Grace Lopez

• Supporting delivery of a council-wide ERP transformation implementing SAP S/4HANA and SAP SuccessFactors, modernising HR and Finance processes for 5,000+ employees across multiple directorates.
• Leading a council-wide initiative to strengthen governance and accuracy of organisational structure data, improving workforce planning and financial reporting across the programme.
• Leading development of the future ERP application support operating model, including AS-IS analysis, options appraisal, stakeholder consultation, and recruitment of the future support team.
• Managing a team of data and business analysts delivering programme workstreams and organisational data governance improvements.
• Reporting project progress, risks, and key decisions to the Project Sponsors and Programme Board, ensuring robust governance and escalation management.
• Facilitating cross-directorate workshops to define requirements, support system design, and enable organisational change and business readiness across HR, Finance and Technology functions.

• Delivered digital transformation projects supporting the council’s corporate strategy and digital action plan, including replacement of the online customer platform used by 200,000+ residents for services such as Council Tax and Benefits.
• Led end-to-end project delivery including scope definition, business case development, budgets, user stories, and stakeholder approvals, consistently delivering projects ahead of schedule and within budget.
• Managed cross-functional stakeholders including internal teams, third-party suppliers, architects and developers, ensuring delivery against agreed scope, quality standards, and technical requirements.
• Implemented API integrations and automated e-forms, enabling real-time data access and significantly reducing manual file handling and back-office processing.
• Established strong governance through project plans, risk logs, change management processes, procurement oversight, and reporting to senior management and programme boards.
• Facilitated workshops, training sessions, and change activities to support adoption of new digital services and systems across the department.

• Supported delivery of strategic improvement projects within Exchequer Services, working with senior project managers to research operational processes, identify improvement opportunities, and contribute to project delivery.
• Conducted operational analysis of existing processing protocols and recommended data-driven improvements to enhance service efficiency and compliance.
• Appointed Risk Champion for the department, maintaining the risk register and contributing to updates to the corporate risk log, supporting organisational governance and risk management processes.
• Organised and delivered large-scale stakeholder conferences and staff engagement events (200–400 attendees) to support communication and change management initiatives.
• Contributed to the development of the “Safe as Houses” welfare reform report, which received national recognition and was officially launched at the House of Lords.

Collections Officer - Southwark Council

Sept 2014 – Jul 2016

• Managed a portfolio of 1,200+ mixed tenure properties, responsible for recovery of service charge and major works revenue.
• Consistently exceeded monthly collection targets and ranked top three across departmental KPIs, generating nearly £2M in revenue recovery.

Business Apprentice - Southwark Council

Sept 2013 – Sept 2014

• Completed full-time apprenticeship while working within the collections team, achieving NVQ Level 3 in Customer Service.
• Awarded Southwark Apprentice of the Year and Highly Commended at the National Apprenticeship Awards.
• Offered a permanent role as Collections Officer following successful completion of the programme.

Assistant Manager – Sponge Kitchens
Led a team of 8 staff, managing stock control, cash handling, and day-to-day operations.

PA / Receptionist – The Avid Group
Provided administrative and operational support including diary management, customer engagement, and health & safety compliance.

Apprentice – Vidal Sassoon
Completed NVQ Level 2 & 3 Hairdressing apprenticeship.