Head of Build, Buy Partner Strategy for SAP Business Network (SBN)

at  SAP

WE HELP THE WORLD RUN BETTER

Our company culture is focused on helping our employees enable innovation by building breakthroughs together. How? We focus every day on building the foundation for tomorrow and creating a workplace that embraces differences, values flexibility, and is aligned to our purpose-driven and future-focused work. We offer a highly collaborative, caring team environment with a strong focus on learning and development, recognition for your individual contributions, and a variety of benefit options for you to choose from. Apply now!

SAP BUSINESS NETWORK

The global economy has been rapidly evolving from enterprise-centric to network-centric. No enterprise does business alone today. Suppliers, service providers, contract manufacturers, logistics pros – companies today rely heavily on their connections to their extended ecosystem to operate effectively. They need an intelligent and open network that delivers enhanced visibility, greater efficiency, and improved collaboration to achieve supply chain resilience and thrive in the face of disruption.
SAP already “owns” the largest procurement network in the world (Ariba Network) and SAP’s global operations and footprint in large enterprises allow us to leverage a network effect with our massive installed base. We will win with our unified strategy, instead of siloed networks, a “best-of-suite” approach – a “network-of-networks” that includes partners and brings together existing best of breed solutions like Asset Intelligence Network, Logistics Business Network and Ariba Networks into a multi-enterprise unified business network.
SAP Business Network has been identified as one of the four strategic growth areas for SAP by the executive board. Our vision is to elevate our intelligent enterprise to the “Network of Intelligent Enterprises”. We build on a strong and leading cloud portfolio, together with other innovations, all on top of the SAP Business Technology Platform. In our diverse and globally dispersed team, we are looking for a Head of Build, Buy Partner Strategy who can bring a unique perspective, innovative ideas, and a proven track record of success in strategic partnership management to help us achieve our ambitious goals.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE/QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in business, computer science, engineering, or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 8 years of experience in software development, with a significant portion in a leadership role.
• Proficiency in SAP product development and understanding of the SAP ecosystem.
• Experience in developing and implementing partner strategies.
• Ability to translate partner needs and market trends into product features.
• Thought leader with the ability to execute from incubation to implementation of products.
• Exceptional problem-solving, decision-making, and strategic planning capabilities.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• In-depth knowledge of customer journeys and product positioning.
• Ability to resolve executive-level issues with minimal impact to business.
• Deep domain knowledge of business network processes and architecture.
• Experience in enterprise architecture and its application in strategy development.
• Experience in conducting partner assessments and engaging in M&A activities.
• Ability to work cross-functionally and influence without formal authority.
• Openness to the evolving nature of the role, with the potential to take on additional responsibilities.

As the Head of Build, Buy Partner Strategy for SAP Business Network (SBN), you will be responsible for leading and managing the SBN partner strategy. You will work closely with cross-functional teams and partners to understand their needs, identify opportunities for improvement, and develop strategies that drive business goals.

Key responsibilities for the role include:

• Own the product strategy with a specific focus on the build, buy partner strategy.
• Evaluate and select among various capabilities to ensure the most effective partnerships.
• Conduct comprehensive partner assessments to identify potential opportunities.
• Bring M&A experience to the table to identify potential acquisition targets.
• Foster cross-functional collaboration across operations.
• Apply enterprise architecture principles in strategy development.
• Influence without formal authority to guide others towards company goals.
• Implement strategies to retain talent and foster an environment of continuous learning.
• Represent SAP both internally and externally.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders, partners, and customers.
• Adapt communication styles to diverse stakeholders and scenarios.
• Adapt to the evolving nature of the role, taking on new responsibilities as they arise.