Job Summary

Technical Integration Lead / Solution Architect

Position Title: Technical Integration Lead / Solution Architect Program: Enterprise Digital Transformation — S/4HANA Implementation Location: Hybrid / Remote Duration: 18–24 months (with extension based on rollout timeline) Reports To: Program Director / Enterprise Architecture Lead Band/Level: Principal / Associate Director

 

1. Role Context

A global discrete manufacturing organization is executing a multi-year SAP S/4HANA transformation of unprecedented technical complexity:

Dimension	Scale
Total RICEFWs	600+ across 12 workstreams
Interfaces	150+ across 12+ target systems (ECC, MES, PLM, Quality Management, Supply Chain Planning, Data Lake, Project Portfolio Management, Logistics, Trade Compliance, Tax Engines, MDM)
Custom Fiori Applications	60+ apps, 10+ user personas
Custom ABAP Development	300+ enhancements, Z-tables, Z-transactions, ZRFCs
Integration Patterns	5 coexisting patterns (IDoc, synchronous RFC, polling RFC, CPI iFlows, file-based AL11) — often inconsistently applied within the same system-pair
Error Handling Frameworks	7 distinct frameworks (AIF, IDoc/BD87, SM58/SLG1, CPI Monitoring, batch job logs, MES retry/email, custom ASRS monitor)
BTP Footprint	CPI iFlows, PLMSI 3.0/AIG, Work Zone (CMO dashboard), AEM (pathfinder in progress)
Co-Existence Architecture	Bi-directional S4↔ECC interim state with sync interfaces

 

The program has four specialized technical teams that this role must unify under a single architectural vision:

Team	Lead	Scope
ABAP / RAP / Integration Config	Senior Lead	Backend development, RFC/ALE/IDoc, AL11, AIF, Clean Core remediation
Fiori / UI5 / Launchpad	Senior Lead	Frontend development, Spaces & Pages, UX governance, BTP Fiori deployment
BTP Integration Suite & AEM	Senior Lead	CPI iFlows, AEM event mesh, RFC→AEM migration, error handling unification
BTP Build Work Zone	Senior Lead	Dashboard consolidation, Integration Ops Center, self-service portals

This role is the single point of architectural authority across all four teams — ensuring that backend services, frontend experiences, integration middleware, and digital workplace sites are designed as a coherent, interoperable, Clean Core-compliant solution rather than four independent workstreams producing fragmented outputs.

 

2. Key Responsibilities

Solution Architecture & Technical Governance

• Own the end-to-end technical architecture spanning S/4HANA core, SAP ECC (co-existence), SAP BTP (Integration Suite, AEM, Work Zone, BAS), and all  external target systems — ensuring every component fits into a unified, documented architecture blueprint
• Establish and enforce an Integration Pattern Catalogue — defining the single recommended pattern for each scenario type (master data sync, transactional replication, event-driven notification, file-based batch, real-time lookup) and eliminating the current inconsistency where the same system-pair uses three different patterns
• Chair the Custom Code Governance Board — evaluate every proposed custom ABAP development, Z-table, Z-transaction, and ZRFC against Clean Core principles; approve, reject, or redirect to BTP-based alternatives
• Own the Clean Core remediation roadmap — prioritize the migration of existing custom code  toward released APIs, RAP Business Objects, and BTP side-by-side extensions with effort estimates, dependencies, and sequencing
• Define and enforce API design standards — naming conventions, versioning strategy, error response formats, pagination patterns, and authentication mechanisms for all OData V4 services, RAP APIs, and CPI-exposed endpoints
• Produce and maintain the Technical Architecture Document (TAD) — the single source of truth for all technical decisions, patterns, standards, and component interactions across the program

Cross-Team Orchestration & Delivery Management

• Manage the four specialized technical teams (ABAP/RAP, Fiori/UI5, Integration Suite/AEM, Work Zone) — aligning priorities, resolving cross-team dependencies, and ensuring consistent delivery quality
• Orchestrate the interface between backend and frontend — ensure CDS views and OData services built by the ABAP/RAP team are designed for optimal Fiori consumption; ensure Fiori apps built by the UI team correctly handle backend error patterns; ensure both teams follow the same data model and field naming conventions
• Orchestrate the interface between ABAP and Integration Suite — ensure RAP Business Events published by the ABAP team align with AEM topic design managed by the Integration team; ensure AIF namespaces configured by the ABAP team are consistent with CPI error federation managed by the Integration team
• Orchestrate the interface between all teams and Work Zone — ensure dashboards, monitoring views, and self-service portals built by the Work Zone team correctly consume data from ABAP (AIF, IDoc status), Integration Suite (CPI monitoring, AEM metrics), and Fiori (app catalogue, navigation targets)
• Run weekly technical architecture review — review all in-flight designs, resolve cross-team conflicts, and make binding architectural decisions
• Manage technical debt register — track all known architectural compromises, deferred Clean Core remediations, and pattern inconsistencies with planned resolution dates

Error Handling & Operations Architecture

• Design the unified error handling strategy — define the target-state architecture that consolidates 7 error handling frameworks into a coherent model with a single operational dashboard
• Define error classification taxonomy — standardized error categories applied consistently across all 150+ interfaces regardless of underlying technology
• Design the operational monitoring architecture — how AIF, BD87, CPI Monitoring, AEM Dashboard, SM37 job logs, and custom monitors feed into the Work Zone Integration Operations Center as a single pane of glass

Co-Existence Architecture Ownership

• Own the S4↔ECC co-existence architecture — multiple bi-directional interfaces, data consistency rules, reconciliation framework, and eventual decommissioning plan
• Design anti-loop mechanisms for bi-directional sync — origin markers, correlation ID tracking, and publisher-side suppression logic applied consistently across all bi-directional interfaces
• Define the data reconciliation framework — what gets reconciled how often, what tolerance thresholds, and how variances are escalated
• Plan the ECC decommissioning sequence — as subsequent rollouts move more plants to S4, define which co-existence interfaces can be retired, in what order, and what the prerequisites are

Cutover & Go-Live Technical Leadership

• Own the technical cutover runbook — the 130+ activity sequence spanning system lockdown, data migration, interface activation, smoke testing, and go-live validation
• Make Gate 2 and Gate 3 Go/No-Go recommendations — post-migration data validation and post-interface-activation smoke test decisions based on technical readiness
• Define the rollback plan — technical steps, duration estimates, and decision criteria for rollback at each gate
• Lead the technical war room during cutover weekend — coordinating all four technical teams, basis, security, and external system teams through the 72–96 hour cutover execution

Stakeholder Management & Communication

• Serve as the single technical point of contact for the Program Director, functional workstream leads, and external system teams (MES, PLM, Quality Management, Supply Chain Planning vendors)
• Translate complex technical architecture decisions into business-impact language for non-technical stakeholders — explaining why a pattern choice matters, what a Clean Core violation costs, and how error handling gaps create business risk
• Produce weekly technical status reports — interface health, defect trends, Clean Core compliance metrics, and risk register updates
• Represent the technical architecture in steering committee meetings — presenting Go/No-Go recommendations, escalating blockers, and defending architectural decisions

 

3. Required Skills

Skill	Proficiency
SAP S/4HANA Architecture	Expert — end-to-end understanding of S/4HANA technical architecture including ABAP stack, HANA DB, Fiori launchpad, embedded analytics, and extensibility model
SAP BTP Architecture	Expert — Integration Suite, AEM, Build Work Zone, BAS, Cloud Connector, Destination Service, IAS/IPS, API Management, and subaccount governance
ABAP / RAP / CDS	Advanced — sufficient depth to review code, evaluate Clean Core compliance, and make binding technical decisions on ABAP vs. BTP implementation
Fiori / UI5	Advanced — sufficient depth to review UX designs, evaluate Fiori Elements vs. freestyle decisions, and govern launchpad architecture
Integration Architecture	Expert — IDoc/ALE, RFC, OData, REST, AMQP, file-based, event-driven patterns; ability to design and enforce an integration pattern catalogue
SAP AIF	Advanced — error handling architecture design, namespace strategy, and federation across CPI/IDoc/RFC
Event-Driven Architecture	Advanced — publish/subscribe, topic design, DLQ handling, anti-loop mechanisms, and eventual consistency patterns
Clean Core Principles	Expert — released API strategy, custom code governance, side-by-side extensibility, and upgrade impact assessment
Solution Architecture	Expert — architecture decision records, component interaction diagrams, non-functional requirements, and technical debt management
Manufacturing Domain	Advanced — production order lifecycle, BOM/routing, MES integration, quality management, procurement, inventory, supply chain planning, and trade compliance
Technical Leadership	Expert — managing 4+ specialized technical teams, resolving cross-team conflicts, and making binding architectural decisions under time pressure

 

4. Experience Requirements

Requirement	Minimum
Total IT Experience	15+ years
SAP Solution Architecture	6+ years
SAP S/4HANA Programs	4+ full-cycle implementations as technical lead/architect
SAP BTP Architecture	3+ years
Integration Architecture	5+ years (100+ interfaces managed)
Team Leadership	4+ specialized teams managed simultaneously
Discrete Manufacturing Industry	3+ years
Large Program Experience	500+ RICEFWs, 10+ target systems
SAP Certifications (Preferred)	SAP Certified Professional — Solution Architect, SAP Certified Technology Associate — SAP BTP

 

 

Key Responsibilities

1. Implement and configure sap cloud platform integration (cpi) solutions to integrate various sap and nonsap systems.
2. Collaborate with cross functional teams to gather requirements, design integration solutions, and ensure successful deployment.
3. Monitor and troubleshoot integration processes to ensure optimal performance and data accuracy.
4. Provide training and guidance to end-users on sap cpi functionalities and best practices.
5. Stay updated on latest sap cpi trends and updates to incorporate best practices into the erp system.

Skill Requirements

1. Strong understanding of sap cloud platform integration (cpi) architecture and best practices.
2. Proficiency in configuring and customizing sap cpi integration scenarios.
3. Knowledge of sap erp modules and data structures.
4. Ability to collaborate effectively with stakeholders to gather requirements and design solutions.
5. Excellent problem-solving and analytical skills.
6. Strong communication and interpersonal skills to work in a team environment.
7. Certification in sap cloud platform integration (cpi) is highly desired.

Other Requirements

1.SAP Certified Application Associate SAP Cloud Platform Integration