Overview

• Product / Initiative: Enterprise Core Platform Modernization – SAP S/4 HANA Migration

• Role: Senior Product Manager – Master Data & Plan-to-Purchase Lead

• Location: Chicago, USA

• Scale: 8,000+ stores, 200+ distribution centers, 500K+ SKUs, 15B+ annual transactions

• Outcome: Delivered $50M in annual savings by replacing legacy AS/400 with a modular, API-first architecturethrough a strategic SAP S/4HANA migration, modernizing master data, procurement, and supply chain workflows at scale.

Problem / Opportunity

The enterprise backbone was powered by a monolithic AS/400 environment, supporting critical master data and plan-to-purchase functions. Over time, this architecture became a strategic bottleneck.

Key challenges:

• 🧱 Fragmented and inconsistent master data across merchandising, procurement, finance, and supply chain.

• ⏳ Slow plan-to-purchase cycles, limiting agility in a dynamic retail environment.

• 🔌 Rigid and tightly coupled integrations with POS, pricing, and WMS systems.

• 💰 High operational and maintenance costs of legacy infrastructure.

• 🚫 No real-time data flow or API interoperability, hindering innovation.

Opportunity:

• Modernize enterprise architecture with SAP S/4 HANA to standardize core workflows and enable real-time orchestration.

• Elevate master data from a backend function to a strategic asset.

• Drive cost savings, agility, and data integrity at global scale.

Goals & Success Metrics

• Primary Goal: Modernize core enterprise workflows to enable real-time data flow, reduce costs, and improve procurement agility.

• North Star Metric: Annual cost savings and process efficiency gains.

Supporting Metrics:

• 💰 $50M annual run-rate savings

• ⏳ 40% reduction in procurement and plan-to-purchase cycle time

• 🧭 Improved master data accuracy and governance

• 📦 Faster vendor onboarding and PO execution

• 🧾 Complete decommissioning of legacy AS/400

Targets:

• Establish a modular, API-first architecture integrated with POS, pricing, and WMS.

• Standardize master data for 500K+ SKUs across 8,000+ stores and 200+ DCs.

• Minimize operational risk through staged migration.

Strategy & Approach

• Vision: Build a future-ready digital core by migrating enterprise workflows to SAP S/4 HANA, enabling speed, interoperability, and intelligence.

• Platform Modernization: Replace AS/400 with a modular SAP platform anchored in master data governance.

• API-First Architecture: Decouple core systems to enable real-time integration with downstream apps.

• Operational Stability: Use wave-based cutover, parallel runs, and rollback mechanisms to ensure continuity.

• Cross-Functional Ownership: Drive alignment across procurement, supply chain, finance, merchandising, and store operations.

Frameworks Used:

• 📊 OKRs – aligned modernization outcomes across 8 PM workstreams.

• 🪜 RICE & MoSCoW prioritization – sequenced capabilities based on impact, effort, and dependencies.

• 🧭 Capability mapping – ensured platform investments matched business value drivers.

• 🧠 Phased rollout & parallel run – reduced risk and ensured stable cutover.

• 📈 Governance cadence & telemetry – embedded measurable KPIs in delivery.

My Role & Contributions as Senior PM

• Owned the product vision and multi-year modernization roadmap for Master Data and Plan-to-Purchase.

• Led and coached 6 feature PMs driving workstreams spanning master data, procurement, vendor onboarding, pricing integration, logistics, and API enablement.

• Drove product strategy and prioritization, ensuring architectural and functional investments aligned with business outcomes.

• Partnered with engineering leadership to define technical architecture, migration approach, and platform guardrails.

• Established measurement frameworks to track cycle time, accuracy, and cost savings through telemetry and reporting.

• Led cross-functional stakeholder alignment (Procurement, Finance, Engineering, Merchandising, Store Ops) to secure funding, sign-off, and sequencing.

• Drove change management and adoption across thousands of stores and operational teams.

• Enabled feature PMs to deliver independently but in sync through clear OKR alignment and governance rituals.

Solution & Execution

🧭 Master Data Modernization

• Migrated product, vendor, pricing, and site master data to SAP Master Data Governance, establishing a single source of truth.

• Implemented robust data validation and lifecycle management, improving accuracy and governance.

• Enabled real-time master data propagation across 8,000+ stores and 200+ distribution centers.

🧾 Plan-to-Purchase Transformation

• Digitized POs, approvals, and vendor onboarding flows to reduce procurement cycle times by 40%.

• Built standardized procurement workflows, eliminating redundant steps and manual interventions.

• Improved visibility into supplier performance and inventory readiness.

🔌 Integration with Core Retail Systems

• Integrated seamlessly with PCMS POS for real-time pricing and sales data synchronization.

• Connected with Vistex for pricing, discounts, and settlements.

• Linked JDA WMS for live inventory, distribution, and warehouse operations.

• Enabled flexible API layer to support future integrations without architectural rework.

🧱 Architecture Transformation

• Replaced legacy AS/400 with modular, API-first architecture.

• Enabled phased cutover with parallel run and rollback capabilities to ensure zero downtime.

• Established a stable and scalable platform to support 15B+ annual transactions.

Impact & Results

• 💰 $50M annual savings from infrastructure rationalization, process automation, and reduced operational overhead.

• ⏳ 40% faster procurement cycles, improving vendor responsiveness and inventory agility.

• 🧭 Strengthened master data governance and real-time visibility across the enterprise.

• 🧾 Fully retired AS/400 systems, eliminating technical debt and legacy maintenance costs.

• 🔄 Enabled API-first interoperability with pricing, POS, and WMS systems.

• 🚀 Positioned the organization for advanced capabilities in predictive analytics, AI, and dynamic pricing.

Retrospective & Learnings

What worked:

• A product-led modernization strategy ensured alignment between business and technology.

• Early master data investments accelerated downstream adoption and stabilized operations.

• API-first architecture allowed for legacy coexistence during migration.

What could be improved:

• Earlier integration of POS and pricing could have amplified business impact sooner.

Key learning:

• ERP modernization is most successful when master data is treated as a strategic enabler, not just a technical dependency.