UKG’s standard statement of work names 13 customer roles, plus other subject matter experts as needed: an executive sponsor, a project manager, an education and change lead, a system administrator, a technical resource and a decision maker for each functional area. In smaller companies one person may wear several hats, but every role still needs a named owner.

Which roles does UKG bring?

On its side, the April 2026 template lists a service manager who acts as project sponsor, a project manager, an integration consultant, a user adoption consultant and a data conversion consultant. Add consultants for HR and payroll, benefits, talent and compensation, document manager and People Assist, workforce management and scheduling, plus a payment services expert. That is 12 roles, assigned according to the modules you buy.

Which roles does your company supply?

The template groups your side into three layers.

Leadership. The executive sponsor secures commitment for resources and represents the project team to the steering committee. The project manager coordinates your people, reports status and acts as first point of escalation.

Delivery. The system administrator is the primary resource for configuration and ongoing support. The technical resource handles integrations, network, security and data conversion. The education and change management lead decides how end users are trained and prepared.

Decision makers. Separate subject matter experts speak for HR, payroll, benefits, talent acquisition, talent and compensation, document and case management, workforce management and scheduling. The template calls each one the designated decision maker for that area.

That last phrase matters. A subject matter expert who must ask three managers before approving a pay rule will slow the project more than a missing consultant.

What does the contract say about missing people?

Two clauses are worth reading closely. First, your project manager is the single point of contact for all communication among your staff, vendors and consultants, and for resolving issues on your side. Any outside consultant you add reports through that person. Second, UKG is not responsible for delays caused by a customer’s failure to provide adequate resources or to complete tasks and training on time. If your team cannot staff a role, the schedule risk is yours.

How should smaller companies combine roles?

Combining roles is common, and I would do it with care. A reasonable pairing is HR and benefits, or system administrator and technical resource in a company with a capable IT generalist. I would avoid asking the payroll expert to also run the project, because payroll testing and project coordination peak in the same weeks. This is judgment, not UKG guidance, and it should be checked against your own calendar.

A quick audit helps before kickoff:

1. List all 13 customer roles.

2. Write one name beside each, even if names repeat.

3. Mark who can approve decisions without escalation.

4. Block their calendars for the Requirements and Test phases.

Where can an implementation partner fit?

In my view, the technical resource and change management seats are the likeliest gaps. Gosa Group, a certified UKG implementation Partner for 12+ years, lists client-side implementation support, interfaces and integration work, and business intelligence among its services, so a team can fill specific seats without replacing its own sponsor or decision makers.

Conclusion

A successful UKG implementation depends on people as much as configuration. Name an owner for each of the 13 customer roles, give every subject matter expert real decision authority and decide early which gaps a partner should fill. Gosa Group has supported UKG customers since 2007 and can help you map your team against UKG’s role list before the project begins.