Senior SAP Consultant Manufacturing Solutions - Defence

About This Role

Introduction We are seeking an experienced SAP S/4HANA Consultant with specialiSed expertise in defence manufacturing processes. The ideal candidate will play a critical role in implementing and optimising SAP S/4HANA functionalities to support core manufacturing, including compliance requirements unique to the defence industry. This role requires deep process knowledge across Engineer-to-Order (ETO), Make-to-Stock (MTS), Make-to-Order (MTO) scenarios, with strong integration skills across SAP modules.

• Solution Design & Delivery
• Analyse defence manufacturing requirements, compliance needs, and operational workflows.
• Configure and deploy SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing and Supply Chain modules (PP, PP/DS, MM, EWM, QM, PS).
• Support Engineer-to-Order (ETO), complex BOM management, variant configuration, and serial number management.
• Design solutions for shop floor integration, work order management, and manufacturing execution.
• Integrate SAP with CAD/PLM systems and defense-specific logistics/maintenance applications.
• Design and configure Materials Requirement Planning and its integration with Procurement and Inventory Management.
• Compliance & Regulatory Enablement
• Ensure solutions meet defence industry compliance (ITAR, EAR, NATO codification, export control, cybersecurity frameworks).
• Implement strong traceability, auditability, and data security controls within SAP.
• Support configuration management, restricted data handling, and quality assurance processes.
• Program Delivery
• Conduct workshops and requirement-gathering sessions with defence manufacturing stakeholders.
• Provide workarounds/solutions for the process gaps in SAP S/4 and review Functional Specifications for the process gaps, if any.
• Drive unit testing, system integration testing (SIT), and user acceptance testing (UAT).
• Provide end-user training and post go-live support.
• Integration & Optimisation
• Ensure seamless integration with Finance (FI/CO), MRO, Supply Chain, and Procurement modules.
• Recommend best practices for manufacturing planning, scheduling, and cost tracking.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives and SAP S/4HANA upgrades.\
• Other Key activities
• Conduct training sessions for end users and key stakeholders on SAP Manufacturing functionalities.
• Provide ongoing support and troubleshooting for processes and solutions related to SAP Manufacturing.
• Oversee data migration and cleansing processes to ensure accurate master data for Materials, BOM, Routing and other relevant data for manufacturing.
• Develop custom reports and dashboards to provide insights into KPIs related to Manufacturing Processes

Your Role And Responsibilities The SAP Manufacturing Consultant is a senior expert responsible for designing, optimizing, and implementing robust and innovative solutions across the entire manufacturing lifecycle. This role focuses on leveraging SAP's comprehensive Manufacturing portfolio, including SAP S/4HANA (PP, QM), SAP Digital Manufacturing (DM) / Manufacturing Execution (ME) / Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence (MII), and other relevant SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) services. The architect will serve as a strategic advisor to business leaders, translating complex manufacturing challenges into efficient, integrated, and sustainable SAP solutions that drive operational excellence, production efficiency, quality control, and asset management.

Preferred Education Master's Degree

Required Technical And Professional Expertise

• Experience:

• [12-15]+ years of progressive experience in SAP consulting and implementation, with a dedicated focus on Manufacturing solutions.
• [5-7]+ years in a lead architect or solution architect role specializing in SAP Manufacturing.
• Proven experience leading multiple full lifecycle SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing implementations and/or SAP Digital Manufacturing Suite deployments.
• Extensive experience with various SAP Manufacturing solutions, including:

• SAP S/4HANA: Production Planning (PP), Plant Maintenance (PM), Quality Management (QM), Master Production Scheduling (MPS), Material Requirements Planning (MRP).
• SAP Digital Manufacturing (DM) / Manufacturing Execution (ME) / Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence (MII): Deep expertise in one or more of these is crucial.
• Related areas: Production Planning and Detailed Scheduling (PP/DS), Advanced Planning and Optimization (APO), Process Orchestration (PO/PI).

• Strong understanding of S/4HANA architecture and its impact on manufacturing processes.

• Technical Skills:

• Deep functional and technical understanding of SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing modules.
• Proficiency in SAP Digital Manufacturing Cloud (DMC), SAP ME, and/or SAP MII configuration and implementation.
• Strong understanding of integration between SAP ERP/S/4HANA, MES, and shop floor systems (OT/IT convergence).
• Proficiency in SAP BTP - Integration Suite (CPI) for connecting manufacturing systems.
• Experience with master data management strategies for manufacturing (e.g., Bill of Materials, Routings, Work Centers).
• Familiarity with IoT integration into manufacturing processes.

• Certifications & Methodologies:

• Relevant SAP certifications in S/4HANA Manufacturing or SAP Digital Manufacturing.
• Project management certifications (PMP, Agile Scrum Master) are a plus.
• Enterprise Architecture certifications (e.g., TOGAF) desirable.
• Proficiency in Agile and SAP Activate methodologies.

• Soft Skills:

• Exceptional analytical, conceptual, and problem-solving skills to address complex manufacturing challenges.
• Superior communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively with all levels of stakeholders.
• Strong leadership capabilities with a proven ability to guide and mentor technical and functional teams.
• Excellent business acumen and a strong understanding of end-to-end manufacturing processes across various industries (e.g., Discrete Manufacturing, Process Manufacturing).