Government Affairs - Head of Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs (f/m/d)

Requisition ID: 423458
Work Area: Communication
Company: SAP SE
Location: Berlin
Expected Travel: 0 - 20%
Career Status: Management
Employment Type: Regular Full Time or Part Time with a minimum capacity of 75% or Co-Leadership
Career Level: T4PM/T5PM
Grade Level: C1-29 - C1-34
Hiring Manager: Wolfgang Dierker
Recruiter: Claudia Kiene

ABOUT SAP

Founded in 1972, SAP has grown from a small, five-person endeavor to a multinational enterprise headquartered in Walldorf, Germany, with more than 105,000 employees worldwide.

With the introduction of its original SAP R/2 and SAP R/3 software, SAP established the global standard for enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. Now, SAP S/4HANA takes ERP to the next level by using the power of in-memory computing to process vast amounts of data, and to support advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

The company’s integrated applications connect all parts of a business into an intelligent suite on a fully digital platform, thereby replacing the process-driven, legacy platform. Today, SAP has more than 230 million cloud users, more than 100 solutions covering all business functions, and the largest cloud portfolio of any provider.

ABOUT GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

SAP Government Affairs is SAP’s single point of contact for all interactions with government entities to drive business development and mitigate policy and regulatory risk. We engage with government officials, regulators, legislative bodies, and business associations at regional, national, and international levels. We advocate for SAP’s specific interests, monitor and mitigate policy and regulatory developments, and identify opportunities, contributing to market shaping and business opportunity creation.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

Today’s (geo-)political reality is constantly and rapidly changing, exposing new risks and new opportunities to SAP. To best respond to this new reality, Government Affairs is forming a new department that will - in alignment with the regionally responsible Government Affairs departments — take a more strategic, anticipatory, and globally coordinated approach to emerging issues. By strengthening our internal coordination and external engagement, we aim to make Government Affairs an even more agile and impactful partner to the business:

• Own cross-regional, global initiatives for SAP Government Affairs and drive them with GA teams across the world (executive board projects; key global events; external affairs (unresourced markets, Berlin diplomatic corps), contribute geopolitical expertise.
• Act as a horizontal integrator of the Global Government Affairs team, supporting on knowledge exchange, internal meetings, operating rhythms and operational excellence.

In this capacity, the new Head (f/m/d) will:

• Define and drive SAP’s Global Government Affairs Strategy in conjunction with the Head of Global GA.
• Develop and implement strategies to leverage key international events such as the World Economic Forum’s Annual meeting and the Munich Security conference and others.
• Ensure One Government Affairs Voice for SAP’s strategic focus areas.
• Liaise with global corporate functions across SAP to further embed Government Affairs as an internal strategy partner.
• Drive and coordinate (geo-)political analysis within SAP.
• Support, harmonize and standardize Global Government Affairs operations.
• Drive strategic cross-regional projects and advocacy campaigns globally through a network of embassies, international stakeholders, and local policy decision-makers to influence outcomes and strengthen global positioning.

The Head of Strategic Initiatives (f/m/d) will provide overall support and guidance to regional Government Affairs Teams within an effective, impactful, and agreed-upon governance model, contributing to continuous, cost-effective, and impactful government affairs operations. The Head of Strategic Initiatives (f/m/d) will head a team of experienced Government Affairs Specialists and report directly to the Head of Global Government Affairs and CSR.

WHAT YOU BRING

We are looking for an individual (f/m/d) that will make a difference. This might be you if you (f/m/d) meet the following criteria:

• 10+ years relevant professional working experience, thereof
  • 5+ years experience in government affairs / public affairs or comparable
  • 3+ years as people manager
• Successful track record of building, leading, and retaining diverse, multi-functional and multi-cultural high performing teams.
• Proven execution track record, especially for execution of strategic plans and driving business transformation/change management.
• Cross company experience and understanding of different areas.
• Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and strategic thinking skills.
• Managing multiple projects, priorities, and stakeholders in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Business fluent in both German and English.
• Record of building strong internal and external business relationships.
• Business strategy planning and knowledge management.

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 and more equitable world.
SAP is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provide 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 SAP Employee Referral Program, according to the eligibility rules set in the SAP Referral Policy. Specific conditions may apply for roles in Vocational Training.

Requisition ID: 423458 | Work Area: Communication | Expected Travel: 0 - 20% | Career Status: Management | Employment Type: Regular Full Time | Additional Locations: #LI-Hybrid