SAP Solutions Architect

SAP SE; Bracknell; On-site; GBP 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Birchman is seeking a seasoned SAP Architect to lead cross-domain architecture for SAP programmes in the UK. You will map business objectives to integrated SAP-enabled designs and engage senior client stakeholders to align transformation roadmaps.

The role requires broad SAP ecosystem knowledge, architecture governance, and the ability to guide subject matter experts toward coherent, scalable solutions.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to map business objectives to solution designs.
• Understanding of end-to-end processes across Finance, Procurement, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Sales.
• Experience across SAP domains including S/4HANA, BTP, SAC, IBP, CX.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the overall business solution architecture across SAP programmes.
• Coordinate solution designs across multiple SAP domains, identify conflicts and risks, and facilitate reviews.

Skills

Enterprise architecture thinking

Strategic problem solving

End-to-end process design

Cross-functional programme leadership

Workshop facilitation

Executive communication

Stakeholder management

Risk and dependency management

Solution governance

Pragmatic and outcome-focused

Tools

SAP LeanIX

SAP Activate

Job description

The role will ensure that solutions spanning SAP S/4HANA, SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC), SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC), SAP Integrated Business Planning (IBP), and other SAP applications are strategically aligned, scalable, integrated, and capable of delivering measurable business outcomes. The Architect acts as the bridge between client business stakeholders, programme leadership, and specialist SAP solution teams. They are responsible for ensuring solution coherence across functional domains, ensuring that individual workstream designs collectively support the client's target operating model and transformation objectives. This is not a hands-on configuration role or technical role. Rather, it requires broad SAP ecosystem knowledge, strong architectural thinking, excellent stakeholder engagement skills, and the ability to challenge and guide subject matter experts toward an integrated solution.

Solution Leadership

• Define and own the overall business solution architecture across SAP programmes
• Ensure solutions align with client business objectives, transformation goals, and strategic roadmaps
• Develop and communicate clear target-state business capabilities and solution architectures
• Translate business strategy into practical SAP-enabled solution designs

Cross-Functional Solution Governance

• Coordinate solution designs across multiple SAP domains, including:
  • S/4HANA
  • BTP
  • Business Data Cloud (BDC)
  • SAC
  • IBP
  • SuccessFactors
  • Ariba
  • Concur
  • Customer Experience (CX)
  • Integration and data platforms
• Identify and resolve cross-stream design conflicts, dependencies, and risks
• Facilitate design authority and architecture review forums
• Ensure consistency of business processes, master data, analytics, reporting, controls, and integration approaches

Client Engagement

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior client stakeholders
• Facilitate workshops with business and IT leadership
• Challenge requirements where appropriate to ensure strategic alignment
• Present solution options, trade-offs, risks, and recommendations to programme steering groups

Architecture Assurance

• Ensure solutions are scalable, supportable, secure, and aligned with SAP best practices
• Assess the impact of design decisions across business functions and SAP applications
• Govern adherence to architectural principles and transformation objectives
• Support programme governance, quality assurance, and solution reviews

Delivery Support

• Work closely with functional, technical, data, integration, and change management leads
• Support roadmap development and release planning
• Guide solution teams through complex design decisions
• Assist during key project phases, including:
  • Discovery
  • Solution design
  • Fit-to-standard workshops
  • Build governance
  • Testing strategy
  • Deployment planning, SAP Business Data Cloud
  • SAP SuccessFactors
  • SAP Ariba
  • SAP CX

Business Architecture & Transformation

• Proven ability to map business objectives to solution designs.
• Understanding of end-to-end business processes across:
  • Finance
  • Procurement
  • Supply Chain
  • Manufacturing
  • Sales

SAP Solution Experience

• 10+ years of SAP consulting, solution architecture, or transformation experience
• Experience delivering multiple large-scale SAP transformation programmes
• Strong understanding of SAP's broader solution portfolio and how products interact
• Experience working across several of:
  • SAP S/4HANA
  • Experience developing target operating models and transformation roadmaps

Stakeholder Management

• Experience working with programme directors, CIOs, CFOs, business executives, and IT leadership
• Strong facilitation and influencing skills
• Ability to challenge constructively and build consensus across diverse stakeholder groups

Essential Skills

• Enterprise and business architecture thinking
• Strategic problem solving
• End-to-end process design
• Cross-functional programme leadership
• Workshop facilitation
• Executive communication and presentation
• Stakeholder management
• Risk and dependency management
• Solution governance

Desirable Skills

• SAP Enterprise Architect certification
• TOGAF certification
• Experience with SAP LeanIX
• Experience with SAP Activate delivery methodology
• Understanding of data architecture and analytics platforms
• Experience in cloud transformation programmes
• Industry expertise in manufacturing, retail, distribution, utilities, consumer products, or professional services

Personal Attributes

• Pragmatic and outcome-focused
• Strong systems thinker
• Naturally collaborative
• Commercially aware
• Comfortable operating at executive level
• Able to balance strategic vision with delivery realities
• Credible advisor to both business and technical audiences
• Confident in managing ambiguity and complexity

Success Measures

Success in this role will be demonstrated through:

• Coherent and integrated solution designs across SAP workstreams
• Strong alignment between business objectives and delivered capabilities
• Reduced solution rework and design conflicts
• Positive client stakeholder feedback
• Effective governance of architecture decisions and programme risks
• Delivery of scalable, supportable, and business-led SAP solutions, An experienced SAP leader who may have started their career as a functional consultant, solution architect, enterprise architect, or programme architect, but has evolved into a strategic role focused on aligning business outcomes with integrated SAP solution landscapes. They are comfortable leading experts rather than being the deepest expert themselves and can bring together multiple specialist disciplines into a single coherent vision.

Here at Birchman, we don't react to market trends, we define them. As the leading independent SAP Partner in the UK, we regularly host forums and events that help to form the future of Digital Transformation and Continuous Business Improvement.

We have a driven team of likeminded experts who are passionate about delivering measurable results and exceeding customer expectations. Our SAP Platinum Partner status and industry awards see us work and deliver positive change to world-renowned brands.

We don't believe in transactional business; our customers develop into long-term strategic partners and our consultants become a valued member of their extended team.

If you are ready to join a highly professional and growing team, we want to hear from you!