SAP S/4HANA Finance Solutions Architect

Job Description:

• Role: SAP S/4HANA Finance Solutions Architect
• Location: London, UK
• Is it Permanent/Contract:Open for both Perm/Contract
• Is it Onsite/Remote/Hybrid: 4 days per week from office for the first few months and then 3 days per week
• Domain: Banking & Financial Services (BFS)
• Project Type: Greenfield Implementation
• Experience: 15+ years

Role Overview:

• We are seeking an experienced SAP S/4HANA Finance Solutions Architect to own the end-to-end finance solution design, governance, and transition for a greenfield SAP S/4HANA implementation within a Banking & Financial Services (BFS) environment.
• This role requires deep functional expertise across SAP S/4HANA Finance, strong architectural governance skills, and the ability to ensure design integrity from requirements through deployment and transition to Business as Usual (BAU).
• The Finance Solutions Architect will act as the design authority for all Finance-related areas, ensuring compliance with BFS regulatory requirements, SAP best practices, and approved target operating models.

Key Responsibilities:
Finance Solution Ownership & Architecture
Own and govern the end-to-end SAP S/4HANA Finance solution architecture for the BFS greenfield implementation
Lead solution due diligence and assessment of delivered finance designs and configurations to ensure alignment with:
o BFS business requirements
o Regulatory, audit, and compliance needs
o SAP S/4HANA best practices and design principles
Drive consistency of design across entities, countries, and legal structures

Finance Scope & Functional Leadership:
Own solutioning across core SAP S/4HANA Finance submodules, including:
o FI-GL (General Ledger & Universal Journal)
o FI-AP (Accounts Payable)
o FI-AR (Accounts Receivable)
o Bank Accounting & Cash Management
o Asset Accounting (FI-AA)
o Period-End, Month-End, and Year-End Closing
o Financial Reporting, Statutory Reporting, and Controls
Ensure finance designs support parallel accounting, ledger structures, document splitting, and reporting requirements relevant to BFS institutions

Requirements, Governance & Design Authority:
Lead and govern finance requirement gathering workshops with senior business and IT stakeholders
Define, review, and approve:
o Finance solution architecture and design documents
o Functional specifications and design decisions
o Key finance configuration and process designs
Act as the final design authority for finance-related decisions, CRs, and solution deviations
Ensure adherence to design principles, accounting standards, and regulatory controls

Integration & Cross-System Design
o Define and govern finance integration design with:
o SAP Ariba (procurement, invoicing, payments, and financial postings)
o SAP SuccessFactors (HR-related finance postings and reporting, where applicable)
o Other third-party and upstream/downstream applications

Ensure integration designs support financial control, reconciliation, and auditability

Cutover, Go-Live & Transition to BAULead Finance workstream cutover planning and execution, including:
Accounting readiness and close simulation activities
Opening balances, historical data validation, and reconciliations
Coordination of finance-related cutover activities with Ariba, SuccessFactors, and other systems
Own the transition from project delivery to BAU, ensuring:
Clear operating models and support structures
Effective knowledge transfer to support and operations teams
Stabilization of critical finance processes post go-live

Leadership, Risk & Delivery Oversight:
Provide architectural guidance and functional direction to implementation teams
o Review and assure quality of finance deliverables for completeness, compliance, and design integrity
o Identify finance design risks and proactively drive resolution and decision-making
o Support senior stakeholders with impact assessments, solution trade-offs, and roadmap decisions

Required Skills & Experience:
15+ years of SAP Finance experience, including Finance Solutions Architect or equivalent leadership roles
Strong hands-on experience with SAP S/4HANA Finance greenfield implementations
Deep functional expertise across SAP S/4HANA Finance, including:
o Financial Accounting (GL, AR, AP, Bank Accounting, Asset Accounting)
o Period-End Closing and Financial Reporting
o Finance controls, audit readiness, and compliance

Proven experience in:
Finance solution architecture and governance
Requirement definition and design authority roles
Cutover planning and transition to BAU
Strong understanding of BFS regulatory, compliance, and audit requirements
Solid integration knowledge with SAP Ariba and SAP SuccessFactors from a finance perspective
Excellent documentation, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills

Preferred Qualifications:
SAP S/4HANA Finance certification
Prior experience in UK or European BFS environments
Exposure to Group Reporting, Central Finance, or Advanced Financial Closing
Experience defining Target Operating Models (TOM) for finance organizations
Experience working in complex, multi-entity or regulated finance landscapes

Soft Skills & Competencies:
Strong analytical, structured problem-solving, and decision-making abilities
Ability to confidently engage with senior client and executive stakeholders
High attention to detail and strong quality orientation
Ability to balance strategic architectural design with pragmatic delivery constraints