SAP Basis Operation Owner

The SAP Basis Operation Owner is accountable for the end-to-end operational ownership stability security and continuous improvement of SWIFTs SAP Basis landscape across SAP RISE and OnPremises environments.
This role ensures that SAP technical platforms operate with exceptional reliability compliance and performance supporting SWIFTs core business regulatory obligations and digital operational resilience ambitions.

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities

1. SAP Basis Operational Ownership

• Own the day-to-day operations of SAP Basis platforms (ABAP Java HANA OS DB middleware transport landscape).
• Ensure 24x7 availability stability and recoverability of SAP systems supporting businesscritical services.
• Act as the single point of accountability (Operation Owner) for SAP Basis across incidents problems changes and lifecycle events.

2. Operational Strategy & Roadmap

• Define and maintain the SAP Basis operational vision and roadmap aligned with SWIFTs IT and security strategies.
• Translate business and regulatory needs into operational capabilities standards and initiatives.
• Balance run control and change priorities while ensuring longterm sustainability of the SAP landscape.

3. Incident Problem & Crisis Management

• Lead and coordinate major incident (P1/P2) management related to SAP Basis services.
• Drive root cause analysis (RCA) for systemic or recurring issues and ensure corrective and preventive actions are implemented.
• Ensure effective collaboration with infrastructure application security and vendor teams during incidents and crises.

4. Change Release & Lifecycle Management

• Govern SAP technical changes upgrades patches kernel updates and platform transformations.
• Ensure changes are properly assessed risk-evaluated approved and executed in line with SWIFT change management and CAB processes.
• Oversee SAP lifecycle events such as system refreshes upgrades migrations and RISE transitions.

5. Service Quality Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Define and monitor service KPIs SLAs OLAs and technical health indicators for SAP Basis.
• Proactively identify performance bottlenecks capacity risks and technical debt.
• Drive continuous service improvement initiatives to enhance stability efficiency automation and resilience.

6. Security Compliance & Audit Readiness

• Ensure SAP Basis platforms fully comply with SWIFT security policies internal standards and regulatory requirements.
• Work closely with Security Risk and Compliance teams on:
  • Vulnerability management
  • Patch compliance
  • Hardening standards
  • Audit findings and remediation
• Maintain audit-ready documentation operational evidence and control frameworks for SAP Basis.

7. Stakeholder & Vendor Management

• Act as the trusted SAP Basis authority for business stakeholders and IT leadership.
• Manage and challenge external vendors service providers and SAP partners to ensure contractual and service commitments are met.
• Communicate transparently on risks incidents roadmap status and improvement plans.

8. Team Leadership & Ways of Working

• Provide operational leadership using ITIL / DevOpsSec principles.
• Foster a servant leadership culture empowering engineers while enforcing accountability and quality.
• Ensure knowledge transfer documentation and operational resilience across teams.

9. Financial & Budget Responsibility

• Own and manage the SAP Basis operational budget.
• Contribute to cost forecasting budget planning and optimization initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for cost efficiency without compromising resilience or security.

Required Experience

• Proven experience as an SAP Basis Operation Owner SAP Basis Lead or SAP Platform Operations Manager.
• Hands-on exposure to SAP RISE and complex OnPrem SAP environments.
• Strong background in mission-critical regulated and 24x7 operational environments.
• Demonstrated experience with incident problem change and service management frameworks (ITIL DevOpsSec).

Technical & Professional Skills

• Deep understanding of SAP Basis architecture including OS DB SAP kernel transport management and monitoring.
• Strong knowledge of security principles system hardening and audit expectations.
• Excellent stakeholder communication and crisis leadership skills.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to drive decisions under pressure.
• Experience managing multi-vendor environments.

Personal Attributes

• Strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Results-driven with a delivery and quality mindset.
• Servant leader who empowers teams and drives clarity through vision.
• Comfortable operating at both strategic and hands-on operational levels.

What we offer

We give you the freedom to be yourself. We are creating an environment of unique individuals like you with different perspectives on the financial industry and the world. A diverse and inclusive environment in which everyones voice counts and where you can reach your full potential.

We are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation related to accessibility during your application or interview please contact or indicate this in your application.

Please note that this mailbox is not monitored for general recruitment enquiries and should only be used for accessibility or accommodation-related requests (for example related to vision hearing or neurodiversity).

All requests are confidential and will not affect your candidacy.

Dont meet every single requirement At Swift we are dedicated to building a workplace where people can bring their full selves and ideas to the team so if you are excited about this role we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every single qualification.