What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior SAP Basis Specialist position at swift?
ABOUT US We’re the world’s leading provider of secure financial messaging services, headquartered in Belgium. We are the way the world moves value – across borders, through cities and overseas. No other organisation can address the scale, precision, pace and trust that this demands, and we’re proud to support the global economy. We’re unique too. We were established to find a better way for the global financial community to move value – a reliable, safe and secure approach that the community can trust, completely. We’re always striving to be better and are constantly evolving in an ever-changing landscape, without undermining that trust. Five decades on, our vibrant community reflects the complexity and diversity of the financial ecosystem. We innovate diligently, test exhaustively, then implement fast. In a connected and exciting era, our mission has never been more relevant. Swift now has a presence in 200 countries and legal territories to serve a community of more than 12,000 banks and financial institutions. We are seeking a highly experienced Senior SAP Basis Specialist to lead, design, and operate complex SAP landscapes across on‑premise, cloud, and hybrid environments. The role requires deep expertise in SAP NetWeaver, SAP HANA, OS/DB migrations, upgrades, performance tuning, high availability, disaster recovery, and security. The successful candidate will act as a technical authority and architect, supporting large, multi-instance SAP environments, leading critical transformations (e.g. ERP to S/4HANA / HANA migrations), and ensuring systems meet strict availability, performance, and security requirements. This role involves close collaboration with infrastructure, security, application, and business teams, and provides technical leadership across both project and BAU operations. Key Responsibilities SAP Basis & Platform Engineering Design, install, configure, and administer SAP NetWeaver (ABAP & Java) systems across ECC, BW, CRM, SRM, BTP, Portal, Solution Manager, Cloud ALM and GRC landscapes. Lead end-to-end SAP system installations, upgrades, EHP updates, kernel upgrades, and patching activities. Perform OS/DB migrations (AIX, HP‑UX, Linux, Windows) and database migrations (Oracle, SAP). Plan and execute heterogeneous system copies, system refreshes, exports/imports, and client administration activities. SAP HANA & Modernisation Lead and deliver SAP ECC to SAP HANA migrations (on‑premise and hybrid). Support SAP HANA architecture, sizing, installation, optimisation, and post‑migration stabilisation. Contribute to HANA roadmaps, brownfield and greenfield strategies, and future‑state platform design. Performance, Stability & Availability Proactively monitor and tune SAP systems for performance, capacity, and stability. Analyse and resolve issues using SAP tools (ST22, SM21, ST04, DB02, RSMO, RSPC, etc.). Design and implement High Availability and Disaster Recovery solutions using: Server Clustering NetApp, EMC, SQL Replication VMware SRM and clustered storage Ensure systems meet or exceed SLA / KPI targets for availability and performance. Landscape Architecture & Virtualisation Design SAP landscapes including Dev / QA / Pre‑Prod / Prod tiers. Implement and manage SAP Landscape Virtualisation Management (LVM). Lead VMware-based SAP infrastructure designs, including P2V migrations and ESXi deployments. Perform SAP sizing (CPU, memory, storage) and capacity planning. Security & Compliance Support SAP user security, roles, profiles, authorisations, and GRC integration. Ensure compliance with regulated and government-grade environments (e.g. IL3, PSN, secure networks). Implement secure connectivity solutions ( reverse proxies, firewalls). Support audits, remediation activities, and secure system configurations. SAP Operations & ALM Install, configure, and operate SAP Solution Manager (EWA, Monitoring, ChaRM). Implement operational best practices using ITIL-aligned processes. Support transports (STMS), batch scheduling, system monitoring, backup, and recovery procedures. Lead root cause analysis, incident resolution, and continuous improvement initiatives. Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement Act as SAP technical SME and architect for business-critical programmes. Lead cutovers, go‑live activities, and hypercare phases. Mentor Basis, ABAP, and BI team members. Communicate effectively with infrastructure teams, vendors, project managers, and senior stakeholders. Required Skills & Experience Core SAP Expertise 15 years of hands-on SAP Basis / SAP NetWeaver experience (senior / architect level). Deep experience with: SAP ECC, BW, CRM, SRM, BTP, Portal SAP NetWeaver 7.x (ABAP & Java) SAP Solution Manager Extensive experience with SAP system upgrades and migrations. SAP HANA & Databases Proven delivery of SAP HANA migrations (Oracle/MSSQL/ASE → HANA). Strong database expertise: Oracle (9i–11g) Database patching, optimisation, and performance tuning. Infrastructure & OS Strong hands-on experience with: Linux (SUSE) Windows Server AIX, HP‑UX Virtualisation using VMware . Scripting (Unix, Windows, Perl, ABAP automation). Architecture & Operations High availability and disaster recovery design. ITIL-based service management and best practices. Experience supporting large landscapes (50 SAP systems). Experience in global, multi-region environments. Certifications (Desired / Advantageous) SAP Basis / NetWeaver certifications SAP HANA Migration certifications SAP Solution Manager VMware Oracle certifications Industries & Environments High-security and regulated environments Global enterprise SAP landscapes Past Seniority & Career Level Senior / Lead / Principal SAP Basis Specialist SAP Technical Architect Hands-on with strong strategic and leadership responsibilities What we offer We give you the freedom to be yourself. We are creating an environment of unique individuals – like you – with different perspectives on the financial industry and the world. A diverse and inclusive environment in which everyone’s voice counts and where you can reach your full potential. We are committed to an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. If you require a reasonable accommodation related to accessibility during your application or interview, please contact accessibility-Sysgroup@swift.com or indicate this in your application. Please note that this mailbox is not monitored for general recruitment enquiries and should only be used for accessibility or accommodation-related requests (for example related to vision, hearing or neurodiversity). All requests are confidential and will not affect your candidacy. Don’t meet every single requirement? At Swift, we are dedicated to building a workplace where people can bring their full selves and ideas to the team, so if you are excited about this role, we encourage you to apply even if you do not meet every single qualification. Swift doesn’t stand still. We are constantly evolving and tirelessly innovating. Working at the intersection of finance and technology is a very exciting place to be right now. Swift is transforming cross-border payments, making them faster and more transparent than ever before. We are the way the world moves value — every instant of every day, in almost every country. We are proud that what we do has a critical impact on the global financial community and touches almost every aspect of the financial world. So, what you do at Swift has real impact too — an impact that matters every day. Which is why you matter to us. Joining Swift gives you unparalleled exposure to knowledge, expertise and technologies. If you have what it takes, you’ll be able to take on different career paths and have the opportunity to work in teams, departments and disciplines in countries around the world. Swift is unique. There is no other organisation like ours in the world driving the long-term future of the financial ecosystem. You’ll be surrounded by bright, customer-focused and intellectually curious people in a collaborative, friendly, open and inclusive environment. At Swift we are trusted every instant. Everything we do has an impact that matters. And as a member of our team, you are trusted to make your impact every day. 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