Contract - Finance Transformation Project Manager

At Honda we embrace inclusion in our various policies, so whilst our contracts state that the hours are as required to fulfil the role with a minimum of 35 hours per week, we offer flexibility for when you work.  The regular office hours are 08:00 – 16:00 Monday to Thursday with a half hour lunch break & 08:00 – 13:00 on a Friday.  However, we offer flexibility of when you work with our daily flex-time start of between 07:00 and 11:00 providing that there is no business requirement.

Whilst there is no contractual right to work from home, the flexibility we offer is that you can request to work from home for a maximum of 50% of the working days in any one month, again providing there is no business requirement to attend the office.

Role: 
Honda Motor Europe HQ has commenced a significant transformation programme spanning its organisation and technical underpinning. This transformation covers all significant areas of the business including Sales, Factories, Logistics, and Banks. The ERP chosen to deliver this work is S/4HANA (private cloud).

In 2023 this programme commenced with the planned implementation of a single S/4HANA instance/CCoA for the finance departments of all 18 sales companies across the European sales business. This project went live in April 2024 for key R2R functionality, with a further release planned for October to bring P2P, O2C and TCM functionality live.

With work commencing on the Logistics, Trade and other functions, there is a need for additional project manager to join the Finance Change transformation team. The PM will directly manage projects in the Finance Portfolio from a finance business perspective (they will have an IS counterpart managing technical change) and also support non-finance projects through the management of finance team resources.
The Finance Project Manager is responsible for delivery of the Finance components of the project.  Working alongside various service integration partners and IS project managers, the role is critical in the successful delivery of business benefits to Honda Motor Europe Ltd. 

The role will be responsible for delivery of one or several projects, predominantly utilising the SAP S/4Hana platform, but may also include projects using different technologies. 

Travel across Europe may be required.

Main Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain a detailed project plan that outlines the scope, timelines, resources, and milestones for the project.
• Define the project objectives and deliverables in collaboration with key stakeholders. 
• Allocate and manage resources efficiently, including both internal teams and external consultants or vendors. 
• Lead and motivate the project team, fostering a collaborative environment to meet project goals. 
• Regularly communicate with stakeholders at all levels of the organization, providing project updates and managing expectations. 
• Facilitate stakeholder meetings and workshops to ensure alignment and address concerns or changes. 
• Continuously monitor and manage risks throughout the project lifecycle, adapting strategies as necessary. 
• Ensure that quality standards are met throughout the project, from initial planning to final implementation. 
• Oversee the testing processes, including unit testing, integration testing, and user acceptance testing, to ensure the new system meets business requirements. 
• Ensure the development and implementation of a comprehensive training program for end-users, ensuring smooth adaptation to the new solution. 
• Ensure that the change management approach minimizes resistance and maximizes user adoption and proficiency of the solution. 
• Work closely with technical teams to address any challenges encountered. 
• Ensure that the project complies with industry standards, legal requirements, and SAP best practices and that internal and SOX controls are built into the final operational solution.  
• Ensure a smooth transition to support and manage the hypercare period. 
• Conduct post-implementation reviews to evaluate the success of the project and identify lessons learned for future initiatives. 

Qualifications, skills and experience:
Required

• Professional certifications in project or programme management (such as MSP, PMP or PRINCE2).
• Experience of delivering multiple end to end projects, preferably based on the SAP S/4 HANA platform.
• Demonstrated track record of successful project delivery, including managing timelines, budgets, and resources. 
• Familiarity with SAP modules relevant to the organization’s processes (OTC, RTR, P2P, TCM, Manufacturing and Logistics etc...). 
• Track record of delivery with outsourced service integration partners and managing teams across multiple time zones. 
• Excellent planning and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities. 
• Proficiency in project management tools and software. 
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities. 
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal with the ability to quickly establish credibility with business leaders and other stakeholders.
• Flexible and proactive attitude and open to change.
• Self-driven and motivated to succeed.
• Leadership skills with a focus on team motivation and collaboration. 
• Skills in risk identification, assessment, and mitigation. 
• Knowledge of compliance requirements and best practices in SAP projects. 
• Ability to optimize resources and costs for maximum efficiency and effectiveness. 
• Ability to adapt to changing project requirements and business needs. 
• Resilience and problem-solving skills in high-pressure environments. 
• Understanding of global business practices and multi-cultural considerations, especially for multinational organizations. 
• Resilience and adaptability in a fast-paced and changing environment. 
• Good communication skills (written and verbal) and proven team player. 

Desirable

• Experience in Finance would be desirable. 

Honda is committed to the principle of equal opportunity in the workplace for all employees, temporary workers, contractors, applicants and visitors. Honda also encourages respect for the individual differences and talents of others while making full use of one's own abilities, based on Honda's philosophy of respect for the individual.

At Honda, we value and celebrate diversity and are committed to being a fair, non-discriminatory company that promotes and welcomes the uniqueness and differences of people around the world. We recognise that a diverse workforce allows for different ideas and perspectives, and we encourage everyone to share them. We strive to foster a culture of belonging that is consistent with Honda's core values and lived out in the way we work and respect each other. For us at Honda, diversifying our workforce means increasing its overall strength by providing people with equal opportunities - regardless of personal characteristics or previous careers.

This commitment flows directly from the Honda philosophy and the belief that we are all working towards a common goal. Honda recruits, hires, trains and promotes the most qualified/experienced individuals at all levels without regard to race, origin, religion or belief, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability or any other protected characteristic.