Roles & Responsibilities in an ERP Implementation Project

Implementing an ERP system is not just an IT exercise — it’s a full-scale business transformation.
When roles are unclear, projects stall, decisions drag, and adoption suffers.
When they’re well-defined, you get accountability, speed, and alignment.

Below is a breakdown of the key roles you need on an ERP project and the responsibilities that come with them.

1. Executive Sponsor

Role: Senior leader providing strategic direction and authority.
Responsibilities:

• Champion the project at the executive level.
• Secure and protect the budget.
• Remove high-level roadblocks.
• Approve major scope or policy changes.

2. Steering Committee

Role: Governance group for strategic oversight.
Responsibilities:

• Monitor alignment with organizational goals.
• Approve critical decisions and milestone sign-offs.
• Resolve escalated conflicts.

3. Project Manager (Client-Side)

Role: Day-to-day leader from the organization’s side.
Responsibilities:

• Manage schedule, scope, budget, and risks.
• Coordinate between business units and the vendor.
• Keep stakeholders engaged and informed.

4. Implementation Partner Project Manager

Role: Leads the consulting/vendor delivery team.
Responsibilities:

• Assign and coordinate technical/functional resources.
• Ensure deliverables meet contractual obligations.
• Manage changes and escalate risks to the client PM.

5. Solution Architect

Role: The “big picture” designer of the ERP solution.
Responsibilities:

• Translate business requirements into a cohesive system architecture.
• Ensure integration between modules and external systems is seamless.
• Maintain alignment between design and functional goals.
• Guard against unnecessary customizations.

6. Functional Leads / Process Leads

Role: Subject Matter Experts for their domain (Finance, Procurement, etc.).
Responsibilities:

• Define requirements and validate solution design.
• Lead User Acceptance Testing (UAT) in their area.
• Train and support end-users.

7. Business Process Owner (BPO)

Role: The decision-maker for an end-to-end process (e.g., Order-to-Cash).
Responsibilities:

• Own the process vision and KPIs.
• Approve process design changes.
• Work with functional leads to validate testing and training materials.
• Ensure the process aligns with business strategy.

8. Technical Lead

Role: Oversees integrations, data migration, and custom development.
Responsibilities:

• Coordinate technical resources.
• Ensure technical delivery meets functional requirements.
• Maintain system performance and security standards.

9. Change Management Lead

Role: Drives adoption, communication, and training.
Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute the change management plan.
• Manage stakeholder engagement.
• Measure and improve adoption rates post go-live.

10. Data Migration Lead

Role: Oversees extraction, cleansing, and loading of data.
Responsibilities:

• Define the migration approach and schedule.
• Validate data accuracy with functional teams.
• Coordinate cutover activities.

11. Test Manager

Role: Ensures all testing activities are properly planned and executed.
Responsibilities:

• Define the test strategy.
• Manage defect tracking and resolution.
• Oversee UAT and regression testing.

12. End Users / Super Users

Role: The people who will use the ERP daily.
Responsibilities:

• Participate in training and testing.
• Provide feedback during pilots.
• Support peers after go-live.

Pro Tip: Use a RACI Matrix

Clearly document who is Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, and Informed for each major activity.
This avoids duplication, confusion, and decision bottlenecks.

💡 Takeaway: ERP projects succeed when everyone knows their role — and respects the boundaries.
Misaligned responsibilities create friction.
Clear ones create momentum.