Head of SAP Transformation

Job Title

Job Description

The Head of SAP Transformation leads the migration from SAP ECC to SAP S/4, the largest enterprise transformation program in Philips IT. SAP Transformation is one of the IT Platforms in the Philips IT operating model and reports to the CIO. The role runs the multi-year program end to end, in close partnership with the business program leader and the businesses and functions: migration approach, business case, plan, budget, partners, risk and executive reporting. The S/4 solution is designed with AI-enabled processes from the start, using the enterprise AI services and guardrails provided by AI CoE & Architecture. As releases go live, the role hands the S/4 landscape over to the run organisation, Group Functions & Supply Chain IT, which is accountable for the SAP platforms, and closes out the program once the transition is complete and legacy SAP ECC is decommissioned. This is a Vice President position within the Philips IT Leadership Team.

Key Responsibilities

SAP S/4 Program Leadership

• Serve as overall program leader for the SAP S/4 transformation, together with the business program leader, owning the migration approach (brownfield, greenfield or hybrid), value case, roadmap, timeline, budget, risk management and executive reporting.
• Drive the decision on migration approach, evaluating cost, risk, business disruption and AI readiness, in partnership with the business program leader, Finance and the CIO.
• Coordinate business-specific S/4 workstreams with the businesses, functions and regions, ensuring enterprise process standardisation where it adds value while accommodating legitimate business requirements.
• Run the program through clear stage gates covering design, build, testing, data migration, cutover and hypercare for each release.
• Own the legacy SAP ECC decommissioning plan, ensuring a clean exit with no unplanned extensions of legacy support costs.

Solution Design & AI-Enabled Processes

• Own the S/4 solution design for the program, within the enterprise architecture standards and guardrails set by AI CoE & Architecture and the SAP Design authority as ultimate Technical Decision Forum.
• Embed AI-enabled process automation in the S/4 design from the start rather than retrofitting legacy process designs, using the enterprise AI platform services provided by SAP and other vendors and the AI CoE & Architecture.
• Apply AI and automation to program delivery itself, such as testing, data migration and documentation, to shorten timelines and reduce partner effort.
• Work with Group Functions & Supply Chain IT to simplify the legacy and integration landscape around SAP, including SAP PO, EDI and integration, as part of the migration.

Transition to the Run Organisation

• Define, from program start, the target support model and operational readiness criteria for the S/4 landscape.
• Involve run organisation teams in design, build and testing so that knowledge, documentation and support capability are in place before each go-live.
• Lead hypercare after each release and hand over operational accountability to the run organisation once agreed exit criteria are met.
• Make knowledge transfer to the run organisation a condition of release closure for systems integrators and other partners.
• Close out the program in a planned way once the S/4 landscape is fully transitioned and legacy SAP ECC is decommissioned.

Financial Management

• Manage the SAP S/4 transformation budget (capital and operational) with stage-gated investment governance, clear business case milestones and value realisation tracking.
• Control partner and licence costs for the program, including the cloud-hosted SAP components (RISE), partnering with the Cloud Infrastructure & FinOps team to optimise consumption costs.
• Provide transparent run-cost information at each handover so that the S/4 landscape fits IT's consumption-based billing model.

Stakeholder Management & Governance

• Represent the SAP S/4 program in IT Leadership Team forums, ExCom updates and board-level reporting on the SAP transformation.
• Build trusted relationships with business leaders, Business Heads of IT, Supply Chain and Finance as the primary stakeholders of the program.
• Establish program governance (steering committee, design authority, change control) that ensures decision quality, speed and accountability.
• Manage strategic relationships with SAP and systems integrators at executive level, negotiating program agreements and holding partners to delivery and knowledge-transfer commitments.

Program Team Leadership

• Build and lead the SAP Transformation program team, combining internal talent and partner resources, sized to each phase of the program.
• Foster a culture of delivery discipline, accountability, collaboration and Impact with Care.
• Attract and retain experienced SAP transformation talent, leveraging Philips' health technology mission and the scale of the program.

Role Success Measures

• SAP S/4 transformation on track: migration approach decided and business case approved (FY2026); execution underway with AI-enabled process design (FY2027); core migration complete and legacy SAP ECC decommissioned (FY2028+).
• Program delivered within the approved budget and stage gates, with business case value tracked and realised.
• Each release handed over to the run organisation against agreed operational readiness and hypercare exit criteria, with stable operations after go-live.
• Partner knowledge transfer completed, with no unplanned extensions of legacy support costs.
• A simpler legacy and integration landscape around SAP.
• Program governance rated effective by key stakeholders; decisions made with clear rationale and stakeholder alignment.

Candidate Profile

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field. MBA or advanced degree is highly valued given the strategic and financial scope of the role.
• Proven track record as a senior IT executive (SVP, VP, CIO or equivalent) with direct accountability for multiple large-scale SAP programs in a global, matrixed organisation.
• Experience in health technology, medical devices, life sciences, or similarly regulated industries is strongly preferred. Consulting experience at a top-tier firm or major systems integrator (with deep SAP expertise) is valued as complementary background.
• Deep, hands-on experience leading SAP S/4 transformations, including migration approach decisions, program governance, business process redesign, data migration, cutover and systems integrator management. Prior experience as an SAP transformation program leader or sponsor is essential.
• Demonstrated experience transitioning large ERP programs into steady-state operations, including operational readiness, hypercare and knowledge transfer.
• Strong understanding of SAP S/4 solution architecture, with the ability to make and defend design decisions at enterprise level.
• Experience applying AI and automation in ERP programs (process design, testing or data migration) as delivered capability with measurable outcomes.
• Strong financial management skills, including large program budget governance, business case management and vendor negotiation.
• Exceptional executive presence and stakeholder management: able to report credibly to executive leadership and the board, negotiate with global technology vendors and build trust with business leaders.
• Track record of building and leading large program teams that combine internal staff and partner resources.
• Leadership style characterised by delivery discipline, strategic clarity and care for people, aligned with Philips' Impact with Care values.

 
Compensation & benefits
Doing meaningful work should come with fair, transparent rewards. In compliance with the EU Pay Transparency Directive, details regarding the compensation framework and salary range for this executive leadership position will be automatically provided to all candidates selected for the initial screening phase prior to their first business interview.

How we work together
We believe that we are better together than apart. For our office-based teams, this means working in-person at least 3 days per week.

About Philips
Are you ready to do the work of your life to help the lives of others? Learn more about our business, discover our rich and exciting history and learn more about our purpose.
If you’re interested in this role and have many, but not all, of the experiences needed, we encourage you to apply. You may still be the right candidate for this or other opportunities at Philips. Learn more about our culture of impact with care.

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