas, independent finance transformation leaders cite evidential experience that the reality can be very different.

The Resourcing Challenge

How can you blend internal process expertise with external specialists drawn from both a consultancy & the interim market?

It’s a familiar situation to Steve Leebrook, Transformation Director of SA-Transformation, a leading provider of global project teams for financial transformation and systems implementation.

“Over the past 16 years we’ve successfully delivered over 10,000 resourcing assignments across 20 counties. When we evaluate the success and lessons learned with our clients a common theme appears. The most effective transformation programmes, those which were completed to time and budget parameters, which delivered to the business case, measured ROI and those which truly realised tangible benefit were all based on a hybrid solution. The Tri-Partite model allowed them to blend internal expertise with external resources drawn from consultancies and the sub-contract market whilst maintaining overall control of deliverables, manpower and costs”

Pivotal to the success of the hybrid solution is having a highly

experienced independent programme director who is ‘client side’ and acting in the client’s interests has the authority to marshal all of the consulting, subcontract and internal resources to best effect. Leebrook comments;

“Typically our clients are courted by the top tier managing consulting firms and systems integrators who they find often work to a conflicting agenda. Organisations often don’t have incumbent expertise and experience required to quality assure and validate the programme scope, 3rd party deliverables and terms of reference. For example our clients turn to us to provide independent transformation leaders to shape, lead & effectively deliver finance transformation whilst safeguarding their interests. From strategic intent & concept they typically help C-suite stakeholders to establish, understand and subscribe to a common vision, translate the Finance Operating Model in to a programme and ensure appropriate governance is observed to assure deliverables. In our clients’ experience only an independent Programme Director acting as a trusted advisor to the CFO, Sponsor and Executive Team can effectively and objectively manage the risk, marry the programme objectives to embedded business outcomes and leave a legacy for continuous improvement”.

SOLUTION: Finance Transformation and the Trusted Advisor: A Tri-Partite Model

Transformation Programme Team mobilisation

World Class specialist Interim resource mobilised and account managed by one solution partner

In the final analysis, success in large scale transformation projects essentially comes down to the quality of the people on the project. Good quality resources are no longer the preserve of the major consultancies and the hybrid approach offers simplified access to highly skilled, qualified and mobile resources that are project savvy and internationally experienced. A division of SystemsAccountants, SA-Transformation is a global authority in the provision of specialist resourcing services specific to Finance Systems & ERP enabled Change programmes.

We are the trusted resourcing partner to a diverse array of client organisations, ranging from mid-market private companies, to global listed groups, public sector bodies & NGO’s.

SA-Transformation’s programme mobilisation service de-risks and facilitates the rapid and accurate appointment of key positions within finance transformation initiatives. We have many years of experience in assembling multi-disciplinary programme teams and have refined structured processes to provide control and transparency and to ensure that appropriate skills and expertise are on boarded and stood down seamlessly.

SA-Transformation have referenced capability to inject the following skill sets in to programmes at short notice:

Finance Programme & Transformation Directors Change Managers

We maintain a vetted pool of Interim Programme Directors with experience of shaping & initiating large scale finance transformation programmes. Our most successful interims display a natural ability to shape complex projects, distil priorities and then focus wholly on driving delivery, balancing best practice with pragmatism to realise the full benefits of a business case. As the delivery figurehead they will engage & keep engaged key stakeholders; leverage the engagement of appropriate 3rd party providers; and empower grass roots employees; to ensure change is understood, accepted and thus successful.

We maintain an extensive, globally deployable pool of interviewed and pre-qualified finance transformation contractors. Typically; qualified accountants who have worked in large corporates in process re-engineering roles and combining formal change management and communications expertise from working for one of the main Systems Integrators, BPO providers or Consultancies such as Accenture, IBM, Deloitte, EY, PWC or KPMG.

Solution & Data Architects / Design Authority Finance Project Management & PMO

We have specialised in assessing and grading SAP Finance ERP, Oracle e-Business, PeopleSoft, Hyperion and Cognos Solution Architects since 1999. Additionally we have extensive experience of qualifying Business & Data Architects to lead the design and quality assurance of Data Governance Frameworks and Finance Target Operating Models – across shared services, off-shore and outsourced organisations.

Through an on-going interview programme we continually meet and vet a wide range of Finance Project Managers. Typically either qualified accountants or formally trained Business Project Managers and PMO experts we have access to a deep pool of talent specific to: business case delivery & benefits realisation, planning, governance, mobilisation, vendor management, stakeholder engagement, risks & issues management, budget/status tracking, project comms, project reporting & presentation.

Finance Business & Process Analysts Applications Implementation, Support & Development Consultants

Over the past decade, we have interviewed thousands of finance business analysts who blend extensive practical functional or operational experience of a process domain such as R2R, P2P or O2C with a detailed understanding of the configuration of a specific application such as Hyperion, SAP, or Oracle. Often called Business Process Owners, they are an active ingredient in engaging grass roots employees with an implementation project and they can play a critical role in ensuring client staff embrace change.

We manage Europe’s most extensive interviewed & vetted pool of contractors with specialist applications expertise across the following range of systems: Unit 4 (Agresso / CODA) / Infor (LN / LX / M3 / SunSystems) / Microsoft Dynamics (AX / GP / NAV / SL) / Oracle (EBS / JDE / PeopleSoft) / Oracle (Hyperion / EPM) / SAP (ERP / EPM / BOXI) / IBM (Cognos / TM1) / FinancialForce / NetSuite / Workday.

This diagram displays the various resource disciplines within a typical ERP enabled transformation programme that we maintain a capability to deploy.

Finance Transformation Case Studies

Provision of 78 Interim Consultants and permanent staff to provide programme direction, design authority, business analysis and PMO services across GL integration, P2P implementation, Solvency II & transformation.

Since 2005 over 100 contractors & permanent finance systems & finance projects staff provided to AXA globally; across SAP & Finance Transformation.

Provision of over 20 interims to global investment bank and UK retail bank to deliver Cognos & TM1 Financial Reporting implementation and PeopleSoft GL deployment.

Primary framework partner for global SAP Finance & Procurement Transformation. SA provided over 50 contractors to support migration from 250 finance systems to SAP & transition of F&A back office to India SSC.

Client Testimonials

"SystemsAccountants were a trusted supplier over the course of our multi-million pound SAP project. They demonstrated a strong grasp of our requirements and an ability to provide resource, which was reflected in their provision of a team of highly qualified contractors. This was a major factor in the success of this critical finance change project.”

Director of Finance Transformation - Fortune 500 Services Organisation

SAP Finance Transformation Programme

“The programme is the largest single change project that the Group has ever undertaken but the decision to partner with SystemsAccountants has proved very astute. We did not want to go down the Big 4 or large systems integrator route either. I do not believe we would have got such good service from the large consultancies. SA were big enough to take on the role yet small enough to care about maintaining service levels.”

Programme Director - FTSE 100 Services Organisation

Business Transformation Programme

Client Testimonials

"They do an excellent job in this niche market and I would not hesitate in recommending them to anybody. I have had the good fortune to work all over the world with many of the big name search firms, but have never quite enjoyed the level of service that I enjoy from SystemsAccountants.”

Global Oracle Finance Transformation Sponsor - Orange BS

Oracle Programme

"Their comprehensive knowledge of the finance systems market, their range of candidates and high service levels consistently ensure that I am able to obtain exceptional candidates, which have been promoted to accurately reflect my requirements. For me personally it is the professional and personal level of the service received and their value add to the recruitment process that mark them way ahead of their competitors"

Group Financial Systems Manager – Old Mutual PLC

Hyperion/EPM Recruitment