Manager - SAP Operations

Diageo; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 3,000,000 - 4,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Diageo is seeking an experienced Sr Analyst SAP Operations to lead and support global SAP operations across processes and applications. Hybrid work in Bengaluru with a focus on S/4HANA, AMS, and continuous improvement.

The role collaborates with SAP Functional teams, Basis, Security, Integration, and AMS partners to ensure stable, efficient SAP services, manage incidents, changes, and releases, and drive ITGC controls and service improvement.

Qualifications

• 12-15 years of SAP experience, with strong operations/AMS background.
• Functional SAP knowledge across multiple modules (FI/CO, MM, SD, etc.).
• Experience leading global SAP Operations and AMS delivery.
• Proficient in ITIL processes, governance, and incident management.

Responsibilities

• Lead global SAP operations across Production and Non-Production environments.
• Oversee incidents, problems, changes, releases, and service management.
• Drive continuous improvement, automation, and SAP standardization.
• Coordinate with SAP CoE, AMS partners, and cross-functional teams.
• Ensure ITGC, ITAC, SOX compliance and operational readiness.
• Support S/4HANA, SAP RISE, transformations, and go-live activities.

Skills

SAP operations leadership

AMS experience

SAP functional knowledge

Stakeholder management

IT governance

S/4HANA knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in IT/CS/Engineering

Master's degree preferred

ITIL Foundation certification preferred

SAP certification desirable

Tools

SAP Basis

ABAP

SAP Security

SAP Integration

Interfaces

Job scheduling

SAP RISE

Job description

Department: Digital & Technology (D&T) SAP Centre of Excellence (SAP CoE)

Work: Hybrid

Job Overview

We are seeking an experienced Sr Analyst SAP Operations with 12-15 years of SAP experience to support and lead global SAP operations across business processes and SAP applications.

The ideal candidate will have strong experience in SAP Application Management Services (AMS), SAP functional operations, service delivery, SAP S/4HANA, SAP Functional, stakeholder management, and continuous improvement.

The role requires functional SAP knowledge with sufficient technical understanding to manage incidents, problems, changes, releases, business process issues, integrations, and operational risks across the global SAP landscape.

The successful candidate will work closely with Business Process Owners, Product Owners, SAP Functional teams, Basis, Security, Integration, Development, Infrastructure, SAP/OEM, and AMS partners to ensure stable, efficient, and business-aligned SAP services.

Key Responsibilities

Global SAP Operations

• Collaborate and support global SAP application operations across Production and Non-Production environments.
• Ensure SAP services are stable, reliable, and aligned with business processes and operational requirements.
• Provide functional oversight across key SAP processes such as Finance, Procurement, Order-to-Cash, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Warehouse, and other business functions.
• Act as the operational escalation point for critical business process and SAP application issues.
• Analyze incidents from a business process and SAP functional perspective and ensure the appropriate technical teams are engaged for resolution.
• Understand end-to-end SAP process integration and dependencies across functional modules, interfaces, master data, jobs, security, and technical components.
• Work with Functional, Technical, Basis, Security, Integration, and AMS teams to resolve complex cross-functional issues.
• Challenge recurring incidents and identify opportunities for process improvement, SAP standardization, configuration changes, and defect remediation.
• Drive Problem Management and RCA for recurring functional and application issues.
• Ensure SAP application changes and releases are assessed for business impact, operational readiness, testing, and supportability.
• Support S/4HANA, SAP RISE, transformation, cutover, go-live, hypercare, and transition to BAU.
• Ensure operational readiness, knowledge transfer, support documentation, and ownership are established for new SAP capabilities.
• Partner with SAP/OEM and AMS teams to resolve application issues and adopt SAP best practices.
• Support SAP lifecycle activities including upgrades, enhancements, releases, and application optimization.
• Identify opportunities to improve SAP operations through process simplification, automation, standardization, and reduction of recurring support effort.

SAP Service & AMS Management

• Lead end-to-end SAP Service Management across Incident, Major Incident, Problem, Change, Request, and Release, ensuring SLA, OLA, KPI, and service quality commitments are met.
• Govern AMS delivery and performance, including functional capability, resource coverage, service quality, backlog, recurring incidents, and operational risks.
• Drive effective triage, escalation, RCA, and permanent resolution of critical and recurring SAP issues, challenging gaps in resolution quality and timelines.
• Lead service reviews and governance with business stakeholders, SAP/OEM, and AMS partners, ensuring clear ownership, accountability, and timely closure of actions.
• Drive continual service improvement through ITIL practices, standardization, automation, and targeted Service Improvement Plans (SIPs).

Performance Improvement

• Identify functional and application-related performance issues impacting business processes.
• Work with Functional, ABAP, Basis, Database, and Integration teams to identify root causes and corrective actions.
• Review recurring application failures, runtime errors, job failures, interface issues, and business process disruptions.
• Drive application and process optimization to improve SAP performance, stability, and user experience.
• Promote automation and proactive monitoring to reduce manual operational effort.

ITGC & ITAC Controls Management

• Ensure SAP operations comply with ITGC, ITAC, SOX, security, and audit requirements.
• Coordinate control execution, evidence management, risk assessment, and audit readiness.
• Ensure clear control ownership, delegate ownership, accountability, and execution timelines.
• Partner with Security, Compliance, and Audit teams to address control gaps and risks.

Business Partnership

• Build strong relationships with Business Process Owners, Product Owners, GBS, SAP CoE, and business stakeholders.
• Understand business priorities and translate them into SAP operational and improvement priorities.
• Provide functional SAP advisory support for operational issues and business requirements.
• Represent SAP Operations in business initiatives and transformation programmes.
• Communicate SAP issues and impacts clearly to business and technology stakeholders.

Additional Responsibilities

Automation & Innovation

• Identify opportunities to automate repetitive SAP operational activities.
• Leverage AI, automation, analytics, and SAP capabilities to improve service efficiency.
• Drive standardization and continuous improvement across SAP support processes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or related discipline.
• Master's degree preferred.
• ITIL Foundation certification preferred.
• SAP certification in one or more functional modules is desirable.

Skills Required

• Minimum 12-15 years of SAP experience, preferably with strong SAP Application Operations / AMS experience.
• SAP functional strong and business process knowledge with expertise in one or more modules such as FI/CO, MM, SD, PP, WM/EWM, QM, PM, or related areas.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end SAP business processes and cross-functional integration.
• Experience managing global SAP Operations and AMS delivery.
• Good understanding of SAP technical areas including Basis, ABAP, Security, Integration, Interfaces, Jobs, and SAP RISE, sufficient to manage and coordinate technical teams.
• Experience supporting SAP S/4HANA, SAP RISE, and SAP transformation programmes.
• Strong Incident, Problem, Change, Release, and Service Management experience.
• Experience with ITGC, ITAC, SOX, audit, and operational governance.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, stakeholder management, and communication skills.
• Proven experience managing global AMS partners and vendors.
• OTC, PTP RTR one of the functional knowledge would be helpful

Personal Attributes

• Strong ownership and accountability.
• Business and customer-focused mindset.
• Strong SAP functional and operational orientation.
• Ability to understand business requirements and translate them into SAP solutions.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
• Proactive approach to identifying operational risks and improvement opportunities.
• Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Collaborative approach with Business, SAP CoE, AMS, and technology teams.
• Continuous improvement and service excellence mindset.