(Senior) Strategic Supplier Management Lead (m/f/d)

Job Description

We help the world run better
At SAP, we keep it simple: you bring your best to us, and we'll bring out the best in you. We're builders touching over 20 industries and 80% of global commerce, and we need your unique talents to help shape what's next. The work is challenging – but it matters. You'll find a place where you can be yourself, prioritize your wellbeing, and truly belong. What's in it for you? Constant learning, skill growth, great benefits, and a team that wants you to grow and succeed.

Where you belong:

The Technology, Supplier Management & Governance (TSG) team is the engine room of SAP’s Global Procurement Organization. We connect policies, processes, systems, and data into a coherent Source-to-Pay (S2P) landscape. Our mission is to keep procurement efficient, compliant, and user-friendly while driving innovation through AI, advanced analytics, and Free Cash Flow optimization. As we transition to NexGen Ariba and implement agentic AI, TSG is where procurement governance meets digital transformation.

Role Overview:

We are seeking an experienced and visionary professional to join our Global Procurement Organization as the (Senior) Strategic Supplier Management Lead (f/m/d). In this pivotal role, you will take ownership of our strategic supplier management program, building on the existing framework to create a highly strategic and impactful approach. Your work will enable Vice Presidents and Category Managers to apply the framework effectively across procurement categories — driving commercial benefits, enhancing sustainability impact, and identifying opportunities for co‑innovation and ensure that our technical landscape—centered on SAP Ariba SLP and the SAP Business Network—supports a seamless, data-driven journey for both users and suppliers.

What you'll build:

Strategic Supplier Management

• Develop and implement supplier relationship and performance management strategies aligned with SAP’s business objectives.
• Drive the business and process design for supplier management as part of the multi-year NexGen Ariba implementation program.
• Integrate supplier assessment tools (e.g., IntegrityNext, EcoVadis, Process Unity) into the supplier lifecycle to enable compliance and sustainability within our supplier base.
• Partner with the AI leads to implement the "Supplier Management AI Agent," unifying data to track performance and monitor risk automatically.

Co‑Innovation Opportunities

• Identify and drive partnerships to foster supplier‑enabled innovation.
• Leverage SAP technologies (e.g., SAP Ariba) to streamline supplier management processes and enable co‑innovation.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership.
• Drive enablement: facilitate trainings, support VP and Category Manager guidance needs, and ensure program adoption across the organization.

What you bring:

The ideal candidate brings a strong background in supplier management and procurement technology, including:

• Proven experience in implementing, coordinating, and running supplier management programs across multiple business units or categories.
• Hands‑on experience with procurement solutions such as SAP Ariba, particularly in areas like Supplier Lifecycle & Performance (SLP), Supplier Risk, or Guided Buying enablement.
• A background in management consulting or system implementation is highly preferred, specifically in leading large-scale procurement transformations
• Demonstrated ability to design or evolve supplier management processes and governance frameworks.
• Experience engaging senior stakeholders (VP level and above) with strong communication and influencing skills.
• A passion for process excellence, technology‑enabled procurement, and best‑practice supplier engagement.
• Ability to use tools like Signavio and SAC/BDC reporting to reveal process bottlenecks and drive automation.

#SAPAICareers

​Bring out your best
SAP innovations help more than four hundred thousand customers worldwide work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively. Originally known for leadership in enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, SAP has evolved to become a market leader in end-to-end business application software and related services for database, analytics, intelligent technologies, and experience management. As a cloud company with two hundred million users and more than one hundred thousand employees worldwide, we are purpose-driven and future-focused, with a highly collaborative team ethic and commitment to personal development. Whether connecting global industries, people, or platforms, we help ensure every challenge gets the solution it deserves. At SAP, you can bring out your best.

We win with inclusion
SAP’s culture of inclusion, focus on health and well-being, and flexible working models help ensure that everyone – regardless of background – feels included and can run at their best. At SAP, we believe we are made stronger by the unique capabilities and qualities that each person brings to our company, and we invest in our employees to inspire confidence and help everyone realize their full potential. We ultimately believe in unleashing all talent and creating a better world.

SAP is committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provides accessibility accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with SAP and are in need of accommodation or special assistance to navigate our website or to complete your application, please send an e-mail with your request to Recruiting Operations Team: Careers@sap.com.

For SAP employees: Only permanent roles are eligible for the SAP Employee Referral Program, according to the eligibility rules set in the SAP Referral Policy. Specific conditions may apply for roles in Vocational Training.

AI Usage in the Recruitment Process

For information on the responsible use of AI in our recruitment process, please refer to our Guidelines for Ethical Usage of AI in the Recruiting Process.

Please note that any violation of these guidelines may result in disqualification from the hiring process.

Requisition ID: 445255 | Work Area: Finance | Expected Travel: 0 - 10% | Career Status: Professional | Employment Type: Regular Full Time | #LI-Hybrid

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