A rare prospect for a proven technology leader to take one of New Zealand's most significant SAP environments into its next era.

Foodstuffs South Island is a 100% Kiwi‑owned cooperative, proudly feeding the South Island and supporting successful communities. SAP sits at the heart of how they operate, supporting stores, distribution centres, support teams and the wider cooperative across Te Waipounamu. FSSI is now seeking an exceptional senior leader for one of its most strategically significant roles: Head of SAP Centre of Excellence.

About the Opportunity

FSSI operates one of the largest SAP environments in New Zealand and is recognised as an SAP reference site across the Asia‑Pacific region. The landscape is wall‑to‑wall, with an unusually broad footprint spanning S/4HANA, SuccessFactors, BTP, EWM and TM.

The SAP Centre of Excellence brings together substantial capability across Product, Delivery and SAP Architecture, and forms a significant part of a large, well‑established Digital Services function.

This is an opportunity to build on strength. The foundations are solid, the roadmap is agreed, and there is committed investment in the SAP ecosystem and emerging AI capability. What is needed now is a leader with the mandate and the ambition to drive it: evolving the Centre of Excellence's maturity, capability and strategic influence, and taking the people around them on that journey.

What You'll Lead

- Drive the SAP strategy and an established roadmap, aligned to the FSSI strategic plan and Digital Services roadmap, with the scope to shape and evolve both.

- Lead a large, multi‑disciplinary Centre of Excellence across Product, Delivery and SAP Architecture, growing capability, developing leaders and building succession depth.

- Lead the adoption of new SAP products and capabilities across the business, including BTP, SAP Business AI and automation.

- Provide oversight and direction across delivery, architecture and development. You will be surrounded by deep SAP technical expertise; your role is direction, governance and outcomes.





- Champion operational excellence and a culture of continuous improvement across an operationally critical landscape.

- Steward long‑standing strategic vendor and partner relationships, on behalf of the cooperative.

- Take accountability for significant operating and capital investment, bringing strong financial and commercial discipline to prioritisation and value realisation.

Why This Role is Unique

- Scale and significance – one of New Zealand's largest SAP environments, wall‑to‑wall in scope and operationally critical to the cooperative's food supply chain.

- Seniority and trajectory – a seat on the Digital Services Leadership Team, engagement with the Executive Leadership Team, governance forums and Board committees, and a platform for broader executive leadership.

- Strength and scope – a mature, well‑regarded function with an agreed roadmap, and the mandate to evolve it with ambition.

- Investment in what's next – continued commitment to new SAP technologies, cloud and AI, creating challenge and opportunity in equal measure.

- A cooperative environment – a member‑owned business where technology directly enables stores, communities and long‑term cooperative success.

About You

You are an established senior technology leader whose credentials at this level are already proven. You have led large, complex functions in significant organisations, where SAP may have been one of several enterprise platforms within your accountability. You bring sufficient SAP depth to set direction with credibility, and a clear view of how modern SAP environments are evolving; however,



this is first and foremost a leadership appointment rather than a technical one.

You'll bring:

- Proven success leading large, complex technology, product or platform functions within significant organisations.

- Strong credibility across modern SAP ecosystems, with an informed perspective on the role of AI in an SAP environment and the judgement to shape an approach in a rapidly evolving space.

- A track record of growing high‑performing teams, developing leaders, building succession depth and embedding continuous improvement.

- Exceptional judgement and executive presence: attuned to organisational culture, astute in how you engage, and assured in your decision-making

- Strong vendor management capability, with the relationship skills to steward long‑standing strategic partnerships.

- Strong financial and commercial acumen, comfortable with accountability for substantial investment.

- A calm, considered demeanour, sound judgement under pressure, and a deep commitment to the role and the journey ahead.

Experience with retail, supply chain, logistics or large‑scale operational environments is welcomed but not essential.

Why Foodstuffs South Island?

FSSI is one of New Zealand's most significant cooperative businesses, with a proud history and a bold future. Deeply connected to its communities, the cooperative is equally committed to investing in the technology that supports their long‑term success.

You will inherit a strong platform, a highly capable and committed team, and the mandate to shape what SAP at FSSI becomes next.

This is a Christchurch‑based role: leadership here is done in person, alongside the team and the business it serves. Candidates will be based in Christchurch, or ready to make the move to one of New Zealand's most liveable cities.

Ready to make an impact?

Convergence is leading the recruitment process for this role, reach out to Claire Gibson – Partner at Convergence for a confidential discussion on 02• ••• •142 or ••••@convergencepartners.co.nz

📌 Head of SAP Centre of Excellence (Sydney)
🏢 Convergence
📍 Sydney