Specialist ERP experience that travels across industries.
For many UK organisations, moving to SAP S/4HANA is one of the biggest technology programmes they will run, reshaping finance, supply chain, procurement and HR. Experienced SAP consultants, developers and architects make those transformations work, combining deep system knowledge with a clear understanding of how the business operates.
We work with growing businesses adopting SAP’s cloud ERP, established organisations moving from older SAP systems to S/4HANA, and fintechs, public bodies and charities running SAP in regulated environments, introducing SAP professionals to programmes where their expertise shapes how organisations operate.
Starting your SAP career
People come into SAP from several directions. A background in finance, procurement, logistics or HR can lead naturally into functional roles, because understanding the business process is a big part of the job. A technical background, particularly in programming or systems, suits development and Basis roles. Many people also start as super users or analysts, working with SAP in a business team before moving into consulting.
Graduate schemes and early-careers programmes at SAP partners and large organisations are other common routes. Whichever path you take, choosing a module or technical area early, such as Finance, Supply Chain, HR or development, helps focus your learning. SAP offers learning resources and trial systems, which make it easier to build hands-on familiarity before your first role.
SAP roles build on a mix of business and technical knowledge. These skills matter most early on:
- A module or technical area: growing knowledge of Finance (FICO), Supply Chain (MM or SD), HR (SuccessFactors), development (ABAP) or Basis
- Business process knowledge: understanding how finance, procurement, sales or HR work day to day
- S/4HANA awareness: familiarity with SAP’s current ERP and how it differs from older systems
- Fiori: understanding SAP’s modern user interface
- Data skills: working with data accurately, including Excel and some SQL
- Testing and support: helping test changes and resolve issues
- Communication: working with people across the business to understand what they need from the system
As your career develops, implementation and migration experience, integration and the Business Technology Platform, and stakeholder and change management become increasingly valuable. Early on, curiosity about how the business really works is a real strength.
SAP runs a structured certification programme across its modules and technical areas, with associate-level certifications as the usual starting point. For early-career candidates, a certification can be a clear way to show structured knowledge of a specific module before you have project experience.
Certifications work best alongside practical experience, though. Employers usually value evidence that you can apply your knowledge, whether through a super user or support role, a project, or hands-on practice in a trial system. SAP’s certification programme is updated regularly, so it’s worth checking SAP’s learning resources for the current options before you choose one.
SAP pay in the UK grows with experience and specialism. Early-career roles, often in support, analyst or associate consulting positions, build the foundations. As professionals develop depth in a module, gain S/4HANA implementation or migration experience, or move into architecture and programme leadership, earning potential increases.
| Seniority Level | Typical Permanent Salary |
| Junior / Associate SAP Consultant | £40,000 - £55,000 |
| Roles requiring SAP (all levels) | £42,000 - £84,000 |
| SAP Consultant | £70,000 - £95,000 |
| SAP S/4HANA Specialist |
£64,000 - £100,000 |
| SAP Solution Architect |
£100,000+ |
London offers the highest advertised SAP salaries, but SAP roles are spread widely across the UK, with strong numbers in the North of England, the South East and the Midlands. Pay outside the capital is generally closely aligned. Home-based and hybrid roles are available in many positions, and some public sector and defence work requires security clearance.
| Seniority Level | Average Permanent Salary |
| London | £70,000 |
| South-Est | £55,000 |
| Midlands | £53,750 |
| Yorkshire | £63,750 |
| North of England |
£60,000 |
| Scotland | £35,000 |
| Northern Ireland | £45,000 |
| Wales | £57,500 |
| Remote (UK Based) | £68,500 |
Moving your SAP career forward
Most SAP careers start in a single module and build outward. From there, experienced professionals typically move in one of several directions:
- Senior Functional Consultant: leading complex workstreams and design decisions within a module
- Solution Architect: designing how SAP modules, integrations and the wider technology landscape fit together
- Technical Architect: progressing from ABAP or integration development to designing technical solutions across SAP and its Business Technology Platform
- Programme or Delivery Lead: running implementation and transformation programmes
- Practice Lead or Head of SAP: building teams, shaping strategy and owning client or stakeholder relationships
S/4HANA migration experience often opens the widest range of senior opportunities, as many organisations are still moving from older SAP systems. Experience across more than one module, or across functional and technical work, can also strengthen your position for architecture and leadership roles. We can help you understand where your experience is most valued.
SAP is building AI directly into its applications, through its Joule assistant and AI capabilities embedded across S/4HANA and its cloud solutions. Routine tasks such as finding information, drafting content and producing standard reports are increasingly supported by AI, and some configuration work is becoming more automated.
For experienced professionals, that shifts the value towards process design and judgement: deciding how a process should work before it’s automated, where AI genuinely helps, and how its use is governed. Consultants are increasingly asked to help organisations adopt these capabilities responsibly, particularly in finance, where accuracy and control matter.
Our view is that AI is pushing SAP consultants further towards the business side of transformation. Professionals who combine deep module knowledge with an understanding of SAP’s AI capabilities are well placed for the roles emerging around it.
Yes. Advertised SAP roles have picked up over the past year, and S/4HANA features in a significant share of them. Many organisations are still moving from older SAP systems to S/4HANA, which creates opportunities for consultants with migration experience, as well as for those who support existing systems during the transition.
Experienced professionals with S/4HANA, finance (FICO), integration and data migration expertise are particularly well placed, as are those who combine module depth with strong stakeholder and workshop skills. Security clearance can also open a distinct part of the market in public sector and defence work.
SAP supports finance, supply chain and operations across many UK organisations, with opportunities spanning several types of employer:
- Growing businesses: implementing SAP’s solutions for small and mid-sized organisations as they scale
- Manufacturing and operations-led businesses: production planning, supply chain and inventory management
- Banks, fintechs and investment firms: finance, controlling and regulatory reporting at scale
- Public sector and third sector: large, long-running SAP estates, often being modernised
- Energy and utilities: asset management and operations built on SAP’s industry solutions
- SAP partners and consultancies: delivering implementations and migrations for clients across sector
Partner roles often offer variety across clients and programmes, while in-house roles offer the chance to shape an organisation’s SAP landscape over time. We can help you understand how organisations differ in their stage of migration and the type of work on offer.
For many experienced consultants with an ECC background, adding S/4HANA experience is a natural next step. Many organisations are planning or delivering moves from ECC to S/4HANA, and they value consultants who understand both: the existing processes and customisations, and the platform they’re moving to.
The move usually builds on your existing module knowledge and adds:
- S/4HANA’s data model and processes: understanding how core areas, particularly finance, work differently
- Fiori: working with SAP’s modern user interface
- Clean core and BTP: extending SAP through its Business Technology Platform rather than heavy customisation
- Migration approaches: understanding the different ways organisations move to S/4HANA, and the data migration involved
ECC expertise remains valuable, as many organisations still run it while they plan their next steps. Professionals with experience across both are often well placed for migration programmes, which need people who understand where an organisation is starting from as well as where it’s going.
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