Architect Global SAP Platforms

Reports to: Director Global SAP Platforms

Business Unit: IT Solutions - SAP

Role Type: Permanent - Global

Location: Location-agnostic (Mexico or Europe)

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE: SW) is a global leader in sustainable paper and packaging solutions. Our teams of materials scientists, packaging designers, engineers, and manufacturing experts are united by a shared purpose: Innovate Boldly. Package Sustainably. Guided by our values of integrity, respect, accountability, and excellence, we use science and technology to advance fiber-based packaging solutions worldwide.

Our Technology organization is undergoing a major transformation. At the center of this transformation is the Global SAP Centre of Excellence (CoE), which drives SAP strategy, governance, and alignment with business objectives across the company. The CoE oversees the global SAP ecosystem, ensuring effective integration between technology and business processes while enabling innovation, operational excellence, and continuous improvement.

We are looking for forward-thinking technologists who can help strengthen foundational technology capabilities, reduce complexity, and accelerate digital transformation across our SAP landscape.

About The Role

Architect Global SAP Platforms is responsible for defining and governing the technical architecture of Smurfit Westrock’s SAP platforms. This role ensures that SAP infrastructure, development standards, and platform capabilities are aligned with business requirements, enterprise architecture principles, and the company’s digital strategy.

Working closely with architects across Platforms Delivery, Operations, Data, and Security, this role provides architectural guidance, drives technology standards, and ensures consistency and scalability across the global SAP ecosystem.

The role operates within a global environment and is expected to travel approximately once per month to visit one of the Global SAP CoE hubs located in France or Mexico.

Key Responsibilities

SAP Platforms Architecture

• Define and document SAP platforms architecture aligned with business and technology strategy.
• Establish architecture guidelines covering SAP infrastructure, cloud adoption, development standards, and technical roadmaps.
• Provide architectural guidance for platform development, upgrades, and enhancements.
• Ensure SAP platforms remain aligned with Smurfit Westrock’s digital strategy and the SAP product roadmap.
• Develop and maintain architecture documentation, blueprints, and technical standards across the SAP ecosystem.

Architecture Governance

• Participate in governance bodies to ensure adherence to global architecture standards and policies.
• Conduct architecture reviews and technical assessments.
• Manage architectural escalations and resolve complex platform issues.
• Ensure scalability, performance, and security across SAP platforms.
• Mentor and guide distributed SAP architects globally.

Technical Leadership & Collaboration

• Collaborate with Basis, Security, Data, and Technical Development architects to ensure stable SAP platform operations.
• Work closely with Product Architects, Solution Architects, Value Stream Leads, and Product Managers to ensure technical feasibility of SAP solutions.
• Align with the Chief SAP Architect to ensure consistency with the broader enterprise architecture.

Innovation & Continuous Improvement

• Evaluate and introduce emerging SAP technologies such as SAP BTP, AI, automation, and hyperscale capabilities.
• Promote DevOps and automation practices within SAP platform management.
• Support continuous improvement and modernization of the SAP technology landscape.

Organizational Context

The role is part of the SAP Platforms organization within the Global SAP CoE, which provides the technical foundation of the company’s SAP landscape. The team manages core SAP infrastructure across on-premise and cloud environments, including Basis administration, security, release management, data management, technical development, integration, and licensing.

The SAP Platforms team ensures the performance, reliability, scalability, and compliance of the global SAP environment while supporting regulatory frameworks such as SOX and other enterprise standards. By maintaining a modern and scalable SAP technology stack, the team enables innovation and operational agility across the organization.

Qualifications & Experience

• 10+ years of experience in SAP platforms architecture, design, or technical leadership within complex SAP environments.
• 5+ years of experience in strategic or leadership roles.
• Deep expertise in SAP platforms, including S/4HANA, ECC, SAP BTP, cloud environments, and integrated SAP landscapes.
• Proven experience designing and implementing enterprise-scale SAP solutions in complex organizations.
• Strong knowledge of SAP configuration, development frameworks, and architecture best practices.
• Experience with enterprise architecture frameworks such as TOGAF and strategic SAP roadmap development.
• Familiarity with tools and methodologies such as SAP Solution Manager, SAP Cloud ALM, and Signavio.
• Solid understanding of governance and compliance frameworks such as COBIT, SOX, GDPR, NIST, and ISO 27001.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Fluent business English (written and verbal). Additional languages such as Spanish or French are a plus.

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