Sap solution architect - finance

SAP Solution Architect (Finance)

Job Summary:

The Finance Solution Architect is a senior client-facing role within the Consulting Practice with responsibility for the design of SAP S/4 HANA and SAP Business Suite solutions that meet the needs of our customers. You will be responsible for shaping, assuring and governing end-to-end SAP solution design across business domains ensuring that they are aligned to business objectives, enterprise architecture standards, delivery constraints, compliance requirements and the target operating model.

The job holder will work across stakeholders in business, IT, delivery and third-party partners as necessary to define solution options, recommend the preferred architecture approach, and support successful implementation and transition into live operations.

Key Accountabilities:

The SAP Solution Architect will be expected to:

• Own the end-to-end solution architecture for SAP-led transformation initiatives, covering business processes, application architecture, integration, data, security, reporting and non-functional requirements.
• Translate business requirements into solution designs that are practical, scalable, supportable and aligned to enterprise standards.
• Provide architectural leadership across programmes, projects and change initiatives involving SAP products and related technologies.
• Advise stakeholders on trade-offs involving scope, cost, risk, delivery timeline and technical complexity.
• Promote standardisation and reuse by encouraging the use of SAP best practice, standard functionality and clean-core principles.
• Govern solution quality through architecture reviews, design approvals, traceability of requirements, and management of design risks, assumptions, issues and dependencies.
• Support delivery teams by resolving complex design decisions and ensuring that implementations remain aligned to the target architecture.
• Contribute to pre-sales and business development activities where required, including solution shaping, client presentations, bid responses and estimation inputs.
• Drive the effective use of AI-enabled capabilities within the role to improve solution quality, delivery efficiency and business value.

Duties/Responsibilities:

Solution Architecture and Design

• Lead the architecture and high-level design of SAP solutions across relevant domains such as SAP S/4HANA, SAP BTP, Analytics solutions, SuccessFactors / Ariba / Concur / other LoB applications as applicable
• Lead workshops to clarify requirements, evaluate options and achieve design decisions.
• Produce and maintain architecture artefacts, including:
• solution overviews
• interface and integration designs
• data flow and information models
• design decision logs
• Define the target-state architecture and transition states where phased delivery is required.
• Ensure solution designs are consistent with enterprise architecture principles, business roadmap and platform strategy.
• Collaboratively compile statements of work to support any stage of the sales and deal review processes

Stakeholder Management

• Engage with business leaders, product owners, process owners, programme managers, delivery leads, security, infrastructure and support teams.
• Present architecture recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Build credibility as the senior design authority for SAP-related initiatives.

Governance and Assurance

• Conduct architecture and design reviews at key delivery stages.
• Assess alignment to business requirements, non-functional requirements and compliance obligations.
• Identify and manage architectural risks, technical debt and solution compromises.
• Ensure that solution decisions are documented, agreed and controlled through appropriate governance.

Delivery Support

• Work closely with functional consultants, developers, integration specialists, data leads and test managers to ensure a coherent end-to-end solution.
• Provide guidance during build, testing, cutover and hypercare.
• Review defects and change requests for architectural impact.

Practice Activities

• Provide thought leadership and participate in industry forums, seminars, blogs etc. as well as engaging in marketing activities to promote SAP technology and solutions to NTT DATA customers and prospects.
• Adhering to the agreed NTT DATA strategy, engage in self-directed and other learning to keep pace with new technologies and developments to ensure NTT DATA remains at the forefront of the market within which we operate. Share, use and communicate expert knowledge in order to develop others and make business processes more effective.
• Recognise potential for repeat and extended business with respect to the end-to-end service offering by NTT DATA and provide comprehensive input. Support NTT DATA to grow our business by being alert to the customer opportunities that present themselves, including development and escalation of NTT DATA IP opportunities, as appropriate.

AI Expectations within the Role:

The SAP Solution Architect is expected to use AI in a responsible, practical and value-focused manner as part of day-to-day delivery. This is not a standalone innovation activity; it is a core expectation of how the role is performed.

The job holder will be expected to:

• Leverage AI to improve productivity, including drafting solution artefacts, synthesising requirements, summarising workshops, and accelerating document preparation.
• Use AI to strengthen analysis and decision-making, for example by identifying design options, surfacing dependencies, highlighting risks and testing the completeness of requirements or solution assumptions.
• Apply AI to architecture knowledge work, such as mapping business requirements to SAP capabilities, identifying potential process standardisation opportunities, and comparing solution patterns.
• Use AI to improve stakeholder communication, including the preparation of concise executive summaries, design narratives, structured workshop packs and approval materials.
• Support the identification of AI-enabled business opportunities within SAP solutions, including embedded intelligence, automation, predictive capabilities and process optimisation where relevant to the client or organisation.
• Promote responsible AI usage, ensuring that any use of AI complies with company policy, security requirements, confidentiality obligations, legal constraints and data protection standards.
• Validate all AI-generated outputs professionally, applying architecture judgement and domain expertise rather than relying on AI output at face value thus ensuring that all recommendations remain traceable, supportable and architecture-led.
• Help embed AI ways of working across the wider delivery team by sharing effective practices, prompts, templates and quality controls.
• Evaluate where AI adds value and where it does not, ensuring it is used to improve quality and speed rather than introduce risk, inaccuracy or unnecessary complexity.
• Maintain human ownership of key design decisions, governance submissions and solution sign-off.

Required Skills/Abilities:

Strong background in Finance and Accounting, with a demonstrable technical expertise and experience across multiple relevant SAP software products, most especially S/4HANA. You will have deep SAP functional knowledge.

Significant experience in SAP solution architecture, with a strong track record in designing and delivering complex finance transformations.

Ability to communicate, influence, convince and inspire effectively by own personality and act as a trusted role model and advisor. Proven and demonstrable track record of producing high-quality architecture documentation suitable for governance and executive review.

Strong interpersonal and soft skills, able to quickly develop relationships with all stakeholders; within NTT Data locally and globally, external customers, suppliers and partners to become a trusted advisor in your field of expertise.

Experience working in multi-disciplinary delivery teams, including onshore/offshore and partner-led models.

Demonstrates gravitas and personal integrity, is able to overcome unforeseen situations whilst keeping business objectives in mind. Drives results, convinces and inspires by his/her personality, behaviour and communication style. Is a role model and ambassador.

Personal Profile/Experience:

With degree-level education or equivalent practical experience, the successful candidate will be able to demonstrate at least 15 years’ industry experience overall with a minimum of 10 of those years spent working within an SAP consulting role.

Proven and demonstrable experience with successful delivery experience gained across at least 8 full project lifecycles.

Minimum of 3 successful, full lifecycle projects as Solution Architect with a wide scope of software integration solutions. This will include large enterprise or multi-country global project deployment/roll-out programmes.

Has a thirst for learning and staying on top of the evolving technology landscape. Actively shares and transfers own expertise and operational knowledge in a structured method, thus making it useful and functional.

Benefits:

Home-Based Contract:

Generous Holiday Allowance: Benefit from 28 days of paid holiday annually (pro-rated for part time employees), providing ample time for relaxation and rejuvenation.

\"Free Fridays\" Initiative: Granting you an additional 12 days off each year. With one Free Friday granted per month, you'll have more time to pursue personal interests, spend quality time with loved ones, or simply recharge. (pro-rated for part time employees)

Pension Scheme: Secure your future with our employer pension contribution at a competitive rate of 5%. You have the flexibility to contribute a minimum of 4%, with the option to increase your contribution for added retirement benefits.

Income Protection: Gain peace of mind with our Group Income Protection plan,

Health and Well-being: Prioritise your health with our comprehensive Private Medical Insurance plan.