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STREAMLINING expense PROCESS

CLIENT

Tate & Lyle Plc. is a manufacturer and global supplier of food and beverage ingredients. The company was undergoing a significant business transformation, including the implementation of ERP software SAP, which was being rolled out globally across all Tate & Lyle locations.

PROBLEM

The business transformation programme involved the project team travelling to Tate & Lyle locations in EMEA, North America and Singapore.

The programme leadership and project managers, all hired externally as specialized contractors to deliver this significant change, were required to process their travel expenses in alignment with corporate policy.

However, since it was the first business transformation programme ever conducted on a global scale, there was a grey area and no expense submission process for project contractors. With no budget for an assistant and travel expenses piling up, there was an evident need for an efficient method.

SOLUTION

Being familiar with the corporate expense procedure and tools, I created the new process by outsourcing a project clerk/admin support based in Lodz, Poland, which was Tate & Lyle's shared services center.

  1. Defined the part-time admin job, which was dedicated to a global project however it’s cost was allocated to the shared services in Poland.

  2. Obtained leadership approvals for job outsourcing and collaborated with the corporate HR for recruitment.

  3. Created the workflow for the new outsourced admin function.

  4. On-boarded new joiner: introduction to the global project team, training and guidance.

  5. Process supervision until satisfaction point, regular leadership updates about progress and success.

RESULT

The outsourced process created a template for other departments in London's headquarters, freeing up time and effort for the company's PAs. The staff could spend time on complex and demanding tasks rather than simple admin processes that could be completed offshore at a lower cost. This solution created job opportunities in Poland and demonstrated the potential for future process automation.