Almac Group

Supporting a global life sciences leader to select a future-proof HR system.

The client

Almac Group is a global leader in providing expert services and support across the drug development lifecycle. Privately owned and grown organically over five decades, Almac now employs over 7,500 highly skilled people across 18 facilities in Europe, North America, and Asia. The Group is headquartered in Craigavon, Northern Ireland.

Following successful collaboration with Gradient on a finance system selection project, Almac engaged our team again, this time to find a new global HR system.

Service: Gaps & Opportunities Analysis, HR Selection

Industry: health

Location: UK & US

Website: almacgroup.com

The challenge

As the organisation expanded, the HR function relied on an increasing number of disparate business systems. These varied solutions required multiple interfaces and manual workarounds, supported by Almac’s central IS team, but were not sustainable for long-term growth. Challenges included:

  • No unified HR system strategy - some solutions were location- or country-specific, others global.

  • Inefficient processes for recruitment, induction, and ongoing HR support across geographically dispersed teams.

  • Limited reporting capability - teams often resorted to exporting large volumes of data to Excel for manual preparation.

  • Upcoming end-of-life for several core solutions, creating urgency for change.

This fragmented HR systems landscape was seen as a barrier to Almac’s growth plans.

The solution

The HR management team aimed to implement a single, future-proof global HRIS to deliver:

  • Improved efficiency, productivity, and user experience through a comprehensive, reliable platform.
  • A single source of truth for all HR data.
  • Consistent global processes for recruitment and appraisal.
  • Adaptability through personalised fields and workflows where required.
  • Self-service access for employees worldwide, with secure mobile and tablet access.
  • Reduced reliance on spreadsheets and paper forms.
  • Fewer complex system integrations, decreasing dependency on IS team support.
  • Faster, easier self-service reporting and dashboards for data-driven decisions.
  • Scalability to support a growing workforce.

The approach

With established trust from the previous finance system project, Gradient was the natural choice to partner with the HR team. Two Gradient consultants combined ERP selection experience with deep HR process knowledge to capture all critical requirements. Our approach included:

  • Discovery workshops: On-site at Craigavon HQ and virtually via Microsoft Teams to accommodate global stakeholders, ensuring compliance with diverse regional employment laws.
  • Process mapping: Documenting 'as-is' processes and defining the desired 'to-be' state, identifying process and data gaps.
  • Market research: Creating a long list of 18 potential solutions, assessing each against high-level requirements.
  • Executive reporting: Summarising findings, likely investment, and expected returns for senior HR management to guide informed decision-making.

The result

With Gradient’s guidance, Almac confidently selected a global HRIS solution that meets their operational, compliance, and strategic growth needs.

“Gradient Transforming were selected to support us in the identification of a new Global HRIS system. Their thorough and robust methodology, along with their system and industry knowledge, enabled us to make the right decisions in a timely manner and added significant value to our project.”

Sue Bill, Global VP of Human Resources, Almac Group

“The decision to bring in external expertise to support us in the selection process of a new Global HRIS paid dividends for us as Gradient Transforming were able to manage the project on our behalf, bringing in industry expertise, resources, and project management skills, all of which we would have had difficulty finding on top of the ‘day job’. I am confident we have selected the right solution for the ever-increasing needs of Almac with the support of the Gradient Transforming team.”

Sue Bill, Global VP of Human Resources, Almac Group