In this section, we describe the core participants in business process governance:

• BPM  sponsor
• BPM process owner
• BPM CoE leader

The BPM sponsor role is to ensure support and engagement of all departments in the  organization. The sponsor provides the strategy and goals of the BPM project/program. The sponsor sets the scope of the BPM journey. The sponsor ensures  that all BPM projects are aligned with the overall goals and that they deliver business value. Because this role is critical to the success of the BPM journey,  the BPM sponsor should be an executive person. The BPM sponsor  in our Call Center Company C scenario is the chief executive officer (CEO.)

The BPM process owner is the business representative who is assigned responsibility for a process value delivery across an organization, and who has the authority needed to fulfill that responsibility. A process owner has responsibility for the process from when it originates with the customer to where it ends with the customer and at all points in between. The process owner employs influence and gentle but firm management authority to ensure process coordination, execution, and improvement over time. The process owner thus has explicit interest in the success of the BPM project.

In summary, a process owner owns the end-to-end business process design, coordination between channels and individual departments, the process strategy  and vision, and the process  performance results. The process owner manages  the process as an asset and maximizes the return on the company’s investment, while advocating for customer value and the overall customer experience.

The BPM CoE leader sets the direction for and oversees the CoE team and  business SMEs. The CoE leader provides guidance in the areas of thought leadership, leading practices, process improvement method and tools, and overall strategic planning for achieving process discipline. The BPM CoE leader  works closely with the BPM steering committee to develop decision criteria, process policies, issue resolution, and roles and responsibilities of the BPM  steering committee. To fulfill the role, the BPM CoE leader needs subject matter expertise in process assessment and improvement methods and tools. The BPM CoE leader is a senior role that requires senior leadership experience, specifically in the area of transformation, and the ability to influence others.