Senior SAP Project Manager

Ascendum Solutions; Cincinnati (OH); On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Ascendum Solutions is seeking a Senior SAP Project Manager to oversee complex SAP implementations across various business lines. This role requires deep expertise in SAP project delivery and stakeholder management.

The ideal candidate has over 8 years of experience in SAP Project Management, strong skills in ASP and SAP Activate methodologies, and proficiency in project planning tools like MS Project. The position is based in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of SAP Project Management experience.
• Proven track record managing large-scale SAP implementations (ECC and/or S/4HANA).
• Strong experience with ASAP and SAP Activate methodologies.
• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex SAP implementation projects.
• Drive end-to-end project execution across ASAP and SAP Activate methodologies.
• Provide monthly operational reporting, including budget tracking.

Skills

SAP Project Management experience

Stakeholder management

ASAP and SAP Activate methodologies

Communication skills

Project planning tools

Tools

MS Project

Planview

Job description

We are seeking experienced Senior SAP Project Managers to join a centralized PMO supporting multiple SAP implementations across diverse functional towers and lines of business. This role will lead complex, large-scale SAP programs spanning legacy ECC (ESS) environments through S/4HANA transformations, including emerging RISE with SAP (cloud) initiatives.

The ideal candidate will bring deep SAP project delivery expertise, strong stakeholder management skills, and the ability to guide organizations through multi-year transformation roadmaps (2027–2030 migration horizon).

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage complex SAP implementation projects with a minimum of 60+ WRICEF objects
• Drive end-to-end project execution across ASAP and SAP Activate methodologies
• Oversee key phases including Blueprint, Realization, Testing (FUT/TUT), and Deployment
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, timelines, dependencies, and estimates using MS Project (Planview is a plus)
• Provide monthly operational reporting, including:
• Budget tracking and forecasting (labor, HW/SW, cloud spend)
• Status reporting, risks, and mitigation strategies
• Act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, effectively communicating project health, risks, and decisions
• Lead cross-functional coordination across multiple towers and business units
• Support S/4HANA transformation and migration initiatives, including early adoption of RISE with SAP
• Serve as a change leader (pseudo OCM role):
• Guide stakeholders with limited SAP transformation experience
• Drive adoption with empathy, patience, and clear communication
• Manage project artifacts including WRICEF tracking, RAID logs, and status dashboards (primarily via Excel or mapping tools)
• Ensure delivery excellence in a highly regulated, high-volume, low-margin environment

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of SAP Project Management experience
• Proven track record managing large-scale SAP implementations (ECC and/or S/4HANA)
• Strong experience with: ASAP and SAP Activate methodologies
• WRICEF-heavy project environments
• Blueprint, realization, and testing phases
• Hands-on expertise in project planning tools (MS Project required; Planview preferred)
• Experience with financial tracking, budgeting, and forecasting for large programs
• Exceptional stakeholder management and communication skills, including interaction with senior executives
• Demonstrated ability to influence, push back, and drive decisions while maintaining strong relationships

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with RISE with SAP (cloud transformation)
• Exposure to regulated industries (e.g., healthcare, financial services, utilities)
• Familiarity with organizational change management (OCM) principles
• Experience managing multi-tower or multi-workstream programs
• Leadership with confidence and accountability
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills
• High emotional intelligence and stakeholder empathy
• Ability to operate in complex, fast-paced environments
• Strategic thinking with attention to execution detail