Software Developer Principal

Job Description Summary

The Software Developer Principal serves as a senior technical authority responsible for architecting, designing, and delivering enterprise‑grade, cloud‑based internal products built on SAP S/4HANA and the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). This role drives the adoption of SAP Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Generative AI, and SAP Joule, ensuring scalable, secure, and intelligent solutions. As the Product SME, this position provides architectural leadership, partner enablement support, and deep technical alignment across L2C and S2P business processes.

Essential Job Functions & Responsibilities

• Architect, design, develop, and unit test internal enterprise software products with strong emphasis on reliability, scalability, performance, and security.

• Lead adoption of SAP AI, Machine Learning, Generative AI, and SAP Joule to embed intelligent automation, predictive insights, and conversational AI into products.

• Design and implement S/4HANA clean‑core extensions using ABAP on SAP BTP, SAP RAP, SAP Build Apps, and Java/CAP‑based services.

• Build modular, testable, and high‑performing subsystems integrating with SAP through APIs, events, and messaging patterns; apply engineering best practices including TDD and CI/CD.

• Own the technical architecture, roadmap, and product engineering strategy for internal SAP‑based applications.

• Utilize SAP Datasphere and Generative AI to enable analytics, semantic modeling, and intelligent data‑driven capabilities.

• Apply SAP LeanIX architecture standards to maintain alignment with enterprise technology models and target‑state architecture.

• Provide end‑to‑end technical and functional alignment for Lead‑to‑Cash (L2C) and Source‑to‑Pay (S2P) processes.

• Integrate SAP solutions with Microsoft Azure, leveraging Azure AI and cloud services where beneficial.

• Conduct architecture and code reviews to ensure compliance with enterprise standards and security frameworks.

• Identify opportunities to optimize engineering processes and modernize SAP development practices.

• Mentor junior and senior developers, providing technical leadership and direction.

Implementation Partner Enablement & Product SME Responsibilities

• Serve as the Product SME for cloud‑based SAP internal products, supporting successful partner‑led implementations.

• Provide implementation partners with architecture guidance, extensibility patterns, clean‑core strategies, and integration recommendations.

• Act as the technical escalation point for complex configuration, extensibility, and integration issues.

• Develop partner‑enablement materials such as reference architectures, implementation guidelines, and best‑practice documentation.

• Incorporate partner feedback into product improvements and roadmap planning.

Required Qualifications

• B.S. in Computer Science, Software Engineering, or related field (equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience accepted in lieu of a formal degree).

• 15+ years of integration experience: deep expertise in evolving integration patterns, from SOAP/XML Web Services and IDocs/RFCs to modern RESTful APIs and OData (v2 and v4).

• 10+ years of API management: proven track record of designing and securing lifecycle-managed APIs using SAP Integration Suite (formerly CPI) and SAP API Management.

• 8+ Years of S/4HANA & cloud transformation: deep experience in the evolution from Classic ABAP to S/4HANA Extensibility, with a focus on "Clean Core" principles using In-App and Side-by-Side extensions.

• 5+ Years of SAP BTP (Business Technology Platform): Proven expertise in the modern cloud era of SAP, specifically leveraging SAP BTP Cockpit, Cloud Foundry, or Kyma environments.

• 3+ Years of ABAP Cloud & RAP: specialized experience in the ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model (RAP) and development of OData services for modern Fiori applications.

• 2+ Years of SAP Business AI & Generative AI Hub: proven experience implementing LLM-based solutions on SAP BTP, including prompt engineering and RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) architectures within the SAP ecosystem.

•  1+ Year of SAP Joule Integration: Early-adopter experience with SAP Joule, specifically in extending its capabilities or deploying it within S/4HANA and BTP environments 

•  1+ Year of low-code/no-code mastery: early adoption and implementation of SAP Build Apps for rapid extension delivery.

• 8+ Years of predictive modeling & ML: strong background in classical Machine Learning (PAL/APL libraries) and the integration of SAP HANA ML into business processes.

• Proven experience architecting solutions on SAP Datasphere (including its predecessor, Data Warehouse Cloud), with a focus on building a Business Data Fabric across hybrid landscapes.

• Demonstrated ability to lead independently with high technical judgment, ownership, and autonomy.

Preferred Qualifications

• SAP Certified Associate – Enterprise Architecture Consultant

• SAP S/4HANA with SAP Build Apps and Key User Extensibility

• ABAP Programming on SAP BTP

• SAP Datasphere and Generative AI Certification

• Experience with Git, Jenkins, automated testing, and iterative development methodologies

• Experience leading complex software development projects through full SDLC

Other Qualifications
The Winning Way behaviors that all Vertex employees need in order to meet the expectations of each other, our customers, and our partners.

• Communicate with Clarity - Be clear, concise and actionable. Be relentlessly constructive. Seek and provide meaningful feedback.

• Act with Urgency - Adopt an agile mentality - frequent iterations, improved speed, resilience. 80/20 rule – better is the enemy of done. Don’t spend hours when minutes are enough.

• Work with Purpose - Exhibit a “We Can” mindset. Results outweigh effort. Everyone understands how their role contributes. Set aside personal objectives for team results.

• Drive to Decision - Cut the swirl with defined deadlines and decision points. Be clear on individual accountability and decision authority. Guided by a commitment to and accountability for customer outcomes.

• Own the Outcome - Defined milestones, commitments and intended results. Assess your work in context, if you’re unsure, ask. Demonstrate unwavering support for decisions.

COMMENTS:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals in this position. Other functions may be assigned, and management retains the right to add or change the duties at any time.

Base pay offered to new hires may vary based upon factors including relevant industry and job-related skills and experience, geographic location, and business needs.* The range displayed does not encompass the full potential of the role, which allows for further growth and career progression.

In addition, as a part of our total compensation package, this role may be eligible for the Vertex Bonus Plan (VOB), a role-specific sales commission/bonus, and/or equity grants.

Learn more about Life at Vertex and connect with your recruiter for more details regarding Vertex's compensation and benefit programs.

*In no case will your pay fall below applicable local minimum wage requirements.