What You’ll Build
The Senior SAP Manufacturing Consultant serves as a trusted advisor and subject matter expert responsible for leading SAP Manufacturing implementations and optimization initiatives for enterprise clients. This role combines deep expertise in SAP Production Planning (PP), Quality Management (QM), and Plant Maintenance (EAM) with strategic consulting capabilities to design, implement, and optimize end‑to‑end manufacturing solutions. The position requires strong client engagement skills, the ability to translate complex business requirements into scalable SAP solutions, and leadership in driving digital transformation across discrete, process, and repetitive manufacturing environments.
Primary Responsibilities
Lead Manufacturing Implementations: Direct full lifecycle SAP Manufacturing implementations including blueprint design, configuration, testing, cutover, and hypercare support across PP, QM, and PM modules.
Solution Architecture & Design: Architect comprehensive manufacturing solutions integrating production planning, shop floor execution, quality management, and maintenance processes with SAP S/4HANA and complementary modules (MM, SD, WM, CO).
Business Process Optimization: Analyze current‑state manufacturing processes, identify improvement opportunities, and design future‑state solutions leveraging SAP best practices and industry standards.
Client Relationship Management: Serve as primary point of contact for manufacturing workstream, managing stakeholder expectations, conducting workshops, and ensuring alignment between business objectives and technical delivery.
Team Leadership & Mentorship: Guide project teams including junior consultants and offshore resources, provide knowledge transfer, and build organizational capability in SAP Manufacturing.
SAP Manufacturing Expertise Required
Core SAP Manufacturing Competencies
Production Planning (PP): Comprehensive knowledge of production orders, process orders, repetitive manufacturing, master data (BOMs, routings, work centers), MRP, capacity planning, and production execution.
Discrete & Process Manufacturing: Expertise in both discrete manufacturing (production orders, shop floor control) and process manufacturing (process orders, recipes, batch management) scenarios.
Quality Management (QM): Proficiency in quality planning, inspection processing, quality notifications, certificates, and integration with production processes.
Plant Maintenance (PM): Understanding of preventive maintenance, work orders, equipment master data, and integration with production operations.
Manufacturing Execution: Knowledge of shop floor control, confirmations, goods movements, backflushing, and integration with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES).
Technical Skills
SAP PP/QM/PM configuration and customizing across organizational structures, master data, planning strategies, order types, and control parameters.
Integration design with SAP MM, SD, CO, and WM/EWM.
Experience with SAP S/4HANA Manufacturing features including embedded PP/DS, Manufacturing Insights, and Fiori apps for production planning and execution.
Data migration methodologies using LSMW, SAP Data Services, or Migration Cockpit for master data and transactional data conversion.
Understanding of SAP Digital Manufacturing, SAP ME, and integration patterns with third‑party MES systems.
Industry Knowledge
Deep understanding of manufacturing operations across industries (automotive, consumer products, high‑tech, life sciences, chemicals, industrial machinery).
Knowledge of manufacturing methodologies including lean manufacturing, just‑in‑time (JIT), kanban, make‑to‑stock (MTS), make‑to‑order (MTO), and engineer‑to‑order (ETO).
Familiarity with regulatory compliance requirements (FDA, GMP, ISO standards) and quality management practices.
Understanding of Industry 4.0 concepts, IoT integration, and smart manufacturing trends.
Consulting Competencies
Client Management
Proven ability to engage with senior manufacturing leadership (VP Operations, Plant Managers, Production Managers) and influence strategic decision‑making.
Expertise in facilitating requirements workshops, conducting fit‑gap analysis, and translating business needs into functional specifications.
Change management capabilities including training program design, user adoption strategies, and organizational readiness assessment.
Project governance including steering committee management, status reporting, and escalation resolution.
Solution Design
End‑to‑end solution architecture spanning SAP PP, QM, PM, and integration with ERP core modules and third‑party manufacturing systems.
Business process reengineering using Lean Six Sigma or similar methodologies to identify automation opportunities and efficiency gains.
Integration strategy development for shop floor systems, SCADA, PLCs, and manufacturing execution platforms.
Oversight of ABAP developments, user exits, BADIs, and enhancements ensuring adherence to SAP standards.
Leadership & Delivery
Project management using SAP Activate, Agile, or hybrid methodologies with experience managing budgets of $2M-$5M+.
Leadership of cross‑functional teams (8-20 members) including functional, technical, and offshore resources.
Quality assurance practices including test strategy development, UAT coordination, cutover planning, and go‑live support.
Risk management, issue resolution, and proactive communication to ensure on‑time, on‑budget delivery.
Preferred Qualifications
Experience with SAP Digital Manufacturing, SAP ME, or integration with third‑party MES platforms (Siemens Opcenter, Rockwell FactoryTalk, AVEVA MES).
SAP S/4HANA Cloud or Private Cloud Edition implementation experience.
Knowledge of complementary modules: Advanced Planning (PP/DS, IBP), Extended Warehouse Management (EWM), Batch Management.
Pre‑sales experience including RFP response, solution demonstrations, and proof‑of‑concept development.
Published thought leadership (whitepapers, blogs, case studies) or speaking engagements at industry conferences (SAP Sapphire, ISM, SME).
Key Competencies & Attributes
Professional Skills
Strategic thinking with ability to connect manufacturing technology solutions to operational excellence and business outcomes.
Exceptional communication skills: ability to present complex manufacturing concepts to technical and non‑technical audiences, facilitate workshops, and author executive‑level documentation.
Analytical and data‑driven decision making leveraging KPIs (OEE, cycle time, yield, scrap rates) and manufacturing analytics.
Problem‑solving mindset with ability to navigate ambiguous situations and develop pragmatic solutions.
Personal Attributes
Collaborative leadership style with emphasis on team empowerment, knowledge sharing, and cross‑functional collaboration.
High adaptability and learning agility to navigate diverse manufacturing environments and rapidly changing client requirements.
Client‑focused mindset with commitment to delivering value, building trust, and fostering long‑term partnerships.
Continuous improvement orientation aligned with lean manufacturing principles and operational excellence.
Equal Employment Opportunity
SAP is committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provides accessibility accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their age, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, etc.), 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.
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.
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