Ilga Kukulīte

HR Project Manager for Global Workday HCM Implementation

• Scope : Part of the Project Management Office for the global Workday HCM implementation (large scale project - 27 countries in 3 regions, involving 12 SKUs/modules, 89 internal and external integrations, a Case Management System, and a Self-Service platform) with a single-phase deployment and over 100 internal and external project team members. Primary focus on the functional workstreams and their touchpoints with technical workstreams, including security, role assignment, identity management, integrations, and data conversion.
• Pre-Implementation Initiatives: Executed various initiatives to prepare and set the stage for the HRIS replacement well in advance of the official project kickoff.
• RFP Process: Coordinated complex negotiation calls and facilitated requirements gathering. Contributed to the development of Statements of Work and participated in fit-gap analysis assessments. Coordinated deliverables associated with finalizing and executing contracts with several vendors. Managed and tracked action items with other functions (Legal, Sourcing, HR, Digital, external counsel) to ensure contracts were signed by the deadline and synchronized with the planned project kickoff timeline.
• Project Governance: Developed the governance model, charter, project team organization, success measurement framework, RACI matrix, and guiding principles. Collaborated with external partners to develop the timeline, project plan, contributed to the CUT & FUT test strategy and plan, and change management initiatives. Various administrative tasks, including scheduling, managing accesses, overseeing mandatory Workday Training commitments, triggering company-wide communications.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Acting as a bridge between internal teams (company) and external project teams (vendors, technical & functional consultants) to ensure expectations are managed appropriately and ways of working are aligned; ensuring that external resources represent the company's interests with adherence to company culture and values.
• Status Reporting: Preparing ongoing status reports and updates for Executive and Steering Committee meetings, as well as HR Leadership.
• Critical Activities Coordination: Managing the official on-site project kickoff in Boston, ‘Readiness' phase, Planning stage, Global Localizations sessions, Configuration Confirmation Sessions, and ensuring adherence to timelines, milestones.
• RAIDD Management: Overseeing ongoing management of Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies, and Decisions. Monitoring project progress and performance, identifying and helping monitor progress.

• End-to-end management of company's global mobility programs including expatriate and relocation programs (International assignments, Domestic relocations, Cross-border permanent moves, Short term assignments, Localizations).
• Assessed use cases, historical data, benchmark, company strategic plans and business needs to create global programs and policies. Established metrics-driven approach towards evaluating the effectiveness of HR programs, enabling data-driven decision making.
• Partnered with internal stakeholders and outside vendors to monitor service delivery, ensuring assignment commitments are met and resulted in a positive employee experience. Monitored cases and expenses and provided routine updates to leadership.
• Served as subject matter expert and primary point of contact for HR community and assignee population, provided guidance on policy exceptions, cost estimates, Balance Sheets, year end and ‘add to earnings' procedures.
• Drove continuous improvement within the global HR function by staying abreast of best practices, and emerging technologies relevant to human resources management activities.
• Established a centralized HR Services team; executed Business Process Mapping for Employee lifecycle processes; standardized, improved according to best practices, documented and transitioned wide scope of processes and tasks from Americas, LATAM and EMEA sites to the HR Services team. Created a 'one stop shop' of provided services. Established trusted relationship with global HR managers and teams. Increased HR data quality and timeliness of data entry and service provided.
• Partnered with Global HR Operations Director, HR team members, and key stakeholders to drive the delivery of key global HR projects & initiatives.
• Collaborated across departments on cross-functional projects (Legal, Sourcing, Finance, Manufacturing).
• Partnered with senior leadership to develop strategic HR initiatives in line with the company's mission and vision. Drove continuous improvement in day to day process and transformation initiatives that result in impactful evolution.
• Provided audit and oversight to the HR teams activities and processes, ensuring that pertinent internal and external compliance and regulatory standards are met.
• People responsibility. Managed HR Services team; starting from recruiting, followed by training, performance reviews, development dialogues and motivational strategies.
• Developed and maintained relationships with external tax advisors, immigration authorities, law firms, and relocation vendors. Owned the vendor/supplier management, including selection, negotiation, budgeting, contracts, and relationship. Served as a primary point of contact for these vendors and managed their performance against service level agreements.

Role of Project Manager in SAP HCM Implementation Project at Lidl Latvia and Estonia.

• Communication and Oversight: Collaborated with internal and external system consultants and developers to oversee and test technical system configurations.
• Compliance: Implemented new requirements according to local labor laws and legislation, and raised requests for additional system development to meet business needs.
• Documentation: Prepared Business Blueprints for all relevant SAP modules and documented system setups (HCM, Compensation, Absence, Time Tracking/Clocks, Scheduling, Learning, Talent modules).
• Testing and Coordination: Participated in testing and coordinated transports from development to test, quality assurance, and productive systems.
• System Servicing: Managed SAP systems, including raising new functionality and feature requirements, and conducting release testing.
• Software Implementation: Led the implementation of new software products, including defining requirements and workbooks, BBPs, FUT & UAT, estimating resources, preparing user guides, training end-users, and providing post go-live hypercare.
• Reporting and Risk Management: Developed project status reports, conducted risk assessments, and provided recommendations for Change Orders.
• Platform Roll-out: Rolled out Employee, Manager, and HR Self-Service platforms and mobile apps.
• Integrations: Managed bi-directional automated integrations between SAP and local payroll systems in Latvia and Estonia, as well as integrations with relevant internal systems (Finance, Travel, Active Directory, Ticketing System, various Digital & Sales apps, etc.).
• Team Onboarding and Training: Onboarded and trained newly hired HR admins on systems and processes, and trained the internal payroll team on payroll runs, interfaces, workflow errors, established controls, checklists, documentation, and full knowledge transfer.

• Led and managed process improvement projects from conception to completion, including meeting deadlines and budget (covering proof of concept, business case, market study, proper documentation, functionality requirement setting, configuration testing, communication with stakeholders, and training the trainers).
• Managed the development of company products.
• Analyzed feedback and requests from end-users, focusing on approved feature items.
• Prioritized backlog, defined sprint goals, and followed up with the development team.
• Acted as the primary intermediary between clients, subject matter experts, IT, development, accounting, payroll, and other stakeholders.
• Created and maintained product descriptions and other relevant documentation.
• Assisted with business and sales strategy, providing input for pricing.