Principal Chapter Lead Sap Finance, Ariba, Concur, Platformx
Do you want to be part of an inclusive team that works to develop innovative therapies for patients? Every day, we are driven to develop and deliver innovative and effective new medicines to patients and physicians. If you want to be part of this exciting work, you belong at Astellas! Astellas Pharma Inc. is a pharmaceutical company conducting business in more than 70 countries around the world. We are committed to turning innovative science into medical solutions that bring value and hope to patients and their families. Keeping our focus on addressing unmet medical needs and conducting our business with ethics and integrity enables us to improve the health of people throughout the world.
This position is based in Northbrook, Illinois. Hybrid work from certain states may be permitted in accordance with Astellas' Responsible Flexibility Guidelines. Candidates interested in hybrid work are encouraged to apply.
Purpose :
As the Principal Chapter Lead for Sap Finance, Ariba & Concur, you will provide strategic leadership, technical oversight, and talent development across multiple chapters within a specialized area of digital expertise. You will lead multiple Chapter Leads and their teams, ensuring alignment with the organization's enterprise platform strategy while fostering a culture of innovation, continuous learning, and operational excellence. Our agile operating model is structured into two key components :
As the Principal Chapter Lead, you will be responsible for developing enterprise-wide capabilities, standardizing best practices, and mentoring Chapter Leads to drive efficiency, resilience, and agility in our digital platforms. Your primary focus, as the specialized group lead, will be to enhance our digital capabilities, contributing to strategic goals, and nurturing the team of talented professionals.
Essential Job Responsibilities :
1. Strategic Leadership & Platform Vision
2. People Leadership & Capability Development
3. Collaboration & Cross-functional Influence
4. Operational Excellence & Technical Governance
Qualifications Required :
Education : Advanced degree in Finance, Accounting, Information Systems, Computer Science, or related field.
Experience : Minimum of 15 years of progressive experience in enterprise Erp and financial platforms, with proven expertise in Sap Finance (Fi / Co, Fscm), Ariba, Concur, and Fpa solutions. Demonstrated leadership in S / 4hana Finance transformation, intelligent spend management, and enterprise planning & consolidation initiatives.
Must have had several full cycle Sap Global Implementations experience in the role of leading the Finance Sap implementation team, as part of enterprise transformation programs.
Strong Intercompany knowledge with integration with other modules is needed.
Strong knowledge of global tax requirements and solutions is preferred.
Knowledge and Integration experience with Bolt-on applications such as Thompson Reuters Tax Engine, Opentext, Swiftnet and Blackline.
Agile Expertise : Deep knowledge of Agile principles and frameworks, with hands-on experience leading Agile / Lean transformations in Erp and Finance platform environments. Professional certifications (e.g., Saf Agilist, Certified Scrum Master) highly desirable.
Leadership & Team Development : Strong track record of building, mentoring, and leading high-performing Erp and Finance capability teams. Proven coaching and facilitation skills to develop talent and foster collaboration across global chapters.
Strategic Thinking : Ability to define and execute strategic roadmaps for Finance, Procurement, Travel & Expense, and Fpa platforms. Skilled at aligning Sap capabilities with business objectives to simplify processes, ensure compliance, enhance planning accuracy, and drive innovation.
Technical Proficiency :
Collaboration & Influence : Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior Finance, Procurement, and Fpa leaders. Adept at bridging financial strategy, business requirements, and technology enablement across global organizations.
Working Environment :
At Astellas we recognize the importance of work / life balance, and we are proud to offer a hybrid working solution allowing time to connect with colleagues at the office with the flexibility to also work from home. We believe this will optimize the most productive work environment for all employees to succeed and deliver.
Hybrid work from certain locations may be permitted in accordance with Astellas' Responsible Flexibility Guidelines.
Salary Range : $197,400 - $282,000 NOTE : Final salary could be more or less, based on experience)
Benefits :
Finance Lead • Northbrook, IL, US