ERP Cutover Lead

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic European Cutover Lead to drive the planning and execution of multiple cutovers, go-lives, and Hyper-care phases as part of a multi-year D365 ERP transformation programme. The ERP Cutover Lead will play a crucial role in ensuring the smooth transition from legacy systems to new ERP systems.

This pivotal role requires an individual with a strong background in ERP implementations, excellent leadership skills, and the ability to manage both business and technical activities across multiple stakeholders and geographies. This role is essential for ensuring a seamless transition to new ERP systems, minimizing downtime, and maintaining business continuity.

We are offering a hybrid working contract where you will be required to attend the office in Ashford, Kent or Hemel Hempstead 3 times per week, so you must be comfortable and flexible with travel and commuting for project and team meetings.

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities:

• Cutover Planning and Execution: Develop and own the detailed cutover strategy, plans, and schedules for multiple releases, ensuring alignment with programme objectives and timelines.
• Leadership and Coordination: Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams, including business stakeholders, technical teams, and third-party vendors, to ensure smooth execution of all cutover activities.
• Execution: Oversee the execution of cutover activities, including data migration, system configuration, and user access management.
• Communication: Maintain clear and consistent communication with all stakeholders throughout the cutover process.
• Risk and Issue Management: Identify potential risks and issues related to cutovers and go-lives, developing mitigation strategies to minimise disruption and ensure programme success.
• Go-Live Management: Oversee the execution of go-live activities, ensuring readiness across all business and IT teams and managing any escalations in a timely manner.
• Hyper-care Oversight: Lead Hyper-care phases post-go-live, ensuring resolution of critical issues, knowledge transfer, and stabilisation of the new system.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate closely with senior leadership, programme management, and market leads to ensure buy-in, alignment, and clear communication throughout the transformation journey.
• Continuous Improvement: Capture lessons learned from each cutover, go-live, and Hyper-care phase, driving improvements for subsequent phases.

About you:

You bring proven experience leading cutover, go-live, and hyper-care activities within large-scale ERP transformations, ideally in Microsoft Dynamics 365 or similar platforms. You have a strong understanding of both the business and technical dimensions of ERP systems, including data migration, integrations, and process change, coupled with a meticulous attention to detail that ensures seamless execution. A confident leader, you excel at coordinating cross-functional teams across complex, multi-country environments, building strong stakeholder relationships and driving alignment under pressure. You are highly organised, able to develop and deliver detailed plans within tight timelines while balancing competing priorities. With expertise in risk identification and mitigation, you remain calm and decisive in high-pressure go-live situations, applying strong problem-solving and decision-making skills. An excellent communicator, you are fluent in English (with additional European languages a plus), and ideally hold project management certifications such as PRINCE2, PMP, or Agile. Your experience spans multi-year transformation programmes, and you bring a solid understanding of organisational change management practices to ensure successful and sustainable outcomes.

Additional Information

At Sysco International everyone is welcome. We don’t want you to ‘fit our culture’ we want you to help define it and we actively celebrate the unique talents of each and every colleague. We don’t just look at your CV, we’re more focused on who you are and your potential. As part of our values, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive culture where everyone has a voice, is appreciated and has the same opportunities. We work hard to ensure that everyone feels part of our business, as we care for one another and connect the world through food and trusted partnerships. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that everyone belongs and thrives at Sysco International and we recognise that Sysco International can only thrive when everyone feels they belong. We'll do everything we can to support you during your application. If you need us to make any adjustments to our recruitment process, speak to our resourcing team who will be happy to support you.