(Senior) Technical Product Manager (f/m/d) for Platform Mesh

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.

What you'll do:

Summary:

We’re not just offering a role—we’re inviting you to help shape the future of cloud-native delivery through the Platform Mesh. By donating both projects to the neutral NeoNephos Foundation, we’ve committed to open governance, shared ownership, and a durable ecosystem. Make your mark, invite others, build what’s next together, and grow with us.

The Cloud-Native Lifecycle Management team is building Platform Mesh, applying cloud-native paradigms to enable enterprises to discover, order, and orchestrate services across any providers. Build entirely on Kubernetes Resource Model (KRM), Platform Mesh eliminates vendor lock-in and API fragmentation, creating a unified interface for a decentralized, interoperable service mesh for the cloud-edge continuum - all managed through with Kubernetes APIs and familiar tooling such as kubectl.

We’re building ApeiroRAhttps://apeirora.eu/, an open-source reference architecture that strengthens Europe’s digital sovereignty. This initiative is part of a broader movement to ensure security, sustainability, and compliance for Europa’s cloud-to-edge computing. By joining us, you’ll contribute to a project that’s not just technical; it’s strategic for Europe’s future.

The Role:

As a (Senior) Technical Product Manager, you will ...

• Shape the Roadmap & Drive Delivery

1. 1. Own the project roadmap and backlog — from high-level initiatives down to individual work items — making sure the team always has a clear, compelling picture of where we're headed and why.
   2. Translate strategic goals into well-scoped milestones and actionable items that developers can pick up and run with.
   3. Keep the backlog healthy, current, and honest — a living document that reflects both what we've achieved and what's next.

• Enable the Team to Do Their Best Work

1. 1. Plan sprints and iterations collaboratively with developers, setting shared expectations on scope, timelines, and what "done" looks like.
   2. Be the person who spots blockers early, clears the path, and keeps momentum high.
   3. Make sure the tracking tools tell an accurate story of where we are — so the team can celebrate real progress and course-correct quickly when needed.

• Steward the Open-Source Ecosystem

1. 1. Navigate the rich landscape of upstream dependencies (e.g., kcp, kube-bind, Flux, Argo) and help the team make smart decisions about where to invest effort.
   2. Champion upstream contributions that advance our project goals, while keeping a healthy balance so the team doesn't drift into work that doesn't move the needle.
   3. Build and maintain transparent connections between what we contribute upstream and the value it creates for our roadmap.

• Grow the Community & Project Visibility

1. 1. Represent the project in the broader cloud-native and open-source community — at meetups, in forums, and across CNCF channels.
   2. Foster an inclusive, energizing contributor culture where both internal team members and external contributors feel welcome and valued.
   3. Transport the project vision, progress, and impact to stakeholders, leadership, and the wider ecosystem in a way that builds trust and excitement.

• Contribute Technically — When It Energizes You

1. 1. Roll up your sleeves and contribute code when you have the bandwidth and interest — it's encouraged, not expected as a daily obligation.
   2. Use your technical depth to enrich discussions, challenge assumptions constructively, and help the team make better architectural decisions.
   3. Act as a bridge between the Kubernetes API ecosystem and the project's goals, spotting opportunities in adjacent open-source projects that can amplify our impact.

What you bring:

• Strong problem-solving and analytical capabilities, with a collaborative, proactive mindset and a commitment to continuous improvement.
• Experience in community engagement and open-source contributions, ability to clearly communicate and present complex technical concepts
• A distinguished university degree in Computer Science or a closely related field; or equivalent work experience.
• Strong hands-on technical skills with 3+ years of experience in full-time software engineering related roles and a strong focus on interacting and working with code
• Solid understanding of container technologies, and the broader cloud-native ecosystem, with familiarity with the CNCF landscape
• Confidence navigating the Kubernetes ecosystem and elaborating its extension concepts including CRDs, the operator pattern or extension API Servers
• High proficiency in English, both written and spoken. German language skill is beneficial.

Meet the team:

We are a team of builders, innovators, and collaborators. Our culture is rooted in openness and trust. We believe the best ideas come from diverse perspectives, and we create space for every voice to be heard.

We thrive on curiosity and continuous learning. This is a place where you can make an impact that matters. Your work will influence not only SAP but also Europe’s digital future. We support each other, push boundaries together, and never stop exploring what’s next.

We are extremely proud of what we have built for our users and the open-source community, and we would like you to be part of this journey. We’re not just another project; we are the backbone of SAP’s cloud-native infrastructure and a leading open-source solution trusted across industries.

#SAPEUAICloudCareers, #SAPORACareers

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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: 448671 | Work Area: Software-Design and Development | Expected Travel: 0 - 10% | Career Status: Professional | Employment Type: Part-Time, or Regular Full Time | Additional Locations: Potsdam, or Walldorf

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