Role Overview
We are seeking an experienced SAP S/4HANA Finance Solutions Architect to own the end-to-end finance solution design, governance, and transition for a greenfield SAP S/4HANA implementation within a Banking & Financial Services (BFS) environment.
This role requires deep functional expertise across SAP S/4HANA Finance, strong architectural governance skills, and the ability to ensure design integrity from requirements through deployment and transition to Business as Usual (BAU).
The Finance Solutions Architect will act as the design authority for all Finance-related areas, ensuring compliance with BFS regulatory requirements, SAP best practices, and approved target operating models.
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Key Responsibilities
* Finance Solution Ownership & Architecture
* Own and govern the end-to-end SAP S/4HANA Finance solution architecture for the BFS greenfield implementation
* Lead solution due diligence and assessment of delivered finance designs and configurations to ensure alignment with:
* BFS business requirements
* Regulatory, audit, and compliance needs
* SAP S/4HANA best practices and design principles
* * Drive consistency of design across entities, countries, and legal structures
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Finance Scope & Functional Leadership
* Own solutioning across core SAP S/4HANA Finance submodules, including:
* FI-GL (General Ledger & Universal Journal)
* FI-AP (Accounts Payable)
* FI-AR (Accounts Receivable)
* Bank Accounting & Cash Management
* Asset Accounting (FI-AA)
* Period-End, Month-End, and Year-End Closing
* Financial Reporting, Statutory Reporting, and Controls
* Ensure finance designs support parallel accounting, ledger structures, document splitting, and reporting requirements relevant to BFS institutions
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Requirements, Governance & Design Authority
* Lead and govern finance requirement gathering workshops with senior business and IT stakeholders
* Define, review, and approve:
* Finance solution architecture and design documents
* Functional specifications and design decisions
* Key finance configuration and process designs
* Act as the final design authority for finance-related decisions, CRs, and solution deviations
* Ensure adherence to design principles, accounting standards, and regulatory controls
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Integration & Cross-System Design
* Define and govern finance integration design with:
* SAP Ariba (procurement, invoicing, payments, and financial postings)
* SAP SuccessFactors (HR-related finance postings and reporting, where applicable)
* Other third-party and upstream/downstream applications
Ensure integration designs support financial control, reconciliation, and auditability
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Cutover, Go-Live & Transition to BAULead Finance workstream cutover planning and execution, including:
* Accounting readiness and close simulation activities
* Opening balances, historical data validation, and reconciliations
* Coordination of finance-related cutover activities with Ariba, SuccessFactors, and other systems
1. Own the transition from project delivery to BAU, ensuring:
* Clear operating models and support structures
* Effective knowledge transfer to support and operations teams
* Stabilization of critical finance processes post go-live
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Leadership, Risk & Delivery Oversight
* Provide architectural guidance and functional direction to implementation teams
* Review and assure quality of finance deliverables for completeness, compliance, and design integrity
* Identify finance design risks and proactively drive resolution and decision-making
* Support senior stakeholders with impact assessments, solution trade-offs, and roadmap decisions
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Required Skills & Experience
* 15+ years of SAP Finance experience, including Finance Solutions Architect or equivalent leadership roles
* Strong hands-on experience with SAP S/4HANA Finance greenfield implementations
* Deep functional expertise across SAP S/4HANA Finance, including:
* Financial Accounting (GL, AR, AP, Bank Accounting, Asset Accounting)
* Period-End Closing and Financial Reporting
* Finance controls, audit readiness, and compliance
2. Proven experience in:
* Finance solution architecture and governance
* Requirement definition and design authority roles
* Cutover planning and transition to BAU
3. Strong understanding of BFS regulatory, compliance, and audit requirements
* Solid integration knowledge with SAP Ariba and SAP SuccessFactors from a finance perspective
* Excellent documentation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills
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Preferred Qualifications
* SAP S/4HANA Finance certification
* Prior experience in UK or European BFS environments
* Exposure to Group Reporting, Central Finance, or Advanced Financial Closing
* Experience defining Target Operating Models (TOM) for finance organizations
* Experience working in complex, multi-entity or regulated finance landscapes
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Soft Skills & Competencies
* Strong analytical, structured problem-solving, and decision-making abilities
* Ability to confidently engage with senior client and executive stakeholders
* High attention to detail and strong quality orientation
* Ability to balance strategic architectural design with pragmatic delivery constraints