SAP Data Migration Lead (Ref: 1977223)

SAP Data Migration Lead (SAP S/4HANA) Location: London or Manchester (Hybrid – 3 days per week on-site) Contract: 3–6 Month Contract Day Rate: £1,000–£1,300 per day IR35: Outside IR35 Reporting To: Programme Director Please send CV to: james.robinson@forsythbarnes.com The Opportunity A leading UK retail organisation is embarking on a major SAP S/4HANA transformation and is seeking an experienced SAP Data Migration Lead to own and deliver the enterprise-wide data migration strategy. Reporting directly to the Programme Director, you will lead all aspects of the SAP S/4HANA data migration workstream, ensuring the successful planning, governance, execution and delivery of data migration activities across a complex business and technology landscape. This role requires a strategic leader with extensive hands-on SAP S/4HANA implementation experience, capable of driving delivery across multiple workstreams, managing senior stakeholders and ensuring migration milestones are achieved on time and to a high standard. Key Responsibilities • Lead the end-to-end SAP S/4HANA data migration strategy across a large-scale enterprise transformation programme. • Define, own and execute the data migration roadmap, governance framework and delivery approach. • Lead and manage the Data Migration workstream, ensuring successful delivery against programme milestones. • Coordinate cross-functional teams across business and technology functions to ensure alignment and timely execution. • Work closely with the Programme Director, Solution Architects, Functional Leads and third-party delivery partners to drive programme success. • Develop and implement data migration methodologies, standards, governance and best practices. • Direct all phases of data migration including data profiling, cleansing, mapping, transformation, validation, reconciliation and cutover planning. • Manage risks, dependencies and issues across the migration workstream, escalating where appropriate. • Lead data migration planning for testing cycles, mock loads, dress rehearsals and production cutover. • Establish KPIs and reporting to provide clear visibility of migration progress to programme leadership. • Identify, evaluate and select implementation partners and vendors for SAP S/4HANA delivery, assessing capability, commercial value and delivery risk. • Manage third-party suppliers and ensure delivery aligns with programme objectives. • Provide leadership, mentoring and direction to internal teams, delivery partners and stakeholders throughout the programme. Essential Experience • Extensive experience leading SAP S/4HANA Data Migration within large enterprise transformation programmes. • Proven experience delivering multiple SAP S/4HANA implementation projects from strategy through to go-live. • Demonstrable experience creating, defining and executing enterprise-wide data migration strategies. • Strong leadership experience managing complex SAP workstreams and multi-disciplinary teams. • Experience coordinating activities across technical, functional and business stakeholders. • Proven ability to lead programme delivery while managing competing priorities, risks and dependencies. • Experience selecting, evaluating and managing SAP implementation partners and vendors, including capability assessments and commercial evaluation. • Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence senior leadership and executive-level stakeholders. • Experience reporting directly into Programme Directors or Programme Leadership teams. • Deep understanding of SAP data migration tools, methodologies and best practices. • Excellent communication, governance and programme management skills. Desirable Experience • Retail industry experience is highly desirable. • Ideally, you will have led SAP S/4HANA data migration programmes for a major retail organisation, with a strong understanding of the complexities associated with high-volume transactional data, product and customer master data, supply chain, merchandising and retail operations. • Previous experience delivering SAP S/4HANA transformations for a UK or global retail client would be a significant advantage. • Experience working on large-scale ERP transformation programmes within customer-facing or multi-site organisations. • Knowledge of SAP Master Data Governance (MDG), SAP Data Services, SAP Migration Cockpit or other SAP data migration tools. • Experience managing global System Integrators (SIs) and offshore delivery teams. We're Looking For We are looking for a highly credible SAP leader who has led, managed, directed and delivered complex SAP S/4HANA data migration programmes within large enterprise organisations. You will be comfortable operating at Programme Leadership level, making strategic decisions while remaining close enough to delivery to ensure successful execution. This is an excellent opportunity to play a pivotal role in one of the UK's most significant SAP transformation programmes.