Senior IT Director, ERP Applications

Key Job Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end ERP lifecycle, including transformation strategy, implementation delivery, and transition to steady-state operations.
• Define and maintain a multi-year ERP roadmap that integrates process harmonization, data standardization, technology modernization, and post-go-live optimization.
• Establish a clear ERP operating model that defines accountability for run, enhance, and innovate activities following implementation.
• Anticipate future technology, business, and industry trends to ensure ERP capabilities continue to enable enterprise performance.
• Lead the full ERP lifecycle from design through deployment, stabilization, and transition to steady-state operations.
• Ensure the organization is prepared to support, maintain, and evolve the ERP platform through clearly defined ownership, support structures, and operating processes.
• Own hypercare and stabilization phases, ensuring performance, adoption, and business confidence are established before transitioning to normal operations.
• Drive enterprise process harmonization and ensure standardized processes are embedded into daily operations and performance management.
• Establish trust and credibility with executive and functional leaders by demonstrating deep understanding of their operational priorities and challenges.
• Operate as the enterprise integrator—aligning business strategy, process ownership, and ERP execution to deliver measurable performance improvements.
• Partner with business leaders to transition from a “project mindset” to operational ownership of ERP-enabled processes.
• Ensure transparent, consistent communication of ERP performance, risks, and outcomes during both transformation and steady-state operations.
• Serve as the single accountable executive owner for ERP vendors across implementation and post-implementation support, ensuring delivery quality, operational stability, and value realization.
• Transition vendor engagement models from implementation-focused delivery to sustainable support and optimization frameworks.
• Hold partners accountable for business outcomes, not just technical milestones.
• Ensure ERP platforms and surrounding systems operate reliably and securely during migration and in steady-state operations.
• Establish ERP service management, monitoring, escalation, and performance metrics to support reliable day-to-day operations post-go-live.
• Own ERP operational risk management, including cybersecurity, compliance, licensing, and resilience.
• Ensure legacy systems are responsibly decommissioned or integrated following ERP deployment.
• Build and lead a senior ERP leadership organization spanning ERP systems, enterprise applications, data/integration, and business transformation.
• Develop internal capabilities to support, operate, and continuously improve the ERP platform—reducing long-term reliance on external partners.
• Create a culture that treats ERP as a long-term enterprise capability, not a one-time implementation.

Qualifications/Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required (Business, IT, or related field); MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of IT experience, including 8–10 years in IT management or technology transformation leadership.
• Proven record of delivering global SAP S/4HANA transformations that achieved measurable business outcomes — including process harmonization, operational efficiency, and cost optimization.
• Proven experience transitioning large ERP programs from implementation into stable, scalable, and well-governed steady-state operations.
• Demonstrated ability to align IT strategy and architecture with enterprise process design and business goals.
• Experience in manufacturing, industrial, or asset-intensive industries strongly preferred.
• Visionary leadership with the ability to align IT with long-term business goals.
• Deep understanding of SAP S/4HANA ecosystem, integrations, and cloud platforms.
• Strong organizational change management capabilities and transformation delivery experience.
• Skilled in program governance, risk mitigation, and vendor relationship management.
• Solid grounding in cybersecurity, data governance, and compliance standards.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.