Job Description

We help the world run better
At SAP, we keep it simple: you bring your best to us, and we'll bring out the best in you. We're builders touching over 20 industries and 80% of global commerce, and we need your unique talents to help shape what's next. The work is challenging - but it matters. You'll find a place where you can be yourself, prioritize your wellbeing, and truly belong. What's in it for you? Constant learning, skill growth, great benefits, and a team that wants you to grow and succeed.
Role Description
SAP SuccessFactors is the world's leading Human Experience Management (HXM) suite, transforming how organizations engage, develop, and empower their people. Our cloud-based solutions help more than 10,000 customers across 200 countries build the workforce of the future. At SuccessFactors, we put people at the center of work-using data, AI, and technology to enable every organization to thrive in the new world of work.
We value creativity, inclusion, and bold innovation-and we believe that together, we can transform industries, elevate societies, and sustain the environment. Because it's the best-run businesses that make the world run better.
The Chief Architect / Head of Architecture for SAP SuccessFactors defines and leads the technical strategy, architectural vision, and governance model for the HXM suite. This executive role reports to the President and Chief Product Officer and is a key member of the Product & Engineering leadership team.
The Chief Architect will manage a global team of central architects responsible for guiding architecture decisions across SuccessFactors' product lines-including Core HR, Talent, Learning, and Payroll-ensuring consistent, secure, and scalable platform evolution. This team will partner closely with Product and Engineering leaders to modernize the SuccessFactors architecture toward cloud-native, AI-augmented, and BTP-integrated foundations.
What you will do:
Architecture Leadership & Strategy

• Define the enterprise architecture blueprint and evolution strategy for SAP SuccessFactors, ensuring alignment with SAP's Business Technology Platform (BTP) and corporate cloud strategy.
• Establish and govern architectural standards, patterns, and guardrails across all product areas, balancing innovation speed with long-term maintainability.
• Drive the adoption of cloud-native, microservices, API-first, and event-driven architectures to support scalable, modular innovation.
• Ensure architectural alignment across SuccessFactors domains (Talent, Core HR, Payroll, Analytics, Learning, etc.) through a federated but centrally governed model.

Central Architecture Team Leadership

• Build and lead a high-performing central architecture team of enterprise, solution, and domain architects.
• Provide architectural mentorship, frameworks, and technical leadership to engineering organizations across multiple time zones.
• Create a thriving technical community that fosters knowledge sharing, innovation, and architectural consistency.

Technology Modernization & Platform Enablement

• Partner with Engineering and Operations to drive modernization initiatives, including containerization, multi-region resilience, secure SDOL practices, and developer enablement.
• Guide the definition and implementation of reusable platform components and shared services that accelerate delivery while ensuring performance, compliance, and security.
• Embed FinOps, DevSecOps, and AI-assisted development practices to enhance developer productivity and cost efficiency.

Strategic Influence & Stakeholder Engagement

• Collaborate with senior leadership, product heads, and SAP's cross-LOB CTOs to ensure cohesive architectural direction and technology investment.
• Translate complex architectural strategies into actionable roadmaps and business outcomes that resonate with both technical and executive stakeholders.
• Represent SuccessFactors' architecture vision in global SAP forums, customer advisory boards, and technology partnerships.

Governance & Quality

• Drive architecture reviews, security and performance assessments, and technology evaluations for key initiatives.
• Ensure alignment with SAP's Secure Development and Operations Lifecycle (SDOL) and compliance frameworks (ISO-27001, SOC2, FedRAMP).
• Oversee architectural metrics for system reliability, scalability, and developer experience.

What you will bring:

• 15+ years of experience in software architecture, platform engineering, or large-scale SaaS development, with at least 5+ years leading enterprise or central architecture teams.
• Proven success managing global architecture organizations and partnering with distributed engineering teams at scale.
• Deep expertise in cloud-native architecture (microservices, Kubernetes, APIs, event-driven design) and enterprise-grade SaaS delivery.
• Demonstrated leadership in driving modernization and platform transformation in a complex multi-product environment.
• Experience embedding AI/ML and data-driven intelligence into application platforms preferred.
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills-able to articulate architectural vision to executive, technical, and customer audiences.
• Strong knowledge of secure software design principles and compliance standards such as ISO-27001, SOC2, and FedRAMP.
• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Computer Science or related field; advanced technical or business degree preferred.

Why SAP SuccessFactors
Join the team shaping the future of Human Experience Management. As Chief Architect, you'll lead the architectural transformation of a suite that touches millions of users worldwide-driving cloud innovation, platform modernization, and technical excellence across one of SAP's most strategic portfolios.
Location: Palo Alto, California
Reports To: Head of Engineering
Bring out your best
SAP innovations help more than four hundred thousand customers worldwide work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively. Originally known for leadership in enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, SAP has evolved to become a market leader in end-to-end business application software and related services for database, analytics, intelligent technologies, and experience management. As a cloud company with two hundred million users and more than one hundred thousand employees worldwide, we are purpose-driven and future-focused, with a highly collaborative team ethic and commitment to personal development. Whether connecting global industries, people, or platforms, we help ensure every challenge gets the solution it deserves. At SAP, you can bring out your best.
We win with inclusion
SAP's culture of inclusion, focus on health and well-being, and flexible working models help ensure that everyone - regardless of background - feels included and can run at their best. At SAP, we believe we are made stronger by the unique capabilities and qualities that each person brings to our company, and we invest in our employees to inspire confidence and help everyone realize their full potential. We ultimately believe in unleashing all talent and creating a better world.
SAP is committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provides accessibility accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with SAP and are in need of accommodation or special assistance to navigate our website or to complete your application, please send an e-mail with your request to Recruiting Operations Team: Careers@sap.com.
For SAP employees: Only permanent roles are eligible for the , according to the eligibility rules set in the SAP Referral Policy. Specific conditions may apply for roles in Vocational Training.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their age, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, et al), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, protected veteran status, or disability, in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local legal requirements.
Compensation Range Transparency: SAP believes the value of pay transparency contributes towards an honest and supportive culture and is a significant step toward demonstrating SAP's commitment to pay equity. SAP provides the annualized compensation range inclusive of base salary and variable incentive target for the career level applicable to the posted role. The targeted combined range for this position is 358300 - 609200 USD. The actual amount to be offered to the successful candidate will be within that range, dependent upon the key aspects of each case which may include education, skills, experience, scope of the role, location, etc. as determined through the selection process. Any SAP variable incentive includes a targeted dollar amount and any actual payout amount is dependent on company and personal performance. Please reference this link for a summary of SAP benefits and eligibility requirements: .
We are ethical and compliant
Our leadership credo: Do what's right. Make SAP better for generations to come. We believe that great leadership extends far beyond the mere pursuit of business goals. We value and foster leadership that is driven with purpose and integrity. Our leaders are role models who uphold SAP's values and shape SAP's culture of integrity, by demonstrating and championing ethical and compliant behavior towards all stakeholders.
AI Usage in the Recruitment Process
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Please note that any violation of these guidelines may result in disqualification from the hiring process.
Requisition ID: 441060 | Work Area: Software-Design and Development | Expected Travel: 0 - 10% | Career Status: Professional | Employment Type: Regular Full Time | Additional Locations: #LI-Hybrid
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Requisition ID: 441060
Posted Date: Nov 14, 2025
Work Area: Software-Design and Development
Career Status: Professional
Employment Type: Regular Full Time
Expected Travel: 0 - 10%
Location:
Palo Alto, CA, US, 94304
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