The document discusses the challenges and complexities of finance transformations faced by corporate finance functions, which are under pressure to enhance transparency and efficiency. It suggests that a hybrid approach, blending internal expertise with external resources from consultancies and the interim market, is optimal for successful transformation initiatives. The value of having an experienced independent program director is emphasized, as they can effectively manage resources and risks while delivering tangible business outcomes.

2. 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

3. 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 5 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

4. 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 stakeholder 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

5. 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.

6. 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.

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

8. Finance Transformation Case Studies
Provision of over 50 Interim Consultants and permanent staff to provide
project management, business analysis and solution architecture 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 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 provision of over 50 contractors to support migration
from 250 finance systems to SAP & transition back office to India SSC.

9. 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 relationship between SystemsAccountants and ourselves is a “true partnership” with both
organisations working as a team to ensure that the project resourcing objectives were met in a
timely fashion. SystemsAccountants have helped to manage the peaks and troughs in
resourcing as well as managing the performance of all of the contractors."
Programme Director - FTSE 100 Services Organisation
Business Transformation Programme

10. 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.”
Graham Russell – Oracle Project Sponsor Orange
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 and 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"
Ken Wareham – Group Financial Systems Manager – Old Mutual PLC
Hyperion/EPM Recruitment