Director IT Application Readiness (SAP S/4HANA)

About the role

The Director of Application Readiness / Delivery Lead is accountable for ensuring end-to-end application readiness and controlled go-live execution for CenterPoint’s SAP S/4HANA, SAP Edge, and integrated non-SAP solutions within the Velocity program.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end application readiness across SAP S/4HANA, SAP Edge, and integrated non-SAP systems from build completion through stabilization.
• Define and manage objective readiness entry and exit criteria for testing, cutover, go-live, and hypercare.
• Plan and execute cutover activities, including sequencing, mock runs, dress rehearsals, and go-live runbooks.
• Manage cross-application and cross-workstream dependencies spanning integrations, data, environments, security, and infrastructure.
• Drive defect triage, prioritization, and resolution with a strong bias toward production readiness.
• Identify readiness and execution risks early and escalate with clear mitigation recommendations.
• Coordinate readiness of all environments (development, test, UAT, pre-production, production).
• Enforce release, transport, and configuration management discipline across partners.
• Ensure non-functional readiness, including performance, availability, batch processing, and monitoring.
• Coordinate execution across System Integrators, Business Integrators, application teams, and infrastructure teams.
• Serve as the primary execution integrator ensuring workstreams are aligned to go-live sequencing.
• Drive closure on readiness gaps without ambiguity in ownership.
• Provide concise, fact-based readiness status reporting to IT Transformation leadership and governance forums.
• Lead post-go-live stabilization, including defect management, prioritization, and operational handoff.
• Maintain calm, structured control during high-pressure cutover and go-live periods.
• Execute against solution intent, design standards, and governance defined by the IT Transformation Lead.
• Partner with Change Management & Business Readiness to align readiness milestones, training cutoffs, and adoption timing.
• Maintain clear separation of accountability, with this role owning application readiness and execution and other leaders owning design, business outcomes, and adoption.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Engineering, Business, or related field required.
• Advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in large-scale enterprise application delivery or ERP programs.
• 6+ years in leadership roles overseeing application readiness, cutover, go-live, and stabilization for SAP S/4HANA or comparable ERP implementations.
• Demonstrated experience operating within complex, multi-vendor delivery environments.
• Proven success managing high-risk go-live events in regulated or asset-intensive industries.
• End-to-end application readiness and cutover leadership.
• Strong dependency, defect, and release management discipline.
• Deep understanding of SAP and non-SAP integration landscapes.
• Structured, detail-oriented, execution-focused mindset.
• Clear, direct communication and escalation skills.
• Able to remain calm and decisive under go-live pressure.

Qualifications

• Competitive pay.
• Paid training.
• Benefits eligibility begins on your first day.
• Transit subsidies.
• Flexible work schedule, paid holidays, and paid time off.
• Access to discounts at fitness clubs and an on-site wellness center at our headquarters in Houston.
• Professional growth and development programs including tuition reimbursement.
• 401(k) Savings Plan featuring a company match dollar-for-dollar up to 6% and a company contribution of 3% regardless of your contribution.