Purpose of the Job
The SAP Program Director serves as the primary architect of execution for the organization’s most complex SAP and IT transformations. This role is not merely oversight; it is the accountable delivery engine that bridges high-level business strategy with technical implementation.
The Director is responsible for orchestrating the entire program lifecycle—from Value Discovery to Sustainable Operations—using a hybrid of PMP/Agile and SAP Activate methodologies. They must ensure that every technical decision (e.g., "Clean Core" vs. Customization) is weighed against the program’s budget, timeline, and long-term TCO (Total Cost of Ownership).
Job Description
Customer:
- Executive SteerCo Leadership: Chair program boards, translating complex technical risks (e.g., code conflicts, data gaps) into business-impact narratives for C-suite decision-making.
- Benefit Realization: Define and track KPIs (e.g., 30% operational efficiency gain) to prove the ROI of SAP investments post-go-live.
People:
- Manage a diverse team of functional leads, ABAP developers, and third-party SIs, ensuring no "bottlenecks" in the Realize phase.
- Ensure robust knowledge transfer from consultants to internal teams to build long-term self-sufficiency.
Operations:
- Direct the program through SAP Activate Phases:
- Lead Fit-to-Standard workshops to minimize custom code.
- Oversee Sprint-based builds and rigorous testing cycles (Unit, SIT, UAT).
- Own the Data Migration approach (ETL strategy, cleansing, and validation) and the Master Cutover Plan, including Go/No-Go criteria and rollback protocols.
- Oversee SAP BTP (Business Technology Platform) and Integration Suite to ensure secure connectivity between SAP and external digital channels like WhatsApp Business API.
- Implement a formal Change Request Management (ChaRM) process to prevent "Scope Creep" from impacting the critical path.
Financial:
- Manage multi-year budgets, focusing on vendor contract performance and milestone-based payments to ensure financial accountability.
- Proactively manage the "Program Risk Register," maintaining adequate financial buffers for technical unforeseen.
Job Requirements - Experience and Education
Education
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field.
- SAP certifications (e.g., S/4HANA, Solution Architect, or COE leadership credentials) are highly desirable.
- PMP or PRINCE2 (Expert-level PM methodology).
Professional Experience
- PM Experience: 12–15 years of proven IT Project Management experience, with a focus on delivering multi-stream, complex programs.
- SAP Experience: 8+ years specifically leading SAP Programs, including at least two full-lifecycle S/4HANA transformations (Greenfield or Brownfield).
Functional Breadth: Deep knowledge of the integration points between core modules: FICO, MM, SD, PP, and SuccessFactors