SAP Centre of Excellence – Supply Chain Planning: Senior Professional

The goal of this function is to act as a technical expert for SAP Integrated Business Planning (IBP) Supply Planning, with a strong focus on Response & Supply in time-series-based and order-based planning environments.

The role is responsible for the technical design, configuration, operation, and support of SAP IBP Supply Planning solutions, ensuring system stability, performance, and data consistency in a global supply chain landscape.
The function provides L1/L2/L3 technical support for SAP IBP Supply Planning, including advanced troubleshooting of planning runs, optimizer and heuristic behavior, deployment results, and system integrations.

Through proactive monitoring, continuous optimization, and structured lifecycle management, the role ensures reliable planning operations, supports business continuity, and strengthens confidence in planning results. The function contributes to the sustainable operation of SAP IBP in close integration with SAP S/4HANA and the long-term target architecture.

Goal of function:

Ensure the stable and efficient operation of SAP IBP Supply Planning solutions by delivering high-quality technical support, reliable enhancements, and well-integrated planning functionalities..

Career Path

                                                                                     Please specify from Senior level on:

 No allocation because below Senior level        Expert career   Project Management career     Line Management career

Tasks*

1) Main tasks:

Solution Design

• Design, build, and configure SAP IBP Response & Supply solutions within time-series-based, and order-based planning environment.
• Contribute to end-to-end IBP solution architecture including data flows, planning concepts, and integration design
• Ensure alignment of IBP solutions with global SCM processes and SAP S/4HANA target architecture
• Assess technical feasibility and impacts of business requirements on IBP design

User/System Support

• Analyze and assess reported issues in SAP IBP and Serve as L1/L2/L3 support for the global SCM Community
• Analyze and resolve issues related to OBP planning runs such as heuristic and optimizer results, deployment outcomes, and integration
• Work on Enhancement Requests including Solution proposals, Solution Build, TUT, FUT, support UAT and Training activities as well as Hypercare 
• Configure, optimize and maintain the SAP IBP Optimizer (constraints, priorities, cost logic, planning behavior)
• Configure, optimize and maintain order-based deployment planning
• Build and maintain IBP model objects (e.g. planning structures, master data, planning operators, planning area, planning views)
• Advanced configuration of IBP operators, key figures, attributes, and calculation logic

Performance, Stability & Monitoring

• Monitor, analyze and optimize IBP planning performance (planning runs, optimizer runtime, data volume, job chains)
• Proactively identify stability and performance risks and drive corrective actions

Techincal Data & Master Data

• Support integration to SAP S/4 HANA and non-SAP ERP via CI/DS, CI and RTI

• Ensure data consistency and data quality across SAP IBP, SAP S/4HANA and all connected Planning Systems
• Analyze master data and transactional data issues impacting planning results

Release- & Lifecycle-Management

• Assess SAP IBP quarterly releases, identify impacts, and plan adoption of new functionalities
• Support regression testing, release readiness, and post-release stabilization

2) Secondary tasks:

• Support integration and handover of planning results to SAP S/4HANA  (e.g. ePPDs)
• Support testing, go-live, and Hypercare phases during projects
• Collaborate with IT, business SMEs, and Global Process Owners to implement enhancements, support releases, and stabilize planning functionalities.
• Create/maintain System documentation and knowledge base articles.

3) Miscellaneous tasks:

• Support crisis or high priority issues impacting supply planning results, or system availability.
•  Support analytics and reporting initiatives (Power BI dashboards, KPI automation).

Key Performance Indicators

Please list distinguishing qualitative and quantitative features by means of which performance in the position can be measured.

• L1/L2/L3 Support SLA Compliance
• Enhancement Delivery Reliability (Time, Budget and Qualitly)
• Planning Solution Stability & Quality
• Proactive Analysis & Continuous Improvement
• Reduction of recurring SAP IBP incidents and unplanned system disruptions through proactive root cause analysis, stabilization measures, and continuous technical improvement.

Qualifications, experience, know-how and skills critical for success*

1) Required training and education:

University degree (bachelor) in informatics / economics / business informatics / egingeering. Advanced Degree desirable.

2) Required professional experience (in years):

• 3-5 years of experience in Supply Planning roles.
• Solid Experience in Demand Planning roles is a big plus
• 3–5 years hands‑on experience with SAP S/4HANA, SAP IBP, or APO.
• Experience working in global supply chain or GBS/CoE environments.

3) Important personal qualities:

• Strong analytical mindset with advanced quantitative skills.
• Ability to interpret complex data and translate into actionable insights.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.
• High level of accuracy, attention to detail, and process discipline.

4) Other specialized knowledge:

a) Technical knowledge

•  Deep technical expertise in SAP IBP, with strong focus on Response & Supply Planning, including advanced configuration and optimization of time-series-based and order-based planning scenarios.
• Experience across multiple SAP IBP modules such as DP and S&OP
• Sound technical understanding of System Integration into SAP S/4HANA

b) Languages

c) IT skills

• SAP IBP
• SAP S\4 Hana is a plus
• Advanced Excel skills

d) Product knowledge

5 ) Special personal requirements:

Please list requirements such as willingness to travel or work weekends or shifts etc.