Design & Build Lead (all genders)

Design & Build Lead (all genders)

As the ERP Design & Build Lead for our Life Science business, you will lead the design, governance, and continuous evolution of the global SAP S/4HANA process and system template as part of our global ERP transformation program. Working closely with Business Process and IT Solution Owners, Deployment Leads, and key members of our external implementation partners, you will drive the translation of business requirements into scalable, standardized, and compliant ERP solutions while maintaining the integrity of the global template across multiple deployments.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the end‑to‑end ERP Design & Build function within the global SAP S/4HANA transformation program.
• Own the governance, quality, and continuous evolution of the global ERP process and system template.
• Drive solution design activities, ensuring business requirements are translated into scalable, standardized, and compliant SAP solutions.
• Govern design decisions and ensure adherence to enterprise architecture principles, clean‑core strategy, validation requirements, and global standards.
• Provide leadership and governance for the execution of design and build activities across functional workstreams and implementation partners, ensuring completeness, quality, and readiness for deployment.
• Ensure design consistency and template integrity across multiple concurrent deployment programs while balancing global standardization with justified local requirements.
• Partner closely with Deployment Leads to enable template confirmation, solution adoption, deployment readiness, cutover planning, and issue resolution.
• Provide governance across Application Integration, Data Migration, Testing, Validation, Security, and Platform teams to ensure an integrated, deployment‑ready solution.
• Ensure ERP solutions are designed, built, and delivered in compliance with validation requirements and quality standards, partnering closely with Validation organizations to support deployment into regulated environments.
• Drive planning and governance for design, build, testing readiness, defect resolution, and cutover preparation across all functional domains.
• Identify technical and functional risks early and proactively manage dependencies that could impact deployment timelines or solution quality.
• Provide leadership and direction to internal teams, external implementation partners, and SAP, while driving accountability, delivery excellence, and effective collaboration.
• Leverage SAP S/4HANA innovations and emerging technologies to continuously improve the global ERP template and accelerate future deployments.

Who You Are

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 10+ years of experience leading SAP S/4HANA design, build, and large‑scale transformation programs, including significant experience with SAP S/4HANA.
• Extensive experience designing and governing global ERP templates within multinational organizations.
• Strong understanding of SAP S/4HANA architecture and business processes across Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Procurement, Logistics, Finance, and Quality Management.
• Proven leadership experience managing global design and build teams across multiple functional workstreams and implementation partners.
• Strong knowledge of solution template governance, enterprise architecture, clean‑core principles, and SAP implementation methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience leading ERP solution delivery in GxP‑regulated Life Science, Pharmaceutical, Medical Device, or similarly regulated industries is highly desirable.
• Deep understanding of deployment readiness, testing, cutover governance, and transition from build to deployment.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior business and IT leaders across global organizations.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills, capable of translating complex technical concepts into business value.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with the ability to balance standardization, business value, risk, and delivery timelines.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross‑functional teams without direct authority in a matrix organization.
• Experience leading multiple concurrent initiatives within a global transformation program.
• Fluent in English (mandatory). German or another European language is considered an advantage.
• This role does not offer sponsorship for work authorization. External applicants must be eligible to work in Germany.