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

Salary: Competitive Plus Benefits

Location: London Store Support Centre and Home, London, EC1M 6HA

Contract type: Fixed-Term Assignment

Business area: Sainsbury's Commercial & Sustainability

Closing date: 04 July 2026

We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. Here, everything in our stores starts in Sainsbury’s Commercial. From product, proposition, packaging and price, to whether it meets our sustainability commitments or simply tastes great, our team is responsible for all food, non-food and Clothing items available in Sainsbury’s stores, online and on demand. It’s an incredibly fast-paced environment. People here are in it together and aren’t afraid to take risks. The knowledge and experience you gain here could set you up for career moves anywhere else in the business. So, if you’re passionate about your products and just as hungry to learn, you’ll fit in perfectly.

Flexible location (London, Coventry or Manchester) and Home

About the team

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’ll 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’ll 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’re 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’ll be passionate about driving meaningful, lasting change — not just implementing systems, but improving how Finance works and the value it delivers. You’ll also bring a collaborative and resilient approach, supporting colleagues through change and ensuring solutions are practical, embedded and sustainable.

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.