Solutions Architect - Supply Chain Planning (SAP APO/IBP)

Job Purpose

Role Description

The Solution Architect - Supply Chain Planning is responsible for the design, governance, roadmap, and continual improvement of the Group's Supply Chain Planning technology landscape.

The role provides solution architecture leadership across demand planning, supply planning, production planning, inventory optimisation, and integrated business planning processes. Working closely with Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Logistics, Commercial, and Finance stakeholders, the role ensures planning solutions are aligned to business strategy, enterprise architecture standards, and the Princes technology roadmap.

The role owns solution architecture for SAP APO, SAP IBP, SAP S/4HANA Planning capabilities and associated planning integrations, ensuring solutions are scalable, supportable, secure, and capable of supporting future business transformation initiatives.

Dimensions

• Accountable for solution architecture across all Supply Chain Planning platforms.
• Supports UK and European operations across multiple business units and manufacturing sites.
• Provides technical leadership for planning technology investment and transformation initiatives.
• Influences planning process standardisation across acquired and legacy businesses.
• Operates across SAP ECC, SAP APO, SAP IBP, SAP S/4HANA and integrated planning applications.
• Supports M&A integration, business carve-outs, and operational transformation programmes.
• No direct budget responsibility but contributes to investment cases and technology roadmaps.
• May provide technical leadership and coaching to developers, analysts, project teams and external partners.
• Key Responsibilities
  
  

Solution Architecture

• Define and maintain end-to-end architecture for Supply Chain Planning solutions.
• Produce solution designs, architecture artefacts, integration models and technical standards.
• Ensure planning solutions align with enterprise architecture principles and strategic technology roadmaps.
• Govern solution design decisions throughout project lifecycles.
• Lead architecture reviews and technical assurance activities.
  
  

SAP APO and IBP Ownership

• Act as principal solution authority for SAP APO.
• Lead architectural decisions across Demand Planning, Supply Network Planning, Production Planning and Detailed Scheduling, Global Available-to-Promise, forecast consumption, safety stock and inventory optimisation.
• Define future-state architecture and roadmap for SAP IBP adoption and expansion.
• Support migration and coexistence strategies between APO, IBP and SAP S/4HANA
  
  

Business Partnership

• Partner with Supply Chain leadership to understand strategic planning requirements.
• Translate business requirements into scalable technology solutions.
• Support annual planning, S&OP, forecasting and inventory optimisation initiatives.
• Provide trusted technical leadership to business and project stakeholders.
• Support business process harmonisation across acquired organisations.
  
  

Integration Architecture

• Define integration architecture between planning platforms and SAP ECC, SAP S/4HANA, Manufacturing Execution Systems, data and analytics platforms, master data solutions and third-party planning tools.
• Ensure robust data quality, master data governance and planning data models.
• Support real-time and batch integration architectures.
  
  

Programme and Project Support

• Provide solution architecture leadership on planning transformation initiatives.
• Support business case development and investment proposals.
• Guide project teams through design, build, test and deployment phases.
• Identify technical risks and mitigation plans.
• Support cutover, transition and hypercare activities.
  
  

Governance and Compliance

• Ensure compliance with architecture governance standards.
• Support cyber security, resilience and audit requirements.
• Maintain planning application standards and documentation.
• Contribute to IT design authorities and governance forums.
  
  

Accountability Areas

Planning solution architecture quality

SAP APO and SAP IBP technology roadmaps

Integration architecture for planning systems

Technical design governance

Planning platform scalability and sustainability

Alignment to architecture standards

Reduction of technical debt within planning solutions

Supportability and long-term maintainability of planning systems

Role Requirements

• Knowledge, Skills and Experience
  
  

Essential

• Extensive SAP Supply Chain Planning experience.
• Strong SAP APO architecture expertise.
• Deep understanding of demand planning, supply planning, production planning, inventory management, forecasting processes and S&OP / IBP processes.
• Experience designing large-scale SAP integrated solutions.
• Strong knowledge of SAP ECC and SAP S/4HANA integration patterns.
• Experience creating solution architecture documentation and design artefacts.
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
• Experience supporting complex transformation programmes.
  
  

Desirable

• SAP IBP implementation or solution architecture experience.
• SAP S/4HANA Planning experience.
• Experience within manufacturing, food, FMCG or supply chain-intensive industries.
• Experience supporting mergers, acquisitions and business integrations.
• Exposure to advanced analytics, AI-enabled planning and digital supply chain initiatives.
• Familiarity with cloud integration technologies and SAP BTP.
• Behaviours & Competencies
• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen.
• Credible subject matter expert within Supply Chain Planning.
• Pragmatic and delivery-focused.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Influences through expertise rather than hierarchy.
• Collaborative and relationship-oriented.
• Comfortable operating within complex matrix organisations.
• Continuous improvement mindset.
• Demonstrates ownership, accountability and professional integrity.
• Measures of Success
• Stability and effectiveness of planning solutions.
• Successful delivery of planning transformation initiatives.
• Reduction in planning-related incidents and technical debt.
• Positive stakeholder feedback from Supply Chain and Operations leadership.
• Adoption of standardised planning processes across business units.
• Achievement of roadmap milestones for APO, IBP and S/4HANA Planning.
• Compliance with architecture governance standards.
• Tangible contribution to forecast accuracy, inventory optimisation and supply chain efficiency.
  
  

Benefits:

• 25 Days Annual Leave plus Birthday off
• 14.5% Pension – 5% employee opt in / 9.5% employer
• Hybrid & Flexible Working - 4 Days in Office / 1 Day WFH
• Flexible Holiday Option - Buy 5 Additional Days
• Enhanced Family Friendly & Carers Policies
• Life Assurance Cover
• Private Medical Insurance
• Critical Illness Cover
• Learning & Development Opportunities
  
  

Country United Kingdom

Location Liverpool

Business Area Finance

Workplace Type Hybrid

About Princes The Princes Group has over 7,000 employees with offices and production sites in the UK, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, France and Mauritius. Princes manufactures 350 different food and drink products responsibly sourced and enjoyed by consumers every day. None of this would be possible without striving to be an employer of choice, where our colleagues are proud to represent our business.

Benefits:

• 25 Days Annual Leave plus Birthday off
• 14.5% Pension – 5% employee opt in / 9.5% employer
• Hybrid & Flexible Working - 4 Days in Office / 1 Day WFH
• Flexible Holiday Option - Buy 5 Additional Days
• Enhanced Family Friendly & Carers Policies
• Life Assurance Cover
• Private Medical Insurance
• Critical Illness Cover
• Learning & Development Opportunities