My name is Saurabh, and I am an experienced SAP Project Manager with over 15 years

in IT consulting, specializing in SAP S/4HANA implementations, digital

transformations, and large-scale ERP rollouts.

Currently, I am working as an Engagement Manager at Capgemini Netherlands, where I

lead SAP implementation projects across multiple industries,. I have successfully
managed end-to-end SAP deployments, ensuring business process optimization,
stakeholder alignment, and regulatory compliance.

Throughout my career, I have worked with global, cross-functional teams, managing multi-
million-euro projects

In my previous role, I managed an ERP implementation across multiple business units in

different countries. Each team had its own priorities, making alignment challenging. To
ensure smooth coordination, I implemented a structured governance model, including:

 Weekly cross-functional meetings to track progress and address roadblocks.

 A centralized project plan with clear milestones aligned with the overall program
timeline.
 A RACI matrix to define roles and responsibilities across teams.

A key challenge was a misalignment between IT and business stakeholders regarding system
integration. To resolve this, I facilitated joint workshops to bridge communication gaps,
ensuring both sides understood dependencies. As a result, we delivered the project on time
and within budget, achieving a 15% improvement in operational efficiency."

How is success measured for each implementation wave of Project One?

📌 Answer:
Success is measured through key performance indicators (KPIs) such as:
✅ System Adoption Rates – How quickly users transition to Infor ERP.
✅ Process Compliance – Alignment with global process standards.
✅ Operational Efficiency Gains – Measured through cost reductions and productivity
improvements.
✅ Minimal Business Disruptions – Ensuring smooth go-lives with minimal downtime.
✅ Stakeholder Satisfaction – Feedback from users and leadership.

What are the key priorities for the Senior Project Manager in the first 6
months?

📌 Answer:
🔹 Understanding the Project One methodology and existing implementation roadmap.
🔹 Building relationships with key stakeholders across central and local teams.
🔹 Conducting a gap analysis to assess risks and dependencies.
🔹 Establishing clear reporting structures for Steering Committee updates.
🔹 Overseeing initial implementation waves and ensuring alignment with the global
template.

Project Execution & Methodology

Q1: How do you ensure that a project is executed within scope, time, and budget?
🔹 Sample Answer:
"I follow a structured project management approach that includes detailed planning, regular
monitoring, and proactive risk management. First, I ensure clear project scope definition with
stakeholders to avoid scope creep. Then, I develop a detailed project schedule with
milestones and resource allocation. Throughout execution, I use tracking tools (e.g., MS
Project, Jira) and hold weekly status meetings to identify risks early. For instance, during an
ERP rollout, I identified a potential budget overrun due to additional training needs and
mitigated it by optimizing existing training resources, keeping the project on track."

2️⃣ Project Planning & Risk Management

Q2: How do you approach developing a project plan from scratch, including risk
management and resource allocation?
🔹 Sample Answer:
"I start by gathering business and technical requirements and defining key deliverables. I then
break down the project into phases, assign responsibilities, and develop a risk register to
identify potential threats. For example, during an ERP implementation, I conducted
stakeholder workshops to map out risks related to data migration and system integrations. By
implementing a phased approach with risk mitigation strategies—such as data cleansing
before migration and contingency buffers for delays—I ensured a smooth rollout."

3️⃣ Steering Committee & Stakeholder Management

Q3: How do you act as the primary point of contact between the Steering Committee
and project teams?
🔹 Sample Answer:
"I ensure clear, structured communication between the Steering Committee and project teams
by establishing a reporting framework. This includes regular updates through executive
dashboards, milestone sign-offs, and issue escalation protocols. In a previous ERP project, I
prepared concise status reports highlighting key achievements, risks, and decisions needed
from leadership. This approach enabled timely decision-making and ensured alignment
between business and technical teams."

4️⃣ Issue Resolution & Progress Monitoring

Q4: How do you monitor project progress and resolve implementation issues?
🔹 Sample Answer:
"I track progress through KPIs such as milestone completion, budget adherence, and risk
status. I use tools like MS Project and Power BI for real-time dashboards. If an issue arises, I
assess its impact, consult relevant stakeholders, and implement corrective actions. For
instance, in a global ERP rollout, I identified a delay in data migration testing. I quickly
reallocated resources and extended the testing phase by two weeks, preventing a critical
failure during go-live."

5️⃣ Local & Central Team Coordination

Q5: How do you ensure alignment between central and local implementation teams?
🔹 Sample Answer:
"I bridge the gap between central and local teams by ensuring clear role definitions,
alignment on objectives, and regular touchpoints. For example, during an S/4HANA
deployment, I coordinated weekly sync calls between local business leads and the central IT
team to resolve localization challenges, such as tax configurations. This collaborative
approach ensured compliance with local regulations while maintaining global process
standardization."

The Six Phases of SAP Activate

Phase Key Activities

1. Discover Define business goals, assess cloud vs. on-premise, and explore SAP solutions.

2. Prepare Form project team, set up tools, and create project roadmap.

3. Explore Conduct fit-to-standard workshops, refine requirements, and identify gaps.

4. Realize Configure, build, test, and validate system using Agile iterations (sprints).

5. Deploy Final testing, user training, cutover planning, and system go-live.

6. Run Continuous support, optimization, and innovation.

🕘 08:00 – 09:00 | Start of the Day – Planning & Priorities

☕ Morning Routine: Review emails, messages, and overnight updates from offshore teams
or global stakeholders.
📌 Check project KPIs:

 Project milestones & timelines

 Budget tracking & resource utilization
 Open risks/issues from the previous day
📌 Prioritize tasks: Identify critical actions for the day and update your team’s agenda.
🕘 09:00 – 10:00 | Team Stand-Up & Issue Resolution

👥 Daily Stand-Up Meeting (Agile/Scrum if applicable)

 Check progress with Functional & Technical Leads (FI/CO, MM, SD, PP, etc.)
 Review pending tasks & blockers (e.g., integration issues, data migration delays).
 Align with offshore development teams (if working with India/nearshore teams).
🛠 Quick Action: Assign ownership for issues and escalate unresolved items.

🕘 10:00 – 11:30 | Stakeholder Engagement & Business Alignment

📞 Meetings with Key Business Stakeholders

 Discuss business process alignment (Finance, Supply Chain, Manufacturing teams).

 Validate requirements & address concerns (e.g., VAT compliance, tax localization,
reporting).
 Ensure standardization vs. localization balance in global ERP templates.
📌 Example: If a finance team in Netherlands needs a VAT configuration tweak, work with
SAP consultants to assess feasibility.

🕘 11:30 – 12:30 | Risk & Change Management

🚩 Risk Review Meeting

 Analyze high-risk areas (e.g., data migration errors, security gaps, UAT failures).
 Mitigation planning (e.g., rollback plans, additional test cycles).
 Change Management:
o If a business process change is required, document it.
o Align with Change Advisory Board (CAB) or Steering Committee.
📌 Example: If invoice processing in SAP FICO isn’t working as expected in a test
cycle, decide whether to fix now or defer.

🕘 12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch Break & Informal Catch-Ups

🍽 Grab lunch and informally check in with team members.

💬 Chat with key consultants or business SMEs to discuss bottlenecks.

🕘 13:30 – 15:00 | Execution & Deep Work

💻 Project Execution Tasks

 Test Scenario Validation (UAT/SIT): Review test cases with business teams.
 Review Cutover Plans: Ensure system readiness for go-live.
  Budget & Vendor Oversight: If third-party vendors (Accenture, Deloitte, etc.) are involved,
monitor deliverables.
📌 Example: Check if SAP MM-PP integration for material planning is working correctly in
test environments.

🕘 15:00 – 16:30 | Steering Committee / Client Meeting

📊 Weekly Steering Committee Updates

 Progress report (Timeline, Risks, Budget).

 Decision making (e.g., Approving new project phases, managing escalations).
📌 Example: If data migration from SAP ECC to S/4HANA is behind schedule, discuss
alternative approaches (manual cleanup, automation tools).

🕘 16:30 – 17:30 | Team Support & Issue Escalation

📞 1:1 Calls or Escalations

 Assist team members struggling with SAP module configurations, ABAP developments, or
testing.
 Align with SAP BASIS & Security teams on system performance and access controls.
📌 Example: If a new S/4HANA FIORI app for finance reporting is crashing, escalate to the
development team.

🕘 17:30 – 18:00 | Wrap-Up & Next-Day Planning

✅ Daily Close-Out

 Summarize key actions from the day.

 Update JIRA, MS Project, or other tracking tools.
 Align priorities for the next day
Why do you want to switch from Capgemini to KPMG

"Capgemini has been a great learning ground, but I’m looking for a
more strategic and advisory-driven role. KPMG’s strong focus on
digital transformation and enterprise consulting aligns with my
expertise in SAP and ERP leadership. I’m excited about the
opportunity to work closely with senior stakeholders and drive
high-impact projects at a broader scale."

what suits you better project manager or test manager?

my expertise lies in leading end-to-end SAP implementations, managing

stakeholders, and driving business transformation. I enjoy working with
cross-functional teams, aligning IT solutions with business goals, and
ensuring projects are delivered on time and within budget. While testing is
crucial, my strength is in the bigger picture—planning, execution, and strategy
—so I see myself thriving as a Project Manager rather than a Test Manager."

while ensuring delivery on time, within scope, and budget. I bring a strong background in
vendor management, stakeholder engagement (including CXO-level discussions), and
risk mitigation strategies.

What excites me about this opportunity is the chance to leverage my SAP expertise,
leadership skills, and problem-solving approach to drive successful digital transformations
within your organization.

including manufacturing, retail, and financial services