SAP Release Manager

Dimension Data; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 800,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in technology solutions seeks an SAP Release Manager to oversee software releases and ensure governance across SAP landscapes. The successful candidate will manage complex change processes, ensuring synchronization between business and program environments, and will work closely with test managers to meet stringent release criteria.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of SAP landscape software change control governance experience.
• Experience with CHARM and synchronizing SAP parallel landscapes.
• Proficient in project management processes, including release/version planning.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the success of product releases and resolve issues as they arise.
• Manage freeze periods, ensure compliance with testing, and support change governance.
• Synchronize BAU landscapes with the integrated S/4 solution.

Skills

Governance

Change management

Analytical skills

Demand management

Education

SAP development and/or administration experience

Knowledge of SAP Release Management systems

Job description

Are you tired of working long hours, only to be told that it is not enough? Do you want a real challenge and an opportunity for growth that can significantly improve your career prospects? If so, we believe this SAP Release Manager role may have been created just for you!

As a Release Manager, you'll be responsible for the success of your release. You will identify and resolve any issues related to product releases, bug fixes, or software enhancements as they occur. You'll also have responsibility for implementing new features into SAP products. As such, you should have excellent analytical skills and the ability to work well in a team environment.

Requirements

The Client OneSAP programme will be consolidating multiple legacy landscapes onto one central S/4 instance. Parallel landscapes have been implemented for the duration of the programme (legacy landscapes and new S/4 landscapes). The S/4 solution will be introduced across the De Beers businesses in releases (predominantly clustered by geography). Each release adds to the central S/4 instance. A common template for aspects of the solution is applied across all releases.

The programme requires a release manager, reporting into the global SAP IM Lead, to ensure that:

• The Business As Usual (BAU) application landscapes and the programme S/4 landscape are constantly synchronized, notably that “software change management” (SAP transports and third-party product changes) are synchronized across the landscapes.
• Freeze periods are planned, communicated, and managed.
• Service introduction of releases (of the integrated S/4 solution into the BAU landscape) is actioned and in place prior to migration.
• The release is tested as per the test approach and exit criteria are met before migration; regression testing is successfully executed prior to migration. Testing is managed by test managers; the release manager will rely on their test execution but must ensure compliance with pre-agreed exit criteria prior to managing the migration.
• Changes into the landscape are governed (BAU and programme) via the central CAB (programme releases and change requests).
• Support the Global SAP IM Lead in monitoring and managing the general BAU operations landscape.

Experience & Expertise

• A minimum of 5 years of SAP landscape software change control governance and management
• Experience with CHARM
• Experience synchronizing SAP parallel landscapes
• SAP project and Change management experience
• SAP Change control and release management experience
• Demand management experience

Qualifications

• 1+ years of experience in SAP development and/or administration a plus.
• Knowledge of SAP Release Management systems, including release management and deployment, as well as application lifecycle management.
• At least three years of SAP experience preferred.
• Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of the SAP product suite and business process management.
• Experience with project management processes, such as change control, release/version planning, and test plans required.

About Dimension Data

At Dimension Data, we empower our people to deliver client-centric solutions. We want to see our people make the most of every opportunity, and together we can achieve the extraordinary. Our diverse and inspiring people are experts at what they do and serious about delivering measurable and sustainable value at every turn.