The Project Sponsor is responsible for overseeing an ERP implementation project from start to finish. Key duties include establishing the project mandate and scope, providing final approval on priorities, budgets and contractual agreements, communicating regularly with stakeholders, and ensuring the project's outputs deliver benefits to the business. The ideal candidate requires executive presence, authority to make high-level decisions and commitments, and strong leadership and negotiation skills.

1. ERP Implementation Project
Role Profile
Project Sponsor
Author
5/10/2008

2. 1. Purpose of this This document outlines the role and function of the Project Sponsor in
Document ERP implementations. As such the document will highlight the following:
• The role purpose
• The key performance areas of the role
• Role prerequisites
2. Role Purpose The primary aim of this role is founded in the need for strategic level
ownership of the project, integration of project outputs at top
management level, advocacy and custodianship of the interests of the
business in so far as it relates to benefit realization.
3. Key Performance • Support the creation of an acceptable mandate for the project and
Areas submit to the Steering Committee/Project Board for Approval
• Final authority to set priorities, approve project scope, and settle
company-wide issues in respect of design and implementation as
well as implementation from a contractual perspective
• Convenor and member of the Steering Committee/Project Board
• As member of the Steering Committee/Project Board, co-
responsible for project governance
• Communication at business level regarding project planning,
outputs and benefit realization
• Promotes the project throughout the organization
• Final budget authority
4. Role prerequisites • Executive-level presence within the business
• Full support of the solution
• Sufficient authority to communicate to the business as a whole
and integrate project level outputs at strategic level
• An active relationship with senior members of the project team
and external SAP partner companies
• Strong leadership skills and effective negotiation skills
• The support infrastructure and decision making authority to:
• Mobilize resources for business wide decision making
• Initiate consideration of scope changes
• Provide strategic level direction to the team
• Initiate corrective action to ensure overall benefit realization
• Mobilize, consult and negotiate with key role players/stakeholders