Technical Executive Director, SAP Basis & Platform Operations

Technical Executive Director, Sap Basis & Platform OperationsThe Estée Lauder Companies Inc. is one of the world's leading manufacturers, marketers, and sellers of quality skin care, makeup, fragrance, and hair care products, and is a steward of luxury and prestige brands globally. The company's products are sold in approximately 150 countries and territories under brand names including: Estée Lauder, Aramis, Clinique, Lab Series, Origins, M·A·C, La Mer, Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, Aveda, Jo Malone London, Bumble and bumble, Darphin Paris, TOM FORD, Smashbox, AERIN Beauty, Le Labo, Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, GLAMGLOW, KILIAN PARIS, Too Faced, Dr.Jart+, the DECIEM family of brands, including The Ordinary and NIOD, and BALMAIN Beauty.The Technical Executive Director, SAP Basis & Platform Operations, is responsible for ensuring the stability, security, and performance of the current global SAP environment.This role leads the SAP Basis organization with accountability for 24x7 operations, platform lifecycle management, and technical architecture, with a strong focus on evolving the landscape toward S/4HANA, RISE, and cloud-first delivery models.This role will drive the transformation from traditional SAP Basis operations to a modern platform engineering capability, enabling scalability, automation, and improved service delivery. While maintaining operational excellence across ECC and integrated NetWeaver platforms, this role will accelerate the adoption of cloud-based services, hybrid architectures, SAP Business Data Cloud (BDC) and SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP) capabilities.Partnering with Enterprise Architecture, SAP functional/engineering leadership, and infrastructure teams, this position will define and execute a multi-year transformation roadmap, aligning SAP platform capabilities with long-term business strategy. Success in this role requires the ability to lead through change, operate within shared responsibility models (RISE), and balance current-state reliability with future-state innovation.Key Roles & ResponsibilitiesSAP Platform Strategy & TransformationHelp define and execute the SAP platform strategy, aligning to S/4HANA, RISE, and cloud-first architecture principlesDevelop and maintain a multi-year transformation roadmap, including S/4HANA readiness and adoption planningPartner with enterprise architecture and SAP leadership to drive innovation and future-state platform capabilitiesGlobal SAP Basis Operations LeadershipLead the global SAP Basis organization, ensuring reliable 24x7 production support across all SAP environmentsOwn service delivery performance, including SLAs, incident management, problem resolution, and change controlDrive evolution from traditional Basis operations to a platform engineering and service-oriented modelPlatform Lifecycle & Technical EngineeringOversee SAP platform lifecycle activities, including upgrades, patching, migrations, and transformation initiativesLead technical execution of modernization efforts, including HANA optimization and S/4 readiness activitiesEnsure optimal performance, capacity planning, and system tuning across SAP landscapesRISE, Cloud & Hybrid Infrastructure ManagementLead SAP platform operations across RISE, cloud (Azure), and on-premise environmentsDefine and manage operating models within shared responsibility frameworks with SAPDrive infrastructure optimization, including cost management, scalability, and performanceFuture-State Enablement (S/4HANA, RISE, BTP)Establish foundational capabilities required for S/4HANA transformation and cloud adoptionEnable adoption of SAP BTP services, integration capabilities, and platform extensibilityLead transition to modern tools such as SAP BDC, Cloud ALM and advanced monitoring frameworksVendor & Partner ManagementManage strategic relationships with SAP, cloud providers, and third-party service partnersGovern service delivery across a multi-vendor ecosystem, ensuring accountability and performanceCoordinate effectively within SAP-managed and hybrid cloud service modelsRisk, Security & ComplianceEnsure SAP platform compliance with security standards, audit requirements, and regulatory expectationsOversee vulnerability management, patching strategies, and risk mitigation effortsEnsure readiness for disaster recovery and business continuity scenariosLeadership & Talent DevelopmentMentor and develop talent aligned to modern SAP and cloud capabilitiesQualificationsLeadership & Experience10+ years of experience in SAP Basis, platform engineering, or SAP technical operations within large-scale, global environments5+ years of leadership experience managing SAP Basis teams and/or managed service providersProven track record of leading SAP platform transformation initiatives, including modernization and cloud adoptionExperience operating in complex, highly integrated SAP landscapes, preferably supporting a single global instance or similarly scaled environmentCore SAP Technical ExpertiseDeep expertise in SAP Basis administration across ECC and NetWeaver-based platforms, including BW, PI/PO, Portal, and Solution ManagerStrong experience with SAP HANA databases, including performance tuning, system optimization, and migration supportDemonstrated experience leading or supporting major SAP lifecycle events (upgrades, migrations, system refreshes, Unicode/HANA conversions, etc.)Strong understanding of transport management, system architecture, and cross-system integration dependenciesCloud, Hybrid & Emerging SAP CapabilitiesHands-on experience supporting SAP workloads in cloud environments (Azure preferred), including infrastructure design, networking, and performance optimizationExperience with or direct involvement in S/4HANA environments and migration planning/executionStrong familiarity with SAP RISE (Private or Public Cloud) operating models, including shared responsibility and SAP-managed servicesWorking knowledge of hybrid SAP landscapes, including connectivity (VPN, ExpressRoute), identity integration, and cloud-to-on-premise integration patternsExperience with SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP), including integration, extensibility, or data services strongly preferredArchitecture & Strategic CapabilityAbility to define and evolve target-state SAP platform architecture aligned to cloud-first and S/4HANA strategiesExperience partnering with Enterprise Architecture to define multi-year roadmaps and transformation strategiesStrong understanding of infrastructure design, capacity planning, and system scalability across hybrid and cloud environmentsOperational Excellence & GovernanceDeep understanding of ITIL-based service management processes (Incident, Problem, Change Management)Proven experience modernizing operations through automation, standardization, and service optimizationExperience implementing or supporting modern monitoring, observability, and performance management frameworksStrong focus on automation and operational efficiency within SAP platform managementVendor & Stakeholder ManagementExperience managing and governing third-party service providers and SAP support relationshipsAbility to operate effectively in a multi-vendor, globally distributed delivery model, including SAP-managed cloud servicesStrong communication skills with the ability to engage technical teams, business stakeholders, and executive leadershipEducation & CertificationsBachelor's degree in Information Technology, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience)SAP certifications (Basis, NetWeaver, HANA, or S/4HANA) preferredCloud certifications (Azure and/or SAP BTP) strongly preferredPay Range:The anticipated base salary range for this position is $177,100.00 to $304,500.00. Exact salary depends on several factors such as experience, skills, education, and budget. Salary range may vary based on geographic location. In addition to base salary, this position is eligible for participation in a highly competitive bonus program as well as participation in the share incentive plan. In addition,