Head of Finance Transformation - SAP SME (P2P) (18M FTC) in City of Westminster

As part of the Commercial Transformation programme, the Embedded Finance team sits at the heart of one of the most ambitious and high-profile change initiatives across the business. This programme is focused on delivering next‑generation technology, streamlining financial processes and enabling more efficient, insight‑led decision making. This is a rare opportunity to play a pivotal role in a transformation that will fundamentally reshape how Finance operates across the organisation.

You'll be working at the centre of a large‑scale SAP S/4HANA implementation, partnering closely with Finance, Technology and Commercial leaders to design a future‑fit finance function that can better support performance, control and strategic decision making. You'll join a highly collaborative, forward‑thinking environment where your work will have immediate visibility and long‑term impact, helping to create a simpler, more connected and more effective Finance landscape across the business.

More about the role

This role is a key leadership position within Finance Transformation, offering the opportunity to shape and deliver critical elements of the SAP S/4HANA programme. You will partner with senior stakeholders across Financial Accounting & Control, Financial Operations, Commercial Finance and Transformation to define and deliver the future state of Finance. You will lead the design and implementation of end‑to‑end financial processes, reporting and controls that will underpin how the business operates for years to come.

This role goes beyond delivery – you’ll play a central role in influencing direction, challenging thinking and shaping key programme decisions, ensuring the solution delivers both operational efficiency and strong financial governance. A core part of the role is translating complex finance and SAP requirements into practical, scalable solutions that support the needs of the business. You will work closely with technology and change teams to ensure processes are not only well‑designed, but also embedded successfully through strong stakeholder engagement, training and adoption.

Day to day, you’ll oversee a small team while also influencing a wider network of delivery teams, including data, reporting and external partners. You will be responsible for navigating complexity across multiple workstreams, identifying risks and opportunities, and ensuring the programme delivers high‑quality, robust outcomes. This role offers significant exposure across the organisation, with the opportunity to work closely with senior leaders and make a tangible impact on both financial performance and how Finance partners the wider business in the future.

More about you

You bring deep technical expertise in finance systems and processes, alongside the ability to see the bigger picture and understand how transformation can unlock value for the business. You are comfortable operating in a fast‑paced, evolving environment, balancing strategic thinking with hands‑on delivery. You enjoy working through complexity and ambiguity, using your judgement to prioritise effectively and drive progress. You build strong, credible relationships across functions and are confident influencing at senior levels, providing insight, challenge and direction. You are passionate about driving meaningful, lasting change – not just implementing systems, but improving how Finance works and the value it delivers. You also bring a collaborative and resilient approach, supporting colleagues through change and ensuring solutions are practical, embedded and sustainable.

Qualifications

• Professionally qualified accountant (e.g. ACA, ACCA or CIMA or equivalent qualification).
• Proven experience of delivering finance transformation or system implementation programmes involving SAP Finance.
• Strong hands‑on knowledge of SAP S/4HANA Procure to Pay processes, including purchase orders, goods receipts, invoice verification, account determination, inventory postings, moving average price/standard price valuation, stock movements and the financial impact of stock valuation in the General Ledger.
• Proven experience in leading and shaping future‑state process design, translating business requirements into SAP design, challenging solution options, managing design decisions, supporting testing, and ensuring the delivered solution is robust, controlled and aligned to finance, commercial and operational requirements.
• Ability to work confidently across Finance, Commercial, Supply Chain, Technology and external delivery partners, providing clear direction, credible challenge and practical problem‑solving while translating complex SAP and finance topics into clear business language for senior stakeholders and delivery teams.
• Demonstrable knowledge of core finance processes including General Ledger, Procure to Pay, Accounts Payable/Receivable and financial reporting.
• Proven ability to work with and influence senior stakeholders, including presenting insights and recommendations to leadership audiences.
• Demonstrated experience of documenting business processes and translating requirements into clear, auditable outputs.

We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new – whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business – and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working.

Benefits

• Colleague discount (10%–15%) on shopping online and in‑store at Sainsbury’s, Argos, TU and Habitat.
• Pensions scheme and life cover.
• Performance‑related bonus of up to 65% of salary, depending on company performance.
• Annual holiday allowance (with the option to purchase up to an additional week’s holiday).
• Private healthcare.
• Season ticket loans, cycle‑to‑work scheme and health cash plans.
• Salary advance (access to pay before payday).
• Company car cash allowance, or a company car if you travel more than 10,000 business miles a year.
• Employee assistance programme.
• Maternity or adoption leave up to 26 weeks’ pay; paternity leave up to 4 weeks’ pay.