ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms provides world-class ecosystems across Africa, contributing to the continent’s industrialisation agenda and enhancing manufacturing competitiveness.

We are driven by the pursuit of green growth; our ambition is to unlock the continent’s industrial potential while neutralising our carbons emissions and climate impact.

Job Description – IT Lead – SAP & Textile Technology

Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced IT Lead – SAP & Textile Technology to lead technology enablement for our Textile business. The role will serve as the key interface between Business Leadership and Corporate IT, ensuring that business requirements are translated into scalable SAP and digital solutions that drive operational excellence.

The ideal candidate will bring a strong blend of textile manufacturing expertise and SAP implementation experience, with the ability to collaborate effectively with business stakeholders, implementation partners, and internal IT teams. This is a business-facing leadership role focused on process transformation, solution delivery, and technology adoption across the textile value chain.

Key Responsibilities

• Partner with Textile Business Heads to understand business priorities, operational challenges, and transformation opportunities.
• Act as the primary liaison between the Textile business and the Enterprise Applications team for SAP and related technology initiatives.
• Drive business process improvements across procurement, production planning, manufacturing, inventory management, warehousing, quality, and supply chain functions.
• Lead SAP implementation, rollout, enhancement, and optimization initiatives for the Textile business.
• Translate business requirements into functional specifications and work closely with SAP functional, technical, and integration teams to ensure successful solution delivery.
• Promote standardization of business processes and adoption of SAP best practices across manufacturing locations.
• Coordinate solution design, testing, user acceptance, deployment, training, and post-go-live support.
• Ensure effective governance of business processes and master data, including Materials, Bills of Materials (BOM), Routings, Vendors, and Production Masters.
• Collaborate with business and IT teams to identify opportunities for automation, analytics, AI, and Industry 4.0 initiatives.
• Monitor project delivery, manage stakeholder expectations, resolve business issues, and ensure timely execution of technology initiatives.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives that enhance productivity, quality, traceability, and operational efficiency.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Technology, Textile Engineering, or a related discipline. MBA is an added advantage.
• 14+ years of experience in Textile Manufacturing and SAP-enabled business transformation.
• Strong domain expertise in textile manufacturing processes such as spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, finishing, garment manufacturing, planning, procurement, inventory, warehousing, and quality management.
• Hands-on experience in multiple SAP implementation, rollout, or transformation projects.
• Strong expertise in one or more SAP modules such as PP, MM, QM, PM, EWM/WM, with a good understanding of end-to-end integration across SAP.
• Experience in SAP S/4HANA implementation or migration projects is highly desirable.
• Ability to work effectively with business leaders, implementation partners, and cross-functional IT teams.
• Strong analytical, stakeholder management, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working in multi-location or global manufacturing environments.

Preferred Skills

• Exposure to Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Industry 4.0, IoT, shop-floor automation, barcode/RFID solutions, or warehouse automation.
• Knowledge of SAP Fiori, SAP Analytics, and manufacturing dashboards.
• Experience with AI, analytics, and digital transformation initiatives within manufacturing environments.
• SAP certification is desirable but not mandatory.

Key Competencies

• Business Partnership, Manufacturing Process Excellence, SAP Solution Enablement, Stakeholder Management, Digital Transformation, Project & Change Management, Process Standardization, Strategic Thinking, Collaboration & Influencing, Results Orientation

Success Measures

• Successful delivery of SAP and technology initiatives for the Textile business.
• Improved manufacturing efficiency and process standardization.
• Higher adoption of SAP-enabled business processes.
• Strong partnership between Business and IT teams.
• Timely resolution of business issues and continuous process improvements.
• Delivery of measurable business value through technology-enabled transformation.