Global Head SAP System Governance

Job Description Summary

This role is accountable for defining and operating robust, enterprise-wide SAP system governance across licensing, methodology, audit readiness, financial controls, system ownership, risk management and SAP CoE enablement for the global SAP landscape.
The Global Head SAP System Governance provides strategic ownership and visionary governance by defining the governance operating model, maturity roadmap, decision rights, standards and executive transparency required to ensure SAP platforms are compliant, cost-transparent, secure, resilient and future-ready. The role ensures SAP investments, controls and governance mechanisms deliver measurable business value, support transformation priorities and strengthen enterprise confidence in the global SAP ecosystem.

Job Description

Global Head SAP System Governance

Sandoz continues to go through an exciting and transformative period as a global leader and pioneering provider of sustainable Biosimilar and Generic medicines. As we continue down this new and ambitious path, unique opportunities will present themselves, both professionally and personally. Join us, the future is ours to shape!

Job Summary

This role is accountable for defining and operating robust, enterprise-wide SAP system governance across licensing, methodology, audit readiness, financial controls, system ownership, risk management and SAP CoE enablement for the global SAP landscape.
The Global Head SAP System Governance provides strategic ownership and visionary governance by defining the governance operating model, maturity roadmap, decision rights, standards and executive transparency required to ensure SAP platforms are compliant, cost-transparent, secure, resilient and future-ready. The role ensures SAP investments, controls and governance mechanisms deliver measurable business value, support transformation priorities and strengthen enterprise confidence in the global SAP ecosystem

          

Your Key Responsibilities

Your responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Major accountabilities: 

Strategy, Roadmap and Business Value

• Define and continuously evolve the enterprise SAP governance vision, operating model and multi-year governance maturity roadmap aligned with SAP CoE direction, Technology strategy and business transformation priorities.
• Establish governance principles, decision rights, forums, standards, quality gates and accountability mechanisms that enable transparent, consistent and scalable governance across the global SAP estate.
• Provide thought leadership on future SAP governance needs, including simplification, standardisation, cloud evolution, S/4HANA readiness, cyber and application security, automation, data quality and regulatory expectations.
• Create executive-level visibility through governance dashboards, decision papers, risk insights, audit readiness views and value realization updates that support senior leadership decisions.
• Champion a culture of proactive risk management, governance discipline, continuous improvement, simplification and measurable business value across internal teams, partners and vendors.

SAP CoE Governance and Cross-Domain Leadership

• Act as a key governance leader within the SAP CoE, ensuring SAP governance standards, architecture guardrails, delivery methodology and operating routines are consistently adopted across SAP platform domains.
• Drive cross-domain alignment with SAP domain leads to manage dependencies, integration risks, release priorities, master data impacts, transformation sequencing and recurring governance issues.
• Lead SAP CoE governance reviews for major investments, transformation initiatives, strategic design decisions, policy exceptions and risk remediation topics.
• Develop governance capability across the SAP ecosystem by coaching Solution Owners, platform teams and partner teams on governance expectations, evidence quality, decision discipline and value-led delivery.

SAP Licensing Ownership and Compliance

• Own SAP license governance end to end, including license demand, allocation, compliance monitoring, optimization opportunities and coordination of true-up or renewal inputs.
• Partner with Procurement, Finance, Legal, Technology and business stakeholders to ensure SAP license usage is transparent, controlled and aligned with contractual obligations.
• Maintain license-related governance artifacts, decision records, risk logs and management reporting to support auditability, executive decisions and cost optimization.

SAP Methodology Ownership, Standards and Audit Representation

• Own and continuously improve SAP delivery, operations and lifecycle methodology across projects, enhancements, releases and BAU service activities.
• Maintain deep knowledge of SAP methodology, controls, documentation expectations and quality gates, ensuring consistent adoption across internal teams and external partners.
• Represent the SAP area in internal and external audits, coordinate evidence collection, explain governance practices and drive timely closure of findings or observations.
• Ensure methodology standards support future-ready SAP capabilities, transformation readiness, regulatory expectations, simplification and quality outcomes.

SAP Financial, Budget, Invoice and SOW Governance

• Own governance of SAP-related budget planning, forecasting, run and change spend, investment prioritization, purchase orders, accruals, invoices and Statements of Work in partnership with Finance, Procurement and vendor management teams.
• Ensure SAP spend is traceable to approved scope, contractual terms, delivery milestones, service levels, governance approvals and expected business value.
• Establish controls for invoice validation, SOW compliance, cost allocation, forecast accuracy, budget risk escalation and commercial issue resolution.
• Drive value realization and cost optimization transparency across SAP licenses, services, vendors, projects, solution design decisions and operating practices.

Executive Stakeholder, Vendor and Change Leadership

• Act as the trusted governance advisor to senior Technology, Finance, Procurement, Security, Compliance, Audit and business stakeholders on SAP governance matters.
• Influence executive stakeholders to secure alignment, sponsorship and timely decisions on SAP governance priorities, risk mitigation, investment choices and operating model improvements.
• Lead vendor and partner governance for SAP governance-related commitments, commercial controls, performance transparency and remediation actions.
• Lead change adoption for governance practices by communicating expectations clearly, enabling teams and reinforcing accountability across internal and partner teams.

          

Minimum Requirements

What you’ll bring to the role:

• 10+ years of experience in SAP, IT governance, SAP operations, finance governance, vendor management, audit, risk or transformation environments.
• Proven leadership experience defining governance strategy, shaping operating models, influencing senior stakeholders, driving governance maturity and building governance capability across complex global technology environments.
• Deep understanding of SAP license models, SAP contracts, indirect usage considerations, audit preparation and compliance governance.
• Experience representing technology areas in audits and coordinating evidence, responses, remediation plans and executive communication.
• Practical experience with SAP-related budgets, invoices, Statements of Work, purchase orders, accruals, forecast management, vendor commercial governance and financial controls.
• Working knowledge of application security, access reviews, periodic system ownership reviews, risk management and compliance processes in regulated enterprise environments.
• Strong executive stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence senior business, Technology, Finance, Procurement, Security, Compliance, Audit and vendor stakeholders.
• Strategic thinker with pragmatic execution discipline, strong communication skills and the ability to translate complex SAP governance topics into clear executive recommendations.
• Structured, detail-oriented and outcome-driven mindset with strong analytical, governance, leadership and continuous improvement capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Finance, Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Technology, Business Administration, Finance, Engineering or related field. Master's degree or relevant SAP, ITIL, audit, security, risk, certifications preferred.

Why Sandoz?

Generic and Biosimilar medicines are the backbone of the global medicines industry. Sandoz, a leader in this sector, provided more than 900 million patient treatments across 100+ countries in 2024 and while we are proud of this achievement, we have an ambition to do more!

With investments in new development capabilities, production sites, new acquisitions, and partnerships, we have the opportunity to shape the future of Sandoz and help more patients gain access to low-cost, high-quality medicines, sustainably.

Our momentum is powered by an open, collaborative culture driven by our talented and ambitious colleagues, who, in return for applying their skills experience an agile and collegiate environment with impactful, flexible-hybrid careers, where diversity is welcomed and where personal growth is supported!

Join us!

#Sandoz

Skills Desired

Budget Management, Business Acumen, Performance Management, Risk Management, Service Delivery Management, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Planning, Talent Development, Waterfall Project Management