SAP HCM Experts in Germany

• Direct reporting line to the HR Director Germany; leading an HCM IT and transformation assignment in a SAP ERP / S/4HANA hybrid landscape.
• Reality check and solid documentation of end-to-end payroll/processing processes; development of an HCM IT roadmap as well as clarification of roles, critical points and interfaces.
• Translating business requirements into architecture-compliant IT solutions; steering SAP in-house, development, key users and external partners.
• Activating the team through knowledge transfer, a skills matrix and a training concept; preparing the organizational transition toward a shared service center.

• Led business development across DACH for a PropTech platform digitising distressed real estate and NPL asset sales — unlocking liquidity for illiquid assets through structured digital bidding processes for brokers, investors and insolvency administrators.

• Developed and managed enterprise relationships with real estate agencies, banks, servicers and PropTech platforms — driving pipeline generation, commercial negotiations and partnership development across Germany and Europe.

• Replaced opaque one-to-one negotiations with transparent multi-bidder environments — supporting distressed real estate sales, NPL/REO asset disposals, portfolio sales and high-demand residential listings with speed, compliance and auditability.

• Definition and setup of the subject areas
• Building a governance model for the department with the areas of responsibility
• IT strategy, project management, process management, and quality and sustainability management
• Developing a communication strategy within the group
• Creating the IT strategy
• Designing templates, guidelines, and processes for consistent work
• Capturing strategic guardrails and grouping ongoing projects – deriving a roadmap for strategic planning
• Reviewing ongoing projects
• Creating staffing calculations and volume structure
• Defining job profiles

• Technical leadership and further development of a team of 28 IT staff (internal & external) in the areas HelpDesk/HelpLine, RHEL (Red Hat), MUREX (trading system & applications), SAP basis operations
• Managing external service providers (including FI-TS for SAP basis operations)
• Personnel, resource and budget planning for the IT department and projects
• Introducing and establishing regular communication formats (weekly status meetings, team and cross-department meetings)
• Ensuring application operations in a hybrid environment (Windows/Linux with database and web/application servers)
• Supporting transformation projects to modernize the application landscape (e.g. DevOps approaches)
• Setting up and implementing a digital IT procurement for hardware & software (e.g. with DELL)
• Developing and managing the "IT Operations DOS" department based on corporate strategy
• Preparing management reports & decision papers on IT projects, optimization potential and automation opportunities
• Representing the department in the advisory boards of the Rentenbank and ensuring regulatory compliance (BaFin §44, GDPR, BSI, MaRisk)

• Responsible for infrastructure, operations, network and VoIP, security, quality assurance, as well as asset management and business continuity
• Planning and implementation of all requirements related to NIS 2.0
• Responsible for application development
• Company-wide implementation of SAP S/4Hana and leading development of new business processes, incl. cut-over planning
• Digital transformation and cultural transformation toward a "doer mentality"
• Realignment of infrastructure (hybrid)
• Restructuring of the organization with partial outsourcing
• Management of four direct reports with a total of 25 internal and external employees
• Budget responsibility of up to €25 million

Scope: Embedded as FP&A Data & AI Architect within the Finance function of a major European refrigeration manufacturer, leading the transformation of manual, fragmented financial reporting into an automated, governance-driven intelligence platform. Driving the shift from Excel-based controlling to structured data architecture, Power BI analytics, and AI-assisted financial operations.

Financial Data Integrity & ERP Governance

• Initiated and led GL vs. subledger reconciliation investigations, identifying and resolving structural mismatches between General Ledger and subledger data that had gone undetected prior to engagement
• Conducted asset analysis to identify items missing from General Ledger postings, surfacing gaps in fixed asset tracking and period-end completeness
• Validated SAP reports, establishing baseline data quality standards for Finance team consumption
• Established systematic SAP data validation framework ensuring ongoing integrity between ERP postings and downstream reporting outputs

Finance Reporting Transformation

• Designed and implemented a structured Transformation Project approach for converting manual Finance reports into fully automated processes
• Created and owns the Data Reporting Audit Log; a centralized tracking system capturing report owners, stakeholders, data sources, manual effort estimates, and automation opportunity scores across the Finance function
• Mapped the full reporting landscape identifying quick-win automation targets and strategic Power BI migration candidates
• Actively reducing manual Excel and PowerPoint dependency across FP&A workflows; replacing point-in-time snapshots with live, governed data models

Power BI & Analytics Enablement

• Introduced and presented Power BI as the strategic reporting platform to Finance leadership, building internal buy-in for the BI transformation roadmap
• Designed initial Power BI architecture aligned with SAP, Salesforce and Oracle data structures and FP&A reporting requirements
• Established report ownership, governance documentation, and data lineage standards enabling sustainable self-service analytics across the Finance team

Transformation Infrastructure & Collaboration

• Configured and deployed Jira as the transformation project management hub, establishing structured sprint workflows, backlog management, and progress visibility for Finance IT initiatives
• Proposed and initiated a dedicated FP&A Communication & Transformation Hub, a structured cross-functional forum aligning Finance, IT, and business stakeholders around the reporting transformation roadmap
• Positioned the Finance function as an active driver of data governance and digital transformation within the broader organization

Outcomes

• GL/subledger reconciliation gaps identified and investigation framework established within first two weeks of engagement
• Data Reporting Audit Log deployed; first structured inventory of Finance reporting landscape in company history
• Power BI transformation roadmap presented and approved by Finance leadership
• Jira-based project governance live; Finance transformation now tracked with full sprint visibility

Technologies: SAP FI/CO · Power BI · DAX · SQL · Excel (advanced) · Power Query (M) · Power Automate · VBA · Jira · Microsoft 365 · SharePoint · Salesforce (Sales Data) · Oracle HCM · Python

• Independent HR consulting with a focus on remote and project-based collaboration
• Support across HR Business Partnering, HR Operations and Recruiting
• Advice and support on operational HR topics throughout the employee lifecycle
• Support for managers with people-related and HR matters
• Flexible, pragmatic support for companies and HR teams requiring additional capacity
• Conceptualisation and implementation of digital brand presences, including the development and launch of two websites within a short timeframe using AI-supported tools – from structure and content to implementation and publication

• Business area: Automotive / exteriors
• Lead recruiter for all plant areas (technicians, operators, engineers - blue and white collar)
• Supporting central talent acquisition for manager and back-office positions
• IT/HR systems: SuccessFactors, SAP HCM
• Creating reports on recruiting activities and maintaining and customizing the applicant management system (ATS/HRIS)
• Conducting telephone and virtual interviews to make an initial assessment of candidates
• Creating and publishing job ads on internal and external platforms to attract candidates
• Managing candidates from application to contract drafting
• Actively sourcing and recruiting candidates through various business platforms (e.g., LinkedIn, XING, Stack Overflow)
• Supporting department heads in selecting suitable candidates and optimizing interview processes
• Employer branding and personnel marketing
• Advising HR management on all matters related to the recruiting process and strategic talent acquisition
• Reviewing and evaluating applications as well as organizing and moderating interviews with departments

• Strategic build-up, development, and operational management of the HR department
• Line management and continuous development of 16 employees
• Advised the executive board as well as consulting directors and business unit managers on all HR-related and strategic topics (direct report to the chairman)
• Developed and implemented a recruiting strategy and process; developed recruiters into talent acquisition experts
• Planned and executed an employer branding project for the DACH region and developed a sustainable employee retention concept
• Implemented the HR business partner concept
• Designed and rolled out a sustainable talent management program, including introduction and training on the Predictive Index (PI)
• Developed and implemented leadership development for junior managers
• Designed and introduced all HR management and organizational development tools
• Designed and introduced a sustainable onboarding and employee retention concept (adapted due to COVID-19)
• Moderated, designed, and conducted workshops and in-house trainings
• Digitized the HR department, including requirements analysis and vendor selection (Personio, SuccessFactors, Sage)
• Responsible for global site set-up (Finland, DACH, Spain, USA, APAC) and integration with headquarters
• Ensured a global payroll
• Managed external service providers, agencies, and consultancies

• Preparing HR documents
• Conducting employee meetings
• Managing employee master data in Workday
• Managing employee master data in SAP
• Works council work
• Participating in company meetings

• Operational and strategic HR management as well as HR administration
• Setting up, optimizing, and digitizing HR structures and processes
• Workforce planning and personnel development
• Recruiting technical and managerial staff (blue collar / white collar)
• Implementing HR software solutions and training users
• Project management and process management in various assignments

• Managing the further development of IT network service management

• Overall leadership of the transition, consulting on the transition of IT network services

• IT coordination of a tender in the area of IT network services

For (3) Further development of IT network service management Managing follow-up work for the transition (including setup of issue management) Managing and monitoring the performance of external service providers Consulting and managing the further development of IT network service management (processes, procedures, organization, tools)

For (2) Transition of IT network services Overall leadership of the transition (transfer of operational responsibility for IT network services to an IT service provider) Definition and setup of transition governance Planning and tracking of milestones, dependencies and cutover windows Managing the preparation, achieving operational readiness & process/tool integration Carrying out service handovers (cutover, parallel run, stabilization) Ensuring risk management, progress tracking, steering committee and management reporting, stakeholder management

For (1) IT coordination of the IT network services tender Managing all IT work streams of an IT network tender Coordinating the creation of all service descriptions IT review / evaluation of offers IT representative in bidder talks/negotiations Creating presentations/decision papers

• Managing the operational back office
• Handling quotations and invoicing
• Supporting preparatory accounting
• Coordinating appointments and operational alignments
• Interface management between management, clients, and external partners
• Structuring administrative processes in day-to-day business

By taking over operational back office tasks, management is noticeably relieved. Administrative processes run in a more structured, reliable, and efficient way, creating more time for clients, projects, and entrepreneurial decisions.