The Opportunity:
The SAP Product Owner is responsible for maximizing the value of SAP solutions by defining the roadmap, managing demand, and ensuring stable, well-governed operations across the SAP ecosystem. This role collaborates closely with business stakeholders, internal IT leadership, and the external Application Managed Services (AMS) provider to ensure SAP enhancements, new modules, integrations, and modernization initiatives are delivered effectively. The Product Owner owns the product vision, prioritizes the backlog, ensures alignment with business strategy, and oversees delivery quality while the AMS partner executes configuration, development, and day to day support.
Responsibilities:
AMS Oversight & Operational Governance
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Manage day to day SAP AMS activities including incidents, problems, service requests, and minor enhancements, ensuring SLA adherence and service quality.
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Monitor AMS performance through dashboards and KPIs, delivering clear operational reporting to leadership.
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Lead problem management and root cause analysis, ensuring long term corrective actions are executed.
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Drive continual service improvement leveraging AMS data (e.g., recurring issues, backlog trends, ticket aging)—reflecting current enterprise patterns seen in AMS KT summaries.
Product Ownership & Roadmap Strategy
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Own and maintain the SAP product vision and multi release roadmap aligned with enterprise priorities, financial plans, and technology strategy.
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Translate business needs into clear, actionable requirements and ensure high quality acceptance criteria.
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Continuously refine and prioritize the SAP product backlog to maximize business value.
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Align closely with internal business units to anticipate future demand and upcoming roadmap needs.
Project & Enhancement Delivery
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Lead delivery of SAP initiatives (enhancements, integrations, upgrades, new modules), ensuring scope, timelines, and outcomes meet expectations.
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Partner with the AMS provider to develop realistic project plans, resource plans, and cost estimates.
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Coordinate across functional teams, technical teams, AMS resources, and business stakeholders for end to end delivery.
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Ensure solutions meet compliance needs, including IT controls, audit requirements, and change management processes.
Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
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Act as the primary liaison between business stakeholders and AMS teams.
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Provide clear communication on roadmap, priorities, risks, and decisions to stakeholders and leadership.
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Facilitate requirements workshops, demos, sprint reviews, and user validation sessions.
Compliance, Controls & Quality
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Ensure AMS and project activities adhere to internal audit, SOX, security, and change management standards—an ongoing enterprise priority highlighted across SAP KT discussions.
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Validate quality of delivered functionality and maintain strong acceptance governance.
Qualifications:
Required:
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Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Business, or related field.
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7+ years experience working with SAP across multiple functional areas.
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Experience in SAP Product Ownership, AMS management, or SAP project leadership.
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Strong understanding of SAP processes, integration points, and solution capabilities.
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Skilled in stakeholder management, communication, prioritization, and problem solving.
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Familiarity with ITIL processes, Agile methodologies, and SAP implementation approaches.
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U.S. Citizenship
Desired:
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Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO), PMP, or equivalent certifications.
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Experience working with Managed Service Provider models and multi vendor environments.
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Experience managing roadmaps across multiple SAP modules or cross-functional processes.
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Exposure to compliance-heavy SAP environments (SOX, GRC, audit readiness).
Level Description: Typically manages a small to mid-size sub-function for a program or a large project. Own the execution of strategy and the operational direction of the sub-function or project Problems faced may be difficult to moderately complex Influences others outside of own program or project regarding policies, practices and procedures Responsible for ongoing performance of the program or project after production Organizational Impact: Head of a small to mid-size sub-function for a program. Establishes and implements tactical and operational plans for the sub-function, with significant impact on the achievement of the program. Focus is on mid to long-term strategies (e.g., 2-5 years) to achieve business results, which may require substantial development of new processes, standards or operational plans to achieve strategies. -OR- Head of a large project. Focus is on short to mid-term strategies (e.g., 1-2 years) to achieve business results. Establishes the business vision for the project in alignment with strategic goals. Responsible for coordinating proposal activity related to the sub-function or project, including business plans, work specifications, and budgets for scope expansion and new business. Innovation & Complexity: Responsible for modifying and improving entire processes or systems using significant conceptualizing, reasoning and interpretation skills. Problems and issues faced are numerous and undefined, where information is typically difficult to obtain. Conducts extensive investigation to understand the root cause of problems. Problems are difficult and moderately complex. Problems typically impact multiple departments or specialties. Problems are typically solved through drawing from prior experience and analysis of issues. Establishes or executes on critical design concepts, criteria, and engineering efforts for product research, development, integration and test across whole program or projects. Communication & Influence: Communicates with parties within and outside of own project/program, and typically has responsibilities for communicating with parties external to the organization, which may include customers or vendors. Requires ability to influence others outside of own job area on policies, practices and procedures Leadership & Talent Management: Typically manages a small to mid-size sub-function for a program or a large project. These typically include multiple teams led by directors, managers and/or supervisors. May also lead through influence of other teams/departments. Typically, responsible for creating workforce and staffing plans for program/project to ensure availability of human capital necessary to accomplish business results. Knowledge & Experience: Requires broad management and leadership knowledge to lead multiple job areas. Typically has mastery level knowledge and skills within a specific technical or professional discipline with broad understanding of other areas within the program/project. Typically has a University Degree (BA/BS) or equivalent experience and minimum 10 years related work experience. Financial Responsibility: Revenue $1M - $10M+ Awards > Revenue per year Program Headcount: 10+
