Ralph Lauren

The purpose of this role is to work within a small team to manage the creation of a plan to implement the new ERP solution into the RL landscape accessing each of the required application domains. The role will involve working with the small team and the preferred ERP vendor to achieve the objectives below with the primary focus being to define and plan for the set up the ERP infrastructure and ensure that it can operate within the RL framework. The objectives that his role will be responsible include b, c, e, g and h below.

This role will be primarily focused on delivering the necessary work packages associated with the objectives to stand up the new ERP into the RL landscape.

Program Initiation Team objectives

1. Create a detailed and documented understanding of the current RL IT AS-IS application environment across all 3 regions. This includes all objects in scope for transition on both an interim and permanent basis. These objects include but are not limited to interfaces, data, reporting, access, third party systems as well as RL ERP and Edge systems.
2. Create a detailed and documented understanding of the current RL IT AS-IS infrastructure environment across all 3 regions. This includes all infrastructure objects in scope for transition on both an interim and permanent basis.
3. Creation of an interim state framework that outlines how the RL systems will need to be set up during the period of transition to the TO-BE status.
4. Agree how the current systems will be maintained during this interim state identifying when investment will be reduced so that the existing platforms move into a maintenance only status.
5. Definition of the migration package, toolset, scope and approach that will allow for the continued roll out of the new platform over the forthcoming years facilitating a smooth transition of the company as it gradually transitions over.
6. Finalize the scope of the TO-BE ERP system, agreeing where the functionality will reside (ERP versus EDGE) within which system. This will also include mapping out the dependencies on the edge systems within RL at both a data object and interface level.
7. Finalize infrastructure and related security solutions to support the TO-BE ERP system. 
8. Define the operational requirements to ensure that the new platform meets the needs of the business to meet the RTO/RPO agreements and that all the necessary reporting, alerting etc is in line with RL standards. This includes items such as automation in areas of data archiving, scheduling, alerting etc.
9. Define the integration strategy and approach along with the detailed to create a seamless transition which provides flexibility and agility to provide a competitive advantage to the business going forward.
10. Create an automated testing strategy identifying the approach and tools that RL should adopt to speed up the acceptance of the systems, increasing the quality, reducing the time to introduce new changes, enabling volume testing to simulate peak workloads. This approach will accommodate both RL generated functional and vendor system releases.
11. Create an application documentation repository containing all information for both the AS-IS environment and the TO-BE systems going forward. The intent will be to create detailed information in an approved tool or framework that will be used ongoing throughout the project and beyond.
12. Create an overview of the approach for data migration, outlining the plan, ownership, roles and responsibilities and any tools required to perform the cutover from the existing ERP systems including the interim state.
13. Identify the impact of the new NGT ERP system on the data analytics and reporting capabilities within RL. Identify how the new solution will best integrate into the data analytics domain and outline the impact on current reporting solutions and how to remediate.
14. Design and implement with the partnership of the NGT ERP SI and Information Security a clear Cyber Security framework for the Hybrid cloud design based on NIS and CIS standards.
15. Create and implement the transition to support documentation with the TO-BE ERP system with clear RACI matrix between RL Technology I&O, Security, Applications, and the TO-BE ERP system provider.

The role will work very closely with the RL IT application and security teams and chosen business leads to collect the information required in order to quantify the current landscape and then map out the strategy and plan and approach on how the ERP solution will be integrated into the RL systems landscape.

Initially the role will focus on defining the current landscape, collecting all of the required information to describe the AS-IS environment. This will be across all 3 regions and will focus primarily on the ERP systems in each of those regions.

As part of the definition of the interim state and the migration approach, the impact on the infrastructure needs to be agreed and ongoing impact mapped out and quantified. As part of the definition of the TO-BE landscape, the configuration, security and all of the operational impacts need to be quantified, documented and turned into a plan and budget. Finally, agreement on service levels needs to be designed into the solution and how the service will be delivered from the cloud, through the agreed network and the associated locations as well as all the monitoring tools needed to manage the service proactively.

Once the approach for all the work packages has been agreed, identification of the level of effort and then how the program will be delivered is required. This will include the definition of roles and responsibilities of how the service will be delivered. Support will be provided to plan and collect the information, managing the data collected and enabling the lead to focus on the activities, rather than the repository of information and the details to create the plan.

The role will also ensure that there are formal processes in place to sign off the data collected, with various gates being defined through the process to ensure that teams are bought into the approach. The infrastructure lead will also be seen as an evangelist for the program, helping to educate, raise awareness, grow confidence in those around them. They will become a focal point for the program and will generally help to raise the profile and understanding of the program within the company.