Head of Strategy & Operations, SAP Labs China

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.

Head of Strategy and Operations, SAP Labs China

About SAP Labs China:
SAP Labs China is a vital part of the global SAP Labs Network, driving innovation, research, and engineering excellence for SAP. This leadership role is key to ensuring our strategic success, operational efficiency, and engagement across the region, contributing significantly to SAP’s global goals in AI, digital transformation, customer centricity, and people development.

Role Summary:
The Head of Strategy & Operations for SAP Labs China is a senior leadership position supporting the Managing Director. This role will be part of the Labs China Senior leadership team, responsible for shaping, translating, and executing the Labs’ strategy, ensuring operational excellence, effective governance, and alignment across all Line of Business, people, and financial dimensions. This role acts as a strategic partner and execution leader, bridging high-level strategy with daily operations to drive success within SAP’s global framework.

Key Responsibilities:

• Strategic Planning & Execution:
• Work with Labs China MD and Labs China Senior Leadership Team to define organizational direction, priorities for Labs China.
• Lead the planning for strategic growth and consolidation initiatives within Labs China, coordinating with Lines of Business (LoBs), Labs sites and corporate function teams for location strategies.
• Actively contribute to strengthening the strategic and transformational development of the SAP Labs Network, positioning Labs China as a core innovation engine, supporting engineering teams, workforce enablement, and accelerating AI adoption and digital transformation efforts specific to the hub.
• Deepen customer centricity and ecosystem engagement, positioning Labs China as a "sensor" into the local ecosystem, fostering co-innovation with customers, universities, and startups, and supporting local market units in driving business value.
• Oversees & coordinates the Labs communication – internally and externally.
• Operational Excellence & Financial Management:
• Manage the day-to-day operations of SAP Labs China, ensuring operational efficiency and sound financial management, including forecast and overseeing multiple budgets.
• Ensure that relevant plans and procedures are in place for risk management, security, emergency response, and other crucial general management responsibilities for business continuity in Labs China.
• Drive operational excellence within SAP Labs China through timely, accurate, and insightful management reporting.
• Prepare executive‑level decision material, management presentations, and performance reviews.
• Support investment planning, site development, and resource allocation decisions.
• Process Harmonization & Compliance:
• Lead the harmonization, simplification, and adoption of business processes within Labs China, providing guidance to ensure effective implementation and compliance with security policies and global standards.
• Act as a trusted advisor regarding process redesign for local policies, people topics, and workplace-related programs relevant to Labs China.

• People Engagement & Workforce Transformation

• Elevate people engagement and enablement within Labs China, aligning with corporate strategy, boosting engineering effectiveness, and fostering participation in network-wide enablement programs.
• Plan and execute workforce transformation measures for critical capabilities along the SAP product and services portfolio, aligning with SAP Labs Network’s goals for AI enablement and digital transformation.
• Partner with HR leadership and support people engagement, development initiatives.

• People Leadership & Development (Line Manager of Labs China MD office)
• Directly lead and manage the Labs China MD Office team, overseeing the full spectrum of talent management including resource planning, staffing, recruitment, compensation planning, performance evaluations, and professional development.
• Foster an inclusive, engaging, and high-performance growth culture. Actively role-model SAP’s leadership promises, promoting transparency, accountability, and ethical standards to build trust and belonging.
• Driving performance & development by champion high-quality performance management and development conversations. Ensure clarity of goals, provide continuous feedback, and conduct meaningful check-ins to support employee growth and improve performance across the team.
• Set clear expectations, promote accountability, and drive results that elevate leadership effectiveness and contribute to SAP’s strength. Consistently execute annual performance management activities and actively promote adherence to SAP’s global flexible work guidelines, including the 3-day-in-office policy.

Required Skills and Experience:

• SAP Organizational & Process Acumen: Strong understanding of SAP’s organizational structure, processes, matrix management, and governance frameworks.
• SAP Product & Development Knowledge: Good understanding of SAP’s product portfolio, solutions, and internal development processes is a significant advantage.
• Strategic & Global Leadership: Proven leadership experience spanning strategy, operations, business management, and people management, with demonstrated ability to manage global operations and lead effectively through influence in complex environments.
• Stakeholder Management: Track record of effectively managing diverse global and local, internal and external stakeholders.
• Exceptional Communication & Influence: Outstanding communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills, capable of effectively engaging and influencing colleagues, senior leadership, and executives.
• Complex Project Leadership: Strong project management capabilities, with a proven track record of successfully leading and delivering complex, cross-functional projects.
• Analytical & Problem-Solving Prowess: Highly developed analytical and problem-solving skills, employing a structured and conceptual approach for both strategic thinking and meticulous execution.
• Results & Execution Focus: Demonstrated strong results- and execution-oriented mindset, ensuring successful delivery and achievement of objectives.
• Collaborative & Adaptive Mindset: A proactive approach to networking, an excellent team-player attitude, and genuine motivation to thrive in an international, intercultural, and complex matrix environment.
• Multilingual Proficiency: Native Mandarin speaker with fluent English proficiency

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.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their age, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, et al), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or disability, in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local legal requirements.

Successful candidates might be required to undergo a background verification with an external vendor.

We are ethical and compliant
Our leadership credo: Do what’s right. Make SAP better for generations to come. We believe that great leadership extends far beyond the mere pursuit of business goals. We value and foster leadership that is driven with purpose and integrity. Our leaders are role models who uphold SAP’s values and shape SAP’s culture of integrity, by demonstrating and championing ethical and compliant behavior towards all stakeholders.

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: 448934 | Work Area: Administration | Expected Travel: 0 - 10% | Career Status: Management | Employment Type: Regular Full Time | Additional Locations: #LI-Hybrid