About Signify
Through bold discovery and cutting-edge innovation, we lead an industry that is vital for the future of our planet: lighting. Through our leadership in connected lighting and the Internet of Things, we're breaking new ground in data analytics, AI, and smart solutions for homes, offices, cities, and beyond.
At Signify, you can shape tomorrow by building on our incredible 125+ year legacy while working toward even bolder sustainability goals. Our culture of continuous learning, creativity, and commitment to diversity and inclusion empowers you to grow your skills and career.
Join us, and together, we’ll transform our industry, making a lasting difference for brighter lives and a better world.
More about the role
Position Summary
The Software Asset & SAP License Manager is responsible for the governance, optimization, financial control, and compliance of the organization's enterprise software portfolio, with a primary focus on SAP S/4HANA RISE subscriptions in a multinational environment.
This role ensures that SAP subscriptions are contracted correctly, licenses are allocated efficiently, invoices are validated accurately, and contractual entitlements are fully leveraged to optimize software spending while maintaining compliance. The position acts as the primary expert on SAP commercial models, subscription metrics, credits, and licensing rules, working closely with Procurement, Finance, IT, Enterprise Architecture, SAP Basis, Business Process Owners, and SAP account teams.
The role combines software asset management, commercial contract management, financial analysis, and vendor governance to maximize value from the organization's SAP investment.
Key Responsibilities
SAP Subscription & License Management
- Own the lifecycle management of SAP S/4HANA RISE subscriptions across all business entities and countries.
- Maintain an accurate inventory of SAP subscriptions, entitlements, cloud services, users, and license assignments.
- Monitor license consumption and identify optimization opportunities before additional subscriptions are required.
- Ensure subscription allocations align with business demand and organizational changes.
- Develop and maintain governance processes for ongoing license management.
Contract & Commercial Governance
- Serve as the organization's subject matter expert on SAP commercial models and subscription agreements.
- Interpret SAP RISE contracts, ordering documents, pricing schedules, and commercial terms.
- Ensure contracted services accurately reflect business requirements.
- Assess the commercial impact of organizational changes, acquisitions, divestitures, and new projects.
- Support contract renewals, amendments, and negotiations by providing commercial and licensing expertise.
- Identify contractual rights and mechanisms that can reduce costs or improve commercial flexibility.
SAP RISE Expertise
Develop deep expertise in SAP RISE commercial concepts, including:
- Full User Equivalent (FUE) licensing
- Subscription metrics
- Consumption-based services
- Cloud credits
- SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) entitlements
- Included cloud services
- Digital access considerations
- Hyperscaler-related commercial components
- Migration and transition rights
- License conversion programs
- Flexibility mechanisms within SAP agreements
Advise stakeholders on how these components influence licensing strategy and cost optimization.
Invoice Validation & Financial Control
- Review and validate all SAP invoices before payment.
- Verify that invoiced subscriptions match contractual agreements and pricing schedules.
- Reconcile invoices against:
- contracted subscriptions
- agreed pricing
- applicable discounts
- credits
- true-ups
- service changes
- consumption reports
- Identify billing discrepancies and coordinate corrections with SAP.
- Ensure credits and contractual adjustments are correctly applied.
- Build financial reporting on SAP software spend across the global organization.
Software Asset Management
- Maintain compliance with software asset management policies.
- Establish governance processes for software request, allocation, reassignment, and retirement.
- Monitor software usage to reduce unused or underutilized subscriptions.
- Produce regular compliance and optimization reports.
- Prepare the organization for internal and external software audits.
Cost Optimization
- Continuously identify opportunities to reduce SAP licensing and subscription costs.
- Analyze license utilization patterns and recommend consolidation or reassignment.
- Maximize use of contractual entitlements before recommending new purchases.
- Support budgeting and forecasting of SAP software costs.
- Develop optimization strategies that balance business requirements with commercial efficiency.
Vendor & Stakeholder Management
- Act as the primary interface between the organization and SAP regarding licensing and subscription management.
- Collaborate with Procurement during negotiations and renewals.
- Work closely with Finance on budgeting, accruals, invoice validation, and financial reporting.
- Partner with IT teams to understand system usage and future demand.
- Present licensing risks, opportunities, and recommendations to senior management.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Finance, Procurement, or a related field.
- 5–10 years of experience in Software Asset Management (SAM), IT Asset Management (ITAM), SAP licensing, or enterprise software contract management.
- Proven experience managing SAP enterprise agreements within multinational organizations.
- Strong understanding of SAP S/4HANA RISE subscription models.
- Experience interpreting complex software contracts and commercial agreements.
- Experience validating enterprise software invoices and subscription billing.
- Strong analytical and financial skills.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel and reporting skills.
- Excellent stakeholder management and communication abilities.
- Fluency in English.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP).
- Knowledge of SAP cloud commercial models.
- Experience with software asset management tools (e.g., Flexera, Snow Software, ServiceNow SAM Pro, USU, or similar platforms).
- Familiarity with ITIL and IT asset management frameworks.
- Experience supporting SAP audits or licensing reviews.
- Certification in Software Asset Management (IAITAM, ITAM Forum, or equivalent) is advantageous.
- SAP licensing or procurement certifications are considered a plus.
Key Competencies
- SAP licensing expertise
- Commercial contract analysis
- Financial acumen
- Invoice validation
- Cost optimization
- Vendor management
- Negotiation support
- Risk management
- Attention to detail
- Data analysis
- Strategic thinking
- Stakeholder management
- Process improvement
- Governance and compliance
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- SAP invoice accuracy and billing discrepancy resolution
- Annual SAP software cost savings
- License utilization and optimization rate
- Compliance with contractual entitlements
- Reduction of unused subscriptions
- Successful completion of software audits
- Forecast accuracy for SAP software spend
- Timely identification and application of contractual credits and entitlements
- Value realized through contract optimization initiatives
Everything we’ll do for you
You can grow a lasting career here. We’ll encourage you, support you, and challenge you. We’ll help you learn and progress in a way that’s right for you, with coaching and mentoring along the way. We’ll listen to you too, because we see and value every one of our 27,000+ people. We believe that a diverse and inclusive workplace fosters creativity, innovation, and a full spectrum of bright ideas. With a global workforce present in 70+ countries, we are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where every voice is heard and valued, helping us all achieve more together.
Come join us, and together we can light up the future.
