(Pharmaceutical / Life Sciences) S4 Hana

Job Title: Director – SAP (S/4HANA Transformation)

Location: New Jersey (Remote / Hybrid)

Industry: Pharmaceutical / Life Sciences

Reporting To: VP / Head of IT / Digital Transformation

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Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced SAP Director to lead an enterprise-wide SAP S/4HANA transformation for a global pharmaceutical organisation. This role requires a seasoned SAP leader with a proven track record of successfully delivering large-scale SAP transformation programs, preferably in regulated industries.

The ideal candidate will provide strategic direction, execution leadership, and stakeholder alignment across business and IT, ensuring the S/4HANA program delivers measurable business value, regulatory compliance, and long-term scalability.

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Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Own the end-to-end SAP S/4HANA transformation roadmap, from strategy and planning through execution, stabilisation, and optimisation.

• Define SAP’s role in the broader digital transformation strategy of the organisation.

• Act as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on SAP capabilities, risks, and opportunities.

Program & Delivery Management

• Lead greenfield, brownfield, or hybrid S/4HANA implementations, including ECC to S/4 conversions.

• Ensure on-time, on-budget delivery of the SAP program with clearly defined milestones, KPIs, and success metrics.

• Oversee system integrators, SAP partners, and internal delivery teams.

Business & Stakeholder Engagement

• Partner closely with business leaders (Finance, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, R&D, Commercial) to ensure SAP solutions align with business needs.

• Drive executive-level governance, steering committees, and decision-making forums.

• Translate complex SAP concepts into clear business outcomes for non-technical stakeholders.

Solution Architecture & Governance

• Provide oversight on SAP solution design across modules such as:

• SAP S/4HANA Finance (FI/CO)

• Supply Chain (MM, SD, PP, WM/EWM)

• Manufacturing & Quality

• SAP GTS, TM, IBP (as applicable)

• Ensure adherence to SAP best practices, clean code principles, and extensibility standards.

• Establish strong change control, risk management, and quality assurance frameworks.

Compliance & Pharma-Specific Requirements

• Ensure SAP solutions comply with GxP, FDA, SOX, and data integrity requirements.

• Collaborate with Quality, Validation, and Compliance teams to support CSV (Computer System Validation).

• Drive documentation, audit readiness, and regulatory alignment throughout the transformation lifecycle.

People & Vendor Leadership

• Build and mentor high-performing SAP leadership and delivery teams.

• Manage vendor performance, contracts, and service delivery SLAs.

• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.

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Required Qualifications

Experience

• 15+ years of SAP experience, with 5+ years in a senior leadership or director-level role.

• Proven experience leading at least one full-scale SAP S/4HANA transformation (mandatory).

• Strong background in program governance, enterprise architecture, and large-scale change management.

• Experience working with global, cross-functional, and geographically distributed teams.

Technical & Functional Expertise

• Deep understanding of SAP S/4HANA architecture and core modules.

• Strong exposure to SAP Activate methodology and transformation best practices.

• Experience integrating SAP with non-SAP systems and cloud platforms.

• Familiarity with SAP security, data migration, testing strategies, and cutover planning.

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Preferred / Added Advantage

• Prior experience in the Pharmaceutical or Life Sciences industry (highly preferred).

• Hands-on experience with GxP validation, regulatory audits, and quality systems.

• Exposure to SAP solutions commonly used in pharma, such as:

• SAP ATTP

• SAP EWM for regulated warehouses

• SAP IBP for demand and supply planning

• Experience working with FDA-regulated environments.

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Leadership & Soft Skills

• Executive presence with the ability to influence and drive alignment at senior levels.

• Strong communication and presentation skills.

• Decisive, results-oriented, and comfortable operating in complex environments.
• • Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution when required.

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