Overview
Job Description
SAP Technical Program Manager
Foster City, CA
Contract Role
- Own end-to-end program planning and delivery for SAP initiatives (implementations, upgrades, integrations, or transformation programs)
- Coordinate across functional and technical workstreams (SD, MM, FI/CO, BTP, integration, Basis, etc.) to ensure aligned delivery
- Manage program-level scope, schedule, budget, risks, and dependencies; escalate and resolve blockers proactively
- Facilitate cutover planning, go-live readiness, and hypercare transition
- Partner with SAP architects, functional leads, and business stakeholders to translate business goals into a coherent delivery roadmap
- Manage vendor/SI relationships and contractor teams where applicable
- Establish and maintain PMO standards, methodology, and templates (charters, status reports, RAID logs, change requests)
- Own the formal change control process, including chairing/facilitating the Change Control Board (CCB) and tracking approved changes
- Drive governance cadences: steering committee updates, status reporting, milestone tracking
- Roll up program-level status into portfolio-level dashboards and reporting for leadership visibility across multiple concurrent initiatives
- Track cross-program and cross-project dependencies beyond individual workstreams
- Administer and own PPM/tracking tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, SAP Cloud ALM, Clarity) to ensure consistent tracking across teams
- Maintain centralized documentation repository (SharePoint/Confluence) with version control and access governance
- Own financial governance for the program: budget forecasting vs. actuals, contractor PO/invoice tracking, and variance reporting
- Support compliance and audit requirements (e.g., SOX controls) where applicable to the program
Reporting & Continuous Improvement
Define and track program health KPIs (schedule variance, budget variance, milestone completion rate, resource utilization)
Communicate program health, risks, and decisions clearly to executive stakeholders
Facilitate lessons-learned sessions and retrospectives; drive continuous process improvement recommendations
Support resource planning and capacity management across parallel workstreams
Required Skills & Experience
10+ years of experience in IT program/project management, with significant time managing SAP-related programs
Proven track record leading large, multi-workstream SAP programs (implementations, upgrades, S/4HANA migrations, or integration initiatives)
Demonstrated PMO experience: governance standards, portfolio reporting, and financial tracking across programs
Strong working knowledge of SAP landscapes and terminology (S/4HANA, BTP, integration suite, Fiori, etc.) - enough to engage credibly with technical teams, though hands-on configuration is not required
Excellent stakeholder management and executive communication skills
Strong experience with program governance tools and methodologies (RAID logs, RACI, steering committee reporting, change control)
Hands-on experience with PPM/tracking tools (MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, SAP Cloud ALM, or similar)
Experience managing cross-functional teams including SAP functional consultants, technical architects, and Basis/infrastructure teams
Familiarity with Agile and/or Waterfall delivery methodologies
Experience managing vendor/SI relationships and contractor resources
Strong risk management, budget tracking, and timeline management skills
Experience defining and reporting on program/portfolio KPIs
Preferred Qualifications
PMP, PgMP, or SAFe Agile certification
Experience with SAP RISE/S4HANA transformation programs
Experience in a regulated or complex enterprise environment (manufacturing, retail, automotive, etc.)
Familiarity with SAP Cloud ALM or similar program tracking tools
Prior experience as a functional/technical SAP consultant before moving into program management (helps build credibility with technical teams)
Experience supporting SOX or internal audit processes
Education
Bachelor's degree in computer science, Information Systems, Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)
MBA preferred
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