Chief Architect / Head of Architecture - SAP SuccessFactors

SAP•Palo Alto, CA

38d•$358,300 - $609,200•Hybrid

About The Position

At SAP, we keep it simple: you bring your best to us, and we'll bring out the best in you. We're builders touching over 20 industries and 80% of global commerce, and we need your unique talents to help shape what's next. The work is challenging - but it matters. You'll find a place where you can be yourself, prioritize your wellbeing, and truly belong. What's in it for you? Constant learning, skill growth, great benefits, and a team that wants you to grow and succeed. SAP SuccessFactors is the world's leading Human Experience Management (HXM) suite, transforming how organizations engage, develop, and empower their people. Our cloud-based solutions help more than 10,000 customers across 200 countries build the workforce of the future. At SuccessFactors, we put people at the center of work-using data, AI, and technology to enable every organization to thrive in the new world of work. We value creativity, inclusion, and bold innovation-and we believe that together, we can transform industries, elevate societies, and sustain the environment. Because it's the best-run businesses that make the world run better. The Chief Architect / Head of Architecture for SAP SuccessFactors defines and leads the technical strategy, architectural vision, and governance model for the HXM suite. This executive role reports to the President and Chief Product Officer and is a key member of the Product & Engineering leadership team. The Chief Architect will manage a global team of central architects responsible for guiding architecture decisions across SuccessFactors' product lines-including Core HR, Talent, Learning, and Payroll-ensuring consistent, secure, and scalable platform evolution. This team will partner closely with Product and Engineering leaders to modernize the SuccessFactors architecture toward cloud-native, AI-augmented, and BTP-integrated foundations. Join the team shaping the future of Human Experience Management. As Chief Architect, you'll lead the architectural transformation of a suite that touches millions of users worldwide-driving cloud innovation, platform modernization, and technical excellence across one of SAP's most strategic portfolios.

Requirements

15+ years of experience in software architecture, platform engineering, or large-scale SaaS development, with at least 5+ years leading enterprise or central architecture teams.
Proven success managing global architecture organizations and partnering with distributed engineering teams at scale.
Deep expertise in cloud-native architecture (microservices, Kubernetes, APIs, event-driven design) and enterprise-grade SaaS delivery.
Demonstrated leadership in driving modernization and platform transformation in a complex multi-product environment.
Excellent communication and storytelling skills-able to articulate architectural vision to executive, technical, and customer audiences.
Strong knowledge of secure software design principles and compliance standards such as ISO-27001, SOC2, and FedRAMP.
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or related field; advanced technical or business degree preferred.

Nice To Haves

Experience embedding AI/ML and data-driven intelligence into application platforms preferred.

Responsibilities

Define the enterprise architecture blueprint and evolution strategy for SAP SuccessFactors, ensuring alignment with SAP's Business Technology Platform (BTP) and corporate cloud strategy.
Establish and govern architectural standards, patterns, and guardrails across all product areas, balancing innovation speed with long-term maintainability.
Drive the adoption of cloud-native, microservices, API-first, and event-driven architectures to support scalable, modular innovation.
Ensure architectural alignment across SuccessFactors domains (Talent, Core HR, Payroll, Analytics, Learning, etc.) through a federated but centrally governed model.
Build and lead a high-performing central architecture team of enterprise, solution, and domain architects.
Provide architectural mentorship, frameworks, and technical leadership to engineering organizations across multiple time zones.
Create a thriving technical community that fosters knowledge sharing, innovation, and architectural consistency.
Partner with Engineering and Operations to drive modernization initiatives, including containerization, multi-region resilience, secure SDOL practices, and developer enablement.
Guide the definition and implementation of reusable platform components and shared services that accelerate delivery while ensuring performance, compliance, and security.
Embed FinOps, DevSecOps, and AI-assisted development practices to enhance developer productivity and cost efficiency.
Collaborate with senior leadership, product heads, and SAP's cross-LOB CTOs to ensure cohesive architectural direction and technology investment.
Translate complex architectural strategies into actionable roadmaps and business outcomes that resonate with both technical and executive stakeholders.
Represent SuccessFactors' architecture vision in global SAP forums, customer advisory boards, and technology partnerships.
Drive architecture reviews, security and performance assessments, and technology evaluations for key initiatives.
Ensure alignment with SAP's Secure Development and Operations Lifecycle (SDOL) and compliance frameworks (ISO-27001, SOC2, FedRAMP).
Oversee architectural metrics for system reliability, scalability, and developer experience.