Director, Principal Architect- SAP

Job Summary: The Director, Principal Architect – SAP

The Director, Principal Architect – SAP will be part of the SAP COE and will be responsible for leading the end-to-end delivery and ongoing operations of the SAP suite of applications within a pharmaceutical company. This role focuses on aligning solutions with organizational objectives and regulatory standards, while ensuring efficient processes and cost-effective operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead SAP Functional COE: Oversee project delivery and operational support for SAP applications (S/4HANA, Ariba, Concur, SAP Analytics, and related modules).
• Business Engagement & Expectation Management: Proactively manage business relationships to ensure SAP solutions meet operational goals and regulatory standards, while fostering transparent, two-way communication and building trust in technology decisions.
• Process Optimization & Best Practices: Partner with business users to optimize processes, consistently championing the adoption of SAP best practices and minimizing unnecessary system customizations to ensure maintainability and scalability.
• Drive Innovation & Cost Efficiency: Identify, evaluate, and implement advanced SAP solutions to enable greater process automation, analytics, and cost optimization.
• Strategic Roadmap & Architecture: Develop and communicate the SAP strategy, architectural standards, and technology roadmaps that are aligned with the business goals and compliance requirements.
• Team Leadership: Provide direction and mentorship to solution and technical architects, promoting knowledge sharing and continuous improvement.
• Portfolio & Vendor Management: Oversee SAP portfolio management, including resource allocation, budgeting, and effective management of vendor relationships and strategic partnerships.
• Operational Excellence: Ensure reliable SAP application operations, efficient incident management, and quality standards. Ensure audit-readiness and data integrity standards are met across all SAP platforms and processes
• Change Management: Support organizational adoption through effective change management and user training for SAP process changes.
• Continuous Improvement: Foster a culture of continuous improvement in both technology and business processes, leveraging SAP's evolving feature set.
• Hands-On Work: Provide hands-on customization/configuration support for SAP needs. This role will include up to 25% hands-on work.

Core Skills & Qualifications

This position plays a critical role in bridging business needs with technology innovation, driving value, and ensuring scalable and sustainable. Required skills, not limited to,

• Strong leadership and communication skills for senior stakeholder engagement.
• Deep knowledge of SAP solutions relevant to the pharmaceutical industry.
• Proven ability to optimize business processes and drive digital transformation.
• Experience balancing standardization with business flexibility, limiting customizations.
• Track record of successfully leading teams in SAP project delivery and operational support.
• Minimum of 15 years of SAP functional experience with exposure to multiple modules/workstreams
• Minimum 5 years in the Pharmaceutical Industry
• Proven experience leading SAP projects and operations, managing business expectations and solution delivery
• Insights and knowledge of leading technology and IT service trends, including best practices improving the processes, delivery and strategic decision making in supported areas
• Working knowledge of key processes within the relevant business area and various regulations governing the pharmaceutical industry
• Broad business and IT capability awareness with hands on experience using or implementing technology and/or service functions/applications
• Experience working in and with a globally distributed business and IT teams, especially in Japan, EU and India
• Superior presentation skills with the ability to influence, drive action and strategy including ability to effectively interface with all levels including senior leadership with demonstrated executive presence
• Organizational change management, issues & conflict management, business-technology innovation and transformation experience
• Exceptional analytical, conceptual, and problem-solving abilities
• Hands on skills in configuring SAP S/4HANA for functional needs.
• Up to 20% travel is required, based upon business needs.

Educational Qualifications

Minimum of a bachelor's degree; preferably, a degree in Computer Science, Engineering or adjacent fields. Advanced degree