S4 Data Design Lead

AstraZeneca•Wilmington, DE

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Are you ready to set the data standards that power SAP S/4HANA and shape how a global science-led company runs end to end? Do you thrive at the intersection of data design, governance, and complex business processes? In this role, you will lead the enterprise data design that underpins a once-in-a-generation ERP transformation. Your work will establish common data foundations, enable standardized processes and real-time reporting, and connect process design to business outcomes. The decisions you make will scale across geographies and functions, improving how we manage and use data from supply chain through finance, ultimately helping us move medicines to patients with more speed and confidence.

Requirements

10 years in a similar role, including 5 years in controlling and 3 years in sub-implementation.
Bachelor’s degree in finance or accounting (or equivalent).
Deep expertise in S/4HANA target-state business data standards and best-practice data concepts
Proven experience defining, documenting, and implementing enterprise data standards across master data, reference data, and metadata
Ability to develop conceptual data models, business glossaries, and ontologies aligned to process and analytics requirements
Strong knowledge of data governance frameworks and approval processes, with experience governing data across its lifecycle
Hands-on experience supporting S/4HANA process and technical design, collaborating with finance and process design leads
Capability to capture as-is data structures, conduct harmonisation assessments, and produce to-be data design proposals for global design
Track record delivering global data management processes and procedures with business-as-usual data governance teams
Experience leading data localisation and transformation activities, educating local and controlling teams on new data standards
Demonstrated ability to steer data migration scope, data quality approaches, and interim-state data management through go-live
Skilled in facilitating workshops and working sessions to land data requirements and accelerate process design discussions
Experience enforcing domain data policies and ensuring compliance with global data standards and process standards during deployments
Proven ability to manage data dependencies within integrated work packages and close requirements to meet program delivery timelines
Experience conducting change impact assessments and leading broader data education and change initiatives
Ability to maintain alignment between S/4HANA design and enterprise data design, including interim-state support
Ownership of data management testing activities and experience supporting data defect resolution during deployment and go-live
Experience providing business inputs to data cleanse and migration, including relevancy and harmonization rules, and enabling technical migration

Nice To Haves

Experience in large-scale ERP transformations within complex, global organisations
Background in data design and governance within regulated industries
Familiarity with SAP data migration tooling and data quality monitoring practices
Strong facilitation skills and the ability to drive decisions across diverse stakeholders
Comfort enforcing data policies while balancing local needs and global standards

Responsibilities

Enterprise Data Standards Leadership: Define, document, and implement S/4HANA enterprise data standards across your assigned domain, covering master data, reference data, and metadata. Confirm business context and secure approvals through established data governance.
Conceptual Models and Glossaries: Develop conceptual models, business glossaries, and ontologies that clearly describe data meaning and usage, ensuring consistency across process and analytics needs.
S/4HANA Process Integration: Apply deep data, process, and object expertise to support end-to-end S/4HANA process and technical design, partnering closely with finance and process design leaders.
As-Is and To-Be Data Design: Collect and share relevant as-is data structures and harmonisation assessments, produce best-practice to-be data design proposals, and feed these into the global design process.
Global Data Governance: Deliver effective global data management processes and procedures to govern each data asset throughout its lifecycle, working in close partnership with business-as-usual data governance teams.
Data Localisation and Migration Readiness: Lead data localisation and transformation for your domain to ensure data readiness at program go-live. Educate local and controlling teams on new standards, identify collections and transformations, and steer the data quality and interim-state approach.
Deployment Policy Gatekeeping: Serve as the gatekeeper for domain-related data policies during deployments, ensuring compliance with the Data Governance Framework, Global Data Standards, and overarching process standards.
Integrated Delivery and Dependency Management: Drive the data agenda within integrated work packages. Prioritise data dependencies and close requirements in line with delivery milestones through focused workshops and working sessions.
Change Leadership and Education: Define and lead the change journey from current to future-state data design, including change impact assessments and broader data education and change initiatives.
Alignment with Enterprise Data Capability: Maintain alignment between S/4HANA design and wider enterprise data design, including support for the interim state, to ensure continuity and fitness for purpose.
Testing and Defect Resolution: Own and execute data management testing activities and support resolution of data-related defects during deployment and go-live.
Data Cleanse and Migration Enablement: Provide business inputs to data cleanse and migration, including designs, relevancy rules, and harmonisation rules. Steer cleanse scope and priority and enable technical migration activities.