Head SAP & Applications

Role Summary:

The Application Head will lead and manage enterprise applications with primary ownership of RISE with SAP S/4HANA (60%), specifically across Plant Maintenance (PM), Materials Management (MM), and Finance (FI) modules.

The role also includes oversight of custom applications, analytics solutions, and AI-driven initiatives (30%), along with plant IT networking support, End Users Support (10%) to ensure seamless plant operations.

Why This Role is Critical

This role is pivotal in ensuring seamless plant operations, financial integrity, and supply chain efficiency through SAP S/4HANA, while driving innovation via analytics and AI-led automation. Drive Automation across all functions using different technology.

Key Responsibilities

1. SAP S/4HANA Application Leadership (PM, MM, FI 60%)

• Own end-to-end delivery and support of SAP S/4HANA (RISE) landscape focusing on:
• PM (Plant Maintenance): asset management, preventive maintenance, work orders
• MM (Materials Management): procurement, inventory, vendor management
• FI (Finance): GL, AP/AR, asset accounting, financial reporting
• Drive system enhancements, upgrades, and release cycles
• Ensure data accuracy, financial compliance, and audit readiness

2. Custom Applications, Analytics & AI Enablement

• Design, develop, and oversee custom applications and automation solutions
• Build and manage data-driven dashboards and analytics platforms (Power BI, Tableau, or similar)
• Utilize Python and MySQL for:
• Data processing and automation
• Backend logic for small applications
• Reporting and analytics use cases
• Leverage AI tools and platforms (e.g., generative AI, Codex, Claude AI tools) to:
• Develop small business applications
• Automate workflows and decision-making
• Improve operational efficiency
• Promote a data-driven culture across plant and business teams

3. Integration & Digital Ecosystem

• Ensure seamless integration between:
• SAP S/4HANA
• Finance and procurement systems
• Manage APIs, middleware, and data exchange frameworks

4. Plant IT & Networking Oversight (10%)

• Oversee plant IT infrastructure and networking, including:
• LAN/WAN, Wi-Fi, firewalls, and connectivity
• Ensure reliable integration between plant systems and SAP/cloud
• Coordinate with infrastructure teams/vendors for issue resolution
• Support end User Operations.

5. Team & Vendor Management

• Lead cross-functional teams including:
• SAP functional consultants (PM/MM/FI)
• Technical developers and support staff
• Define and track KPIs, SLAs, and performance metrics

6. Stakeholder Management

• Act as a single point of contact for application-related matters
• Collaborate with:
• Plant operations and maintenance teams
• Procurement and finance stakeholders
• Translate business requirements into scalable IT solutions

Key Skills & Competencies:

SAP & Functional Expertise

• Strong hands-on experience in:
• SAP PM (Plant Maintenance), SAP MM (Materials Management)
• SAP FI (Finance)
• Experience with RISE with SAP S/4HANA (preferred)
• Understanding of end-to-end business processes in manufacturing

Technical & Digital Skills

• Proficiency in:
• Python (automation, scripting, data processing)
• MySQL / relational databases
• Experience with analytics and dashboarding tools (Power BI, Tableau, etc.)
• Hands-on exposure to AI tools/platforms for building small applications (e.g., GenAI tools, AI platforms)
• Knowledge of API integrations and middleware

Infrastructure & Networking

• Working knowledge of:
• Networking (LAN/WAN, firewalls, VPNs)

Leadership & Functional Skills

• Strong team leadership and vendor management
• Experience managing 24x7 critical application environments
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills
• Strong business stakeholder engagement

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• SAP system uptime and SLA compliance
• Automation end to end Operations in Plant, Head Office
• Accuracy and reliability of financial and operational data
• Adoption of analytics and AI-driven solutions
• Network uptime and plant IT reliability

Education:

• Bachelors degree in engineering / IT / Computer Science
• MBA / Finance exposure (preferred for FI alignment)