SAP Release Engineer

Location: Pune, India

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

Role Summary

The SAP Release Engineer is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing SAP releases across a complex, multi-system SAP landscape. This role ensures reliable, compliant, and predictable deployments while partnering closely with Application Development, Basis, Security, Testing, and Business stakeholders. The Release Engineer owns the end-to-end release lifecycle, including release calendars, change governance, deployment execution, and post-release stabilization.

Key Responsibilities:

Release Planning & Coordination

• Own and manage the SAP release, including monthly, tri-annual, and emergency releases across production and non-production environments.

• Plan release scope, deployment sequencing, cutover activities, and rollback strategies.

• Coordinate releases across multiple SAP platforms (ECC, S/4HANA, BW, PI/CPI, SolMan, GRC, ATTP, integrations, and non-SAP dependencies).

Change & Transport Management

• Manage SAP Change and Release Management (ChaRM) processes in SAP Solution Manager.

• Ensure all transports follow defined governance, approvals, and audit requirements.

• Partner with CAB and Change Management teams to review, approve, and schedule changes (standard, normal, and emergency).

Deployment Execution

• Lead and execute production and non-production deployments, including off-hours and weekend releases when required.

• Coordinate with SAP Basis, Infrastructure, and Application teams to ensure environment readiness.

• Oversee automated and manual deployments using tools such as ChaRM, TMS/CTS+, Jenkins pipelines, and related tooling.

Stakeholder Communication

• Serve as the primary point of contact for release communications.

• Publish release schedules, deployment notices, release notes, and post-release summaries.

• Provide clear status updates to IT leadership, business partners, and support teams before, during, and after releases.

Post-Release & Stability

• Monitor systems post-deployment to ensure stability and rapid issue resolution.

• Coordinate defect triage, hotfixes, and rollback decisions if needed.

• Ensure lessons learned and continuous improvement actions are captured after each release.

Compliance & Audit Support

• Maintain release documentation, approvals, and evidence to support internal and external audits.

• Ensure adherence to SOX, ITSM, and enterprise change management standards.

Required Qualifications

Experience

• 5+ years of IT experience with 3+ years in SAP Release or Change Management roles.

• Hands-on experience managing releases in large, complex SAP landscapes.

• Proven experience with SAP Solution Manager ChaRM, TMS/CTS+, and transport governance.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of SAP system landscapes and transport flows.

• Experience with SAP platforms such as ECC, S/4HANA, BW, PI/CPI, GRC, ATTP, and integrations.

• Familiarity with CI/CD and automation tools (e.g., Jenkins) in SAP environments.

Process & Soft Skills

• Strong knowledge of ITIL-based Change and Release Management practices.

• Excellent coordination, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

• Ability to operate under pressure during critical deployments and incidents.

Preferred Qualifications

• SAP Solution Manager certification or ITIL certification.

• Experience supporting SAP S/4HANA transformations or large-scale SAP programs.

• Experience in regulated or compliance-heavy environments (SOX, audit-driven organizations).

What Success Looks Like

• Predictable, on-time SAP releases with minimal production incidents.

• Strong trust and partnership with application, infrastructure, and business teams.

• High-quality release documentation and audit readiness at all times.

• Continuous improvement in release automation, efficiency, and stability.

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Role Summary

The SAP Release Engineer is responsible for planning, coordinating, and executing SAP releases across a complex, multi-system SAP landscape. This role ensures reliable, compliant, and predictable deployments while partnering closely with Application Development, Basis, Security, Testing, and Business stakeholders. The Release Engineer owns the end-to-end release lifecycle, including release calendars, change governance, deployment execution, and post-release stabilization.

Key Responsibilities:

Release Planning & Coordination

• Own and manage the SAP release, including monthly, tri-annual, and emergency releases across production and non-production environments.

• Plan release scope, deployment sequencing, cutover activities, and rollback strategies.

• Coordinate releases across multiple SAP platforms (ECC, S/4HANA, BW, PI/CPI, SolMan, GRC, ATTP, integrations, and non-SAP dependencies).

Change & Transport Management

• Manage SAP Change and Release Management (ChaRM) processes in SAP Solution Manager.

• Ensure all transports follow defined governance, approvals, and audit requirements.

• Partner with CAB and Change Management teams to review, approve, and schedule changes (standard, normal, and emergency).

Deployment Execution

• Lead and execute production and non-production deployments, including off-hours and weekend releases when required.

• Coordinate with SAP Basis, Infrastructure, and Application teams to ensure environment readiness.

• Oversee automated and manual deployments using tools such as ChaRM, TMS/CTS+, Jenkins pipelines, and related tooling.

Stakeholder Communication

• Serve as the primary point of contact for release communications.

• Publish release schedules, deployment notices, release notes, and post-release summaries.

• Provide clear status updates to IT leadership, business partners, and support teams before, during, and after releases.

Post-Release & Stability

• Monitor systems post-deployment to ensure stability and rapid issue resolution.

• Coordinate defect triage, hotfixes, and rollback decisions if needed.

• Ensure lessons learned and continuous improvement actions are captured after each release.

Compliance & Audit Support

• Maintain release documentation, approvals, and evidence to support internal and external audits.

• Ensure adherence to SOX, ITSM, and enterprise change management standards.

Required Qualifications

Experience

• 5+ years of IT experience with 3+ years in SAP Release or Change Management roles.

• Hands-on experience managing releases in large, complex SAP landscapes.

• Proven experience with SAP Solution Manager ChaRM, TMS/CTS+, and transport governance.

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of SAP system landscapes and transport flows.

• Experience with SAP platforms such as ECC, S/4HANA, BW, PI/CPI, GRC, ATTP, and integrations.

• Familiarity with CI/CD and automation tools (e.g., Jenkins) in SAP environments.

Process & Soft Skills

• Strong knowledge of ITIL-based Change and Release Management practices.

• Excellent coordination, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

• Ability to operate under pressure during critical deployments and incidents.

Preferred Qualifications

• SAP Solution Manager certification or ITIL certification.

• Experience supporting SAP S/4HANA transformations or large-scale SAP programs.

• Experience in regulated or compliance-heavy environments (SOX, audit-driven organizations).

What Success Looks Like

• Predictable, on-time SAP releases with minimal production incidents.

• Strong trust and partnership with application, infrastructure, and business teams.

• High-quality release documentation and audit readiness at all times.

• Continuous improvement in release automation, efficiency, and stability.

What Cencora offers

​Benefit offerings outside the US may vary by country and will be aligned to local market practice. The eligibility and effective date may differ for some benefits and for team members covered under collective bargaining agreements.

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Cencora is committed to providing equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or membership in any other class protected by federal, state or local law.

The company’s continued success depends on the full and effective utilization of qualified individuals. Therefore, harassment is prohibited and all matters related to recruiting, training, compensation, benefits, promotions and transfers comply with equal opportunity principles and are non-discriminatory.

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