Head of Global SAP Platforms

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Head of Global SAP Platforms based in India.

This is a senior technology leadership role responsible for the operational stability, security, and strategic evolution of a global SAP platform landscape. You will play a key role in a multi-year transformation from SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA through SAP RISE. The position combines enterprise-scale operations, platform strategy, transformation leadership, and financial accountability. You will lead a distributed team of approximately 80 employees while coordinating with more than 300 third-party resources and strategic technology partners. With responsibility for a platform budget of approximately USD 100 million, you will influence major investment and prioritization decisions. The role offers significant exposure to executive stakeholders, global technology teams, suppliers, and business leaders. You will help shape the future of SAP through modernization, automation, AI adoption, resilience, and modern engineering practices.

Accountabilities:: Define, develop, and maintain the global SAP platform strategy and roadmap, aligning technology investments with business priorities and enterprise architecture.

Lead the day-to-day operation and delivery of SAP platforms, shared services, infrastructure, and related technology initiatives supporting business-critical ERP services.

Provide strategic and operational leadership throughout the SAP ECC to SAP S/4HANA and SAP RISE transformation, supporting a programme expected to continue through 2030.

Lead and develop a distributed technology organization, creating a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, collaboration, learning, and high performance.

Own platform security, availability, recoverability, resilience, disaster recovery, and business continuity while ensuring compliance with technology and regulatory requirements.

Drive modernization across the SAP landscape, including automation, DevOps, CI/CD, Infrastructure-as-Code, and integration with the broader enterprise technology ecosystem.

Establish strong governance and risk management frameworks, providing executive-level visibility into operational, technology, cybersecurity, and transformation risks.

Manage strategic suppliers and technology partners, ensuring service quality, delivery commitments, capacity, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Own platform financial management, including budget planning, forecasting, expenditure tracking, cost optimization, and investment performance.

Lead the adoption of SAP Business AI, Joule, SAP BTP, test automation, and emerging technologies to improve efficiency and accelerate business value.

Collaborate closely with SAP application teams, transformation leadership, technology executives, enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, procurement, software asset management, and external partners.

Support timely, data-driven decision-making across strategic priorities, operational needs, technology investments, and large-scale transformation initiatives.

Requirements

Deep expertise in SAP ERP platforms, SAP infrastructure and hosting models, SAP RISE, and SAP S/4HANA.

Extensive experience leading enterprise-scale technology operations, platform engineering, service management, and large-scale transformation programmes.

Strong experience managing global or distributed technology teams and leading multidisciplinary teams through influence rather than relying solely on direct reporting structures.

Proven experience managing significant technology budgets, including financial planning, forecasting, expenditure management, investment prioritization, and cost optimization.

Strong supplier and partner management experience, including working with strategic systems integrators and technology service providers.

Demonstrated expertise in cybersecurity, operational resilience, availability, recoverability, disaster recovery, and technology risk management.

Experience driving platform modernization, automation, DevOps, CI/CD, Infrastructure-as-Code, and modern engineering practices.

Strong understanding of enterprise integration capabilities and shared technology services supporting complex ERP landscapes.

Experience with SAP RISE and S/4HANA transformation programmes is highly relevant.

Knowledge of SAP Business AI, Joule, BTP, test automation, and emerging AI-enabled technologies, with the ability to translate innovation into measurable business value.

Strong executive communication, stakeholder management, influencing, negotiation, and decision-making skills.

Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships across business, technology, cybersecurity, architecture, procurement, and supplier organizations.

Proven coaching and people leadership capabilities, with a track record of developing high-performing and diverse technology teams.

Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, Engineering, or a related discipline is desirable.

Strong business acumen and the ability to connect technology strategy with business priorities and outcomes.

Willingness to travel internationally or domestically up to approximately 10%.

Ability to work effectively in a hybrid environment based in Pune, India.

Benefits

Hybrid working model combining office and remote work.

Full-time leadership position based in Pune, India.

Relocation assistance available within India.

Opportunity to lead a global SAP platform organization supporting business-critical enterprise services.

Significant strategic influence over a multi-year SAP S/4HANA and SAP RISE transformation.

Exposure to senior technology and business leadership across a global organization.

Opportunity to work with large-scale cloud, cybersecurity, AI, automation, and enterprise technology environments.

Collaboration with global teams and strategic technology partners.

Professional growth opportunities through ownership of major transformation and technology initiatives.

Inclusive environment focused on collaboration, innovation, continuous learning, and high-performing teams.

Approximately 10% travel expected as part of the role.

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