Director of Applications

About the Role:

As the Director and Head of Applications and Enterprise Systems, you will be a visionary technology leader responsible for the overarching strategy, implementation, and optimization of our entire suite of enterprise applications and systems. You will provide strategic direction and expert guidance across a diverse application landscape, ensuring seamless integration, optimal performance, and alignment with our business goals. While SAP remains a critical component, this role encompasses a broader perspective, overseeing the architecture and evolution of all core retail applications, including those supporting front-end, back-end, and mid-office functions. You will leverage your deep understanding of retail processes, application architecture, and emerging technologies like AI to drive innovation and efficiency across the organization. This role demands a dynamic and results-oriented individual with a proven history of leading large-scale application initiatives, managing complex integrations, and fostering collaboration across diverse technology and business teams.

Key Responsibilities:

• Enterprise Application Strategy: Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy for all enterprise applications and systems, including SAP, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives and maximizing their value. Identify opportunities to leverage the application landscape, including emerging technologies like AI, for process optimization and competitive advantage across all business functions.
• Application Portfolio Management: Oversee the entire lifecycle of our application portfolio, from strategic planning and selection to implementation, maintenance, and retirement. Ensure a cohesive and efficient application ecosystem that supports current and future business needs.
• SAP Leadership & Strategy: Provide strategic leadership and direction for our SAP landscape, ensuring its stability, performance, and alignment with business requirements. Drive initiatives to optimize SAP functionalities and explore relevant innovations, including integration with other enterprise systems.
• Retail Application Architecture Vision: Define and maintain the overarching retail application architecture, ensuring scalability, security, performance, and seamless integration across all systems (e.g., SAP, e-commerce, POS, CRM, warehouse management, merchandising systems). Establish architectural standards and guidelines for application development and integration.
• AI and Emerging Technologies: Identify, evaluate, and drive the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), and other emerging technologies across the enterprise application landscape to enhance business processes, improve decision-making, and create new opportunities.
• Integration Strategy & Execution: Develop and implement a robust integration strategy to ensure seamless data flow and process orchestration across all enterprise applications, including complex integrations involving SAP and various other retail systems.
• Solution Design & Implementation (Enterprise-Wide): Lead the design, development, and implementation of technology solutions across the enterprise, ensuring alignment with architectural standards, business requirements, and optimal utilization of our application portfolio, including SAP.
• Stakeholder Management: Collaborate closely with business stakeholders across all departments (e.g., merchandising, pricing, supply chain, finance, marketing, operations, e-commerce) to understand their needs, prioritize initiatives, and ensure our application landscape effectively supports their objectives.
• Vendor Management (Enterprise Applications): Manage relationships with all relevant technology vendors for enterprise applications, including SAP and other strategic software providers, overseeing contract negotiations, performance monitoring, and ensuring value delivery.
• Team Leadership & Development: Lead and mentor a team of technology professionals with diverse skills across various application domains, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning. Provide guidance, support, and performance feedback to team members.
• Project & Program Management: Oversee the successful delivery of large-scale enterprise application projects and programs, including significant SAP initiatives and complex system integrations, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards.
• System Optimization & Support: Drive continuous improvement efforts to optimize the performance, reliability, and scalability of all enterprise applications and systems, including SAP. Oversee support processes and ensure timely resolution of issues across the application landscape.
• Data Management & Integrity: Collaborate with data teams to ensure the accuracy, integrity, and accessibility of data across all enterprise applications, with a focus on master data management and consistent data flows to enable effective reporting and analysis.
• Risk Management & Compliance: Identify and mitigate technology-related risks across the enterprise application environment, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and regulations, including data privacy and security standards for all systems, including SAP.

Competencies:

• Broad Enterprise Application Expertise: Deep understanding of various enterprise application categories and their role in a retail organization (e.g., ERP, CRM, SCM, WMS, POS, e-commerce platforms, merchandising systems).
• Strong SAP Expertise: Comprehensive understanding of SAP modules relevant to retail (e.g., SAP Retail, SAP S/4HANA Retail, SAP CAR, SAP F&R, SAP BW/4HANA, SAP IBP) and its critical role within the enterprise architecture.
• Deep Retail Industry Acumen: Strong understanding of end-to-end retail operations and how various applications support different business functions.
• Strategic Thinking & Execution: Ability to develop and execute comprehensive technology strategies for enterprise applications, aligning them with overall business goals.
• Strong Retail Application Architecture Knowledge: Proven ability to design and maintain complex retail system landscapes, with a deep understanding of integration patterns and best practices across diverse applications, including SAP.
• AI Awareness & Application: Understanding of AI/ML concepts and their potential application across various enterprise functions and integrated with different systems, including SAP.
• Technical Leadership: Proven ability to lead and inspire technical teams with diverse application skills and foster a collaborative environment.
• Stakeholder Management & Communication: Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively collaborate with and influence stakeholders at all levels across the organization.
• Problem-Solving & Analytical Skills: Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities to identify root causes and develop effective technology solutions across a complex application landscape.
• Project & Program Management: Demonstrated ability to manage complex, large-scale enterprise application projects and programs, ensuring on-time and within-budget delivery, including significant SAP implementations and integrations.
• Vendor Management: Experience in managing relationships with strategic technology vendors for enterprise applications, including SAP.
• Continuous Improvement Focus: A proactive approach to identifying and implementing opportunities for process and system optimization across the entire enterprise application ecosystem.

Job Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Administration, or a related field. Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum of 15+ years of progressive experience in technology roles within the retail industry, with significant experience in leading and managing enterprise-wide application initiatives, including substantial involvement with SAP.
• Proven experience in a leadership role managing diverse technology teams and large-scale projects across various application domains.
• Strong understanding of retail business processes across front-end, back-end, and mid-office functions and the corresponding application landscape.
• Extensive experience with the implementation, integration, and support of various enterprise applications, with deep knowledge of SAP and its integration with other critical retail systems.
• Solid understanding of application architecture principles, integration methodologies, and data management best practices in a complex retail environment.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a proven ability to work effectively with executive leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Experience managing technology vendors and contracts for enterprise-level applications, including SAP.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced and complex retail environment, with a strong understanding of the FairPrice Group's business and technology landscape.
• Demonstrated experience in identifying and driving the adoption of AI/ML solutions within an enterprise context and their integration with existing applications, including SAP.
• Strong retail application architecture knowledge, with proven experience in designing and mapping complex retail system landscapes involving SAP and numerous other applications.