SAP S/4HANA Development Lead (12-Month Contract)
Global FMCG – London (3 Days Onsite per Week)
A leading global FMCG organisation is seeking an experienced SAP S/4HANA Development Lead to play a pivotal role in a major ERP transformation programme, transitioning from ECC to S/4HANA. This senior leadership position is suited to a technical expert who has recently led or delivered S/4HANA implementations and is committed to building a clean, future-ready digital core.
The role is accountable for shaping the end-to-end development strategy, leading global development teams, and ensuring high-quality delivery of custom applications, extensions, and integrations across a complex, multinational FMCG landscape. This programme will form the foundation of global operations for many years ahead, offering a significant opportunity to influence architecture and drive modernisation.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Strategy
* Serve as the Development Lead for the global S/4HANA transformation, owning the application development workstream.
* Translate the programme roadmap into a clear development and delivery strategy aligned with business and architectural requirements.
* Define and enforce clean core principles, custom code strategy, and governance frameworks for development, testing, and transport management.
* Work closely with Enterprise Architecture, Functional, and Integration teams to maximise standardisation, reuse, and innovation.
Technical Delivery
* Oversee all custom development across the S/4HANA ecosystem, including in-app and side-by-side extensions.
* Manage interfaces, APIs, and integrations using SAP BTP, CPI, and related tools.
* Lead SAP Fiori/UI5 application development and modern UX enablement.
* Drive custom code remediation and optimisation from ECC to S/4HANA, including CDS views, ABAP on HANA, and ABAP Cloud.
* Lead and manage a global development factory (internal and offshore teams) to ensure timely and high-quality delivery.
* Apply Agile and DevOps practices, enabling iterative development, automated testing, and continuous deployment.
Governance, Compliance & Quality
* Ensure all development complies with GxP, SOX, and GDPR requirements within a regulated FMCG environment.
* Establish coding standards, review processes, and automated testing frameworks (e.g., ABAP Unit, ATC).
* Partner with QA and Validation teams to ensure deliverables meet regulatory and audit standards.
* Maintain full documentation and traceability across the SDLC.
Stakeholder Management
* Act as the primary development point of contact within the S/4HANA programme.
* Collaborate with business process owners, functional teams, and integration partners to translate requirements into robust technical designs.
* Communicate risks, issues, progress, and dependencies to programme leadership and stakeholders.
* Mentor global development teams, fostering capability growth and collaboration.
Continuous Improvement
* Champion modernisation through SAP BTP, Fiori, automation, and best-practice engineering techniques.
* Drive system performance tuning and post-go-live optimisation.
* Support knowledge sharing and continuous improvement across SAP development teams.
Qualifications & Experience
Essential
* Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, or related field.
* 10+ years of SAP technical experience, including recent leadership of S/4HANA implementation workstreams.
* Expertise in:
* ABAP on HANA, CDS, AMDP, OData
* SAP Fiori/UI5 development and extensibility
* SAP BTP, CPI, and modern integration patterns
* Custom code remediation and optimisation for ECC to S/4HANA transformation
* Strong understanding of clean core strategy and global development leadership.
* Experience working in regulated industries such as FMCG, food, pharma, or consumer health.
* Strong knowledge of SAP development tools (Eclipse), SAP Solution Manager or Cloud ALM, transport and release management, and DevOps toolchains.
Desirable
* SAP certifications in ABAP for S/4HANA, SAP BTP, or Fiori.
* Experience with SAP Activate and Agile methodologies.
* Familiarity with MES, PLM, LIMS, and external manufacturing system integrations.
* Exposure to data migration tools such as LTMC or BODS.
* Experience in multi-country, multi-entity environments with complex supply chains.
* Awareness of emerging AI and automation capabilities in SAP development.
Key Competencies
* Strategic and hands-on leadership within global transformation programmes.
* Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
* Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
* Confidence operating within a matrixed, multinational environment.
* Commitment to quality, compliance, and business value delivery.
Why This Opportunity Stands Out
This is a rare chance to contribute to a major global FMCG S/4HANA transformation that will define operational capabilities for the next decade. The role offers exposure to leading-edge SAP technologies, complex global landscapes, and the opportunity to make a significant long-term impact.