Project Manager – ERP Discovery (SAP Replacement)

Job Title: Project Manager – ERP Discovery (SAP PM/MM Replacement)
Client Industry: Higher Education
Location: Boston, MA (Cambridge) - 100% onsite preferred
Job Status: Contract / Full Time

Position Summary:
Our client is seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead the discovery and assessment phase for a potential replacement of their SAP Plant Maintenance (PM) and Materials Management (MM) systems within a higher education environment. This role will coordinate cross-functional stakeholders across facilities management, procurement, supply chain, finance, and IT to facilitate requirements discovery and evaluate future-state technology solutions. The Project Manager will guide the organization through the assessment process, ensuring clear documentation of business needs, system dependencies, and implementation considerations to support executive decision-making and future ERP strategy.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities:

Discovery and Assessment Leadership

• Lead the discovery phase to evaluate alternatives to existing SAP PM and MM modules.
• Develop and manage the discovery project plan, timeline, and key deliverables.
• Facilitate stakeholder workshops and interviews across facilities management, campus operations, procurement, and IT teams.
• Document current-state processes, system architecture, and operational dependencies.

Requirements and Process Analysis

• Gather and document business requirements related to facilities operations, plant maintenance, asset lifecycle management, work order management, inventory management, and procurement processes.
• Analyze current SAP PM/MM functionality to identify operational challenges, inefficiencies, and capability gaps.
• Map current-state workflows and identify opportunities for improved automation, integration, and operational efficiency.

Solution Evaluation

• Support the evaluation of potential ERP platforms and vendor solutions that could replace SAP PM and MM functionality.
• Coordinate vendor demonstrations, solution assessments, and technical evaluation sessions.
• Collaborate with enterprise architecture and IT teams to assess integration requirements, data migration considerations, and infrastructure implications.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner with facilities leadership, campus operations teams, procurement, finance, and IT leadership to ensure alignment across departments.
• Facilitate governance meetings and provide regular status updates to executive sponsors and steering committees.
• Support decision-making by presenting findings, trade-offs, and recommendations throughout the discovery process.

Documentation and Reporting

• Develop key discovery outputs including current-state process documentation, business and technical requirements, and system dependency mapping.
• Prepare gap analyses and pain point assessments related to existing SAP PM/MM capabilities.
• Define vendor evaluation criteria and support comparative solution analysis.
• Develop a high-level implementation roadmap and preliminary cost estimates for potential ERP solutions.
• Prepare executive-level presentations and recommendations to support future ERP investment decisions.

Minimum Skills, Knowledge, and Ability Requirements:

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of project management experience supporting enterprise systems, ERP implementations, or technology transformation initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience leading system discovery, assessment, or evaluation projects.
• Experience working with SAP environments, particularly PM and/or MM modules.

Domain Knowledge

• Strong understanding of plant maintenance, facilities operations, asset management, inventory management, and procurement processes.
• Familiarity with enterprise asset management (EAM) concepts and operational workflows.
• Understanding of ERP system architecture, integrations, and data migration considerations.

Analytical and Problem-Solving Skills

• Ability to analyze complex operational processes and translate them into structured requirements and documentation.
• Experience performing gap analysis, solution evaluation, and system capability assessments.
• Strong critical thinking skills with the ability to evaluate risks, trade-offs, and strategic options.
• Communication and Stakeholder Management
• Proven ability to facilitate cross-functional workshops and stakeholder interviews.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with experience presenting to executive leadership.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, particularly within complex organizational environments.

Project and Change Management

• Experience developing project plans, milestones, and deliverables for discovery and transformation initiatives.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and coordinate work across multiple departments.
• Experience supporting governance structures and steering committee reporting.

Tools and Methodologies

• Experience with project management and collaboration tools such as Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, JIRA, or similar platforms.
• Familiarity with process mapping and documentation tools such as Visio, Lucidchart, or equivalent.
• Experience working within structured project delivery frameworks such as Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid approaches.

Soft Skills

• Strong facilitation skills and ability to guide workshops and collaborative discussions.
• Ability to translate technical concepts into clear business language for stakeholders.
• Strong organizational and time management skills with attention to detail.
• Preferred Qualifications
• Experience working within higher education institutions, particularly supporting campus facilities, capital projects, or procurement operations.
• Experience working with SAP PM/MM in facilities or asset management environments.
• Familiarity with Oracle Primavera (P6) or other project portfolio management tools.
• Experience supporting ERP transformation or SAP replacement initiatives.
• PMP or similar project management certification.