Finding and retaining the right SAP personnel is becoming increasingly challenging. Transformation programmes are picking up across Europe and worldwide. The 2027 S/4HANA deadline is adding pressure to already stretched delivery teams. Many businesses are behind on hiring.
Demand is high across the board. Core functional consultants, technical experts, migration leads, and data analysts. The gap between open jobs and available talent keeps growing. To move at pace, companies need to be clear on which roles matter most and what competitive offers look like in today’s market.
This guide breaks down:
- The SAP roles that are in highest demand this year
- UK salary benchmarks across key job types
- Where hiring challenges are most acute
- Practical advice for hiring SAP experts in a tight market
Whether you’re managing an enterprise rollout or backfilling a key team member, this blog will help you build an informed, agile SAP hiring strategy that attracts the talent you need before your competitors do.
Why the SAP Jobs Market is so Competitive Right Now
The clock is ticking on the 2027 SAP S/4HANA migration deadline, and that’s fuelling an urgent surge in hiring demand across industries. From manufacturing to pharmaceuticals, UK employers are all competing for the same small pool of experienced SAP professionals, leading to real pressure on internal teams trying to hire at speed.
What makes today’s SAP recruitment market especially tough?
- Skills shortages: The number of seasoned SAP contractors and niche module specialists simply isn’t keeping up with project demand.
- Counteroffers and bidding wars: Candidates with in-demand expertise are receiving multiple offers, and those employers without clear benchmarks are losing out.
- Salary inflation: As demand rises, so do expectations. Companies are having to pay more to secure talent, especially for hard-to-fill or urgent roles.
- Time-to-hire: Delays in decision-making or over-complicated interview processes are causing top candidates to walk away.
To compete, employers need a clear, proactive approach. That starts with understanding which roles drive success and what competitive offers look like in 2025.
The Top SAP jobs you should be hiring in 2025 (with salaries)
In today’s market, every SAP hire needs to bring a measurable impact. Whether you’re mid-way through a transformation or preparing for your first big wave of S/4HANA rollout, these are the SAP Jobs most in demand and what UK employers should expect to pay to secure the right talent.
SAP Project Manager
SAP Project Managers lead the planning and execution of SAP programmes. They oversee scope, timelines, budgets, and cross-functional teams, making them critical for delivery success.
- Key skills: Stakeholder management, Agile/SAP Activate, strong delivery record
- UK Salary Range: £80,000 – £120,000
SAP Functional Consultant (FI/CO, MM, SD, etc.)
These consultants customise SAP modules to meet business needs, translating operations into system functionality across finance, logistics, and supply chain.
- Key skills: Module expertise, SAP certification, process mapping
- UK Salary Range: £60,000 – £90,000
SAP Technical Consultant / ABAP Developer
Technical specialists develop and enhance SAP applications through ABAP and related tools. They support integrations and technical workflows across the platform.
- Key skills: ABAP development, debugging, technical integration
- UK Salary Range: £55,000 – £85,000
SAP Basis Administrator
Basis professionals manage the core technical environment, including system health, upgrades, and patching to keep your SAP landscape stable and high-performing.
- Key skills: SAP HANA, system monitoring, infrastructure understanding
- UK Salary Range: £50,000 – £80,000
SAP Data Analyst
Vital for migrations and ongoing reporting, these specialists ensure clean, useful data across the system. Often overlooked, they’re essential for business insight and performance.
- Key skills: SAP BI, Analytics Cloud, data migration
- UK Salary Range: £45,000 – £75,000
SAP Security Consultant
Security experts handle access control, compliance, and audit requirements, safeguarding data integrity and reducing risk.
- Key skills: GRC tools, role design, SAP authorisations
- UK Salary Range: £55,000 – £85,000
Explore how Amoria Bond supports both contract and permanent hiring here: SAP Recruitment Services
Common Challenges in Hiring SAP Professionals
Even with clear job specifications and attractive packages, hiring SAP experts remains a challenge for many companies in 2025, as competition is fast-paced and highly specialised.
Here are the main obstacles hiring managers are up against:
- Narrow talent pools: Some roles, such as niche module consultants or hybrid business/tech profiles, are in critically short supply. Add in industry-specific requirements and the pool shrinks further.
- Rising salaries and bidding wars: Candidates often receive multiple offers, meaning salary ranges need regular updating to stay competitive. Without this, top talent quickly slips away.
- Slow internal processes: Lengthy sign offs, multiple interview rounds, and unclear decision timelines can cause ideal candidates to lose interest or accept other offers.
- Soft skills are harder to assess: Technical qualifications are only part of the equation. Employers often struggle to screen for leadership, communication, and change management ability, particularly in interview formats that don’t reflect real-world collaboration.
- Brand perception: In-demand candidates research prospective employers thoroughly. A dated careers page, unclear hybrid policies, or lack of recruiter follow-up can all reduce your appeal in a competitive SAP recruitment market.
How to Improve Your SAP Hiring Strategy
To stay ahead, companies need to shift from reactive hiring to strategic planning. That means reviewing everything from role design to offer stage and doing so with speed and precision.
Here’s how to attract and secure top SAP talent in 2025:
- Benchmark salaries regularly: Use current market data to ensure your offers are competitive. Job boards and generalist platforms can lag behind, so work with niche SAP recruitment agencies for up-to-date salary intelligence.
- Use contract professionals smartly: If you’re short on time or talent, contract hires can provide the expertise you need to protect key delivery milestones. Look for SAP experts with prior S/4HANA migration experience.
- Partner with specialists: Recruiters with deep SAP knowledge can tap into passive talent, speed up shortlisting, and reduce fall-off. At Amoria Bond, we often place candidates within 48 hours for urgent projects.
Streamline internal processes by building a structured and efficient hiring flow. That means:
- Clear interview stages
- Pre-booked availability
- Real-time decision-making
- Be flexible on location: Many experienced SAP professionals prioritise remote or hybrid work. Broaden your search criteria to improve talent access and diversity.
- Write sharper job specs: Avoid vague descriptors. Instead, focus on specific project needs, tech stack, expected outcomes, and what success looks like in the first 3–6 months.
When these tactics are applied together, companies can fill critical SAP roles faster and also reduce risk, build more cohesive teams, and avoid costly hiring missteps.
Make SAP Talent a Strategic Priority
You can’t afford to make the wrong hire. With project deadlines getting closer and systems under pressure, the people you bring in will shape delivery, performance, and long-term return. The competition for skilled SAP professionals will continue to intensify, especially as the 2027 S/4HANA cut-off draws nearer. Employers that succeed will be the ones who understand their hiring landscape, act decisively, and partner with experts who know where to find real value.
Whether you’re filling one key role or scaling an entire programme team, Amoria Bond can help you source, attract, and retain the SAP experts you need.
Want tailored advice on SAP hiring or salary benchmarks? Speak to Amoria Bond’s SAP team today.
