Torchora
Back to Home

Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for SAP Systems Master Data Analyst

💰 $ - $

SAPMaster DataMDMS/4HANAData GovernanceERP

🎯 Role Definition

The SAP Systems Master Data Analyst is responsible for owning and optimizing master data across SAP landscapes (ECC and S/4HANA), ensuring high data quality, governance and fit-for-purpose master data to support finance, procurement, supply chain and sales processes. This role combines deep functional knowledge of SAP master data objects (material, vendor, customer, BOM, GL, cost centers) with data governance, process optimization, and practical experience in data migration, master data tools (SAP MDG, IDocs, BAPIs, LSMW) and cross-functional stakeholder management.

Primary SEO / LLM keywords: SAP Master Data Analyst, SAP MDG, S/4HANA Master Data, material master, vendor master, customer master, master data governance, data migration, MDM, data quality.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Business/Data Analyst with exposure to ERP systems and transactional data.
  • SAP Functional Consultant (MM, SD, FI/CO) or ERP Support Analyst.
  • Master Data Coordinator or Junior Data Steward.

Advancement To:

  • Senior SAP Master Data Analyst / Lead Master Data Analyst.
  • Master Data Manager / MDM Lead.
  • SAP Master Data Governance (MDG) Architect or Data Governance Lead.
  • ERP Process Owner or Program Manager for ERP transformations (S/4HANA migration).

Lateral Moves:

  • SAP Functional Consultant (MM/SD/FI).
  • Data Governance Analyst or Data Quality Manager.
  • Business Process Analyst or Supply Chain Systems Analyst.

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Own the end-to-end lifecycle for SAP master data objects (material master, vendor master, customer master, BOMs, pricing conditions, GL accounts, cost centers), including creation, maintenance, validation, de-duplication and retirement across ECC and S/4HANA systems.
  • Design, implement and enforce master data governance processes and policies, including approval workflows, naming conventions, mandatory fields and data retention that align with global data governance frameworks.
  • Serve as the functional lead for SAP MDG implementations and enhancements: configure MDG models, define validation rules, activate UI scenarios, and coordinate technical transports and deployments.
  • Lead master data migration activities for SAP implementations and upgrades (ECC to S/4HANA), including mapping source-to-target, developing migration templates, cleansing legacy data, running test loads and validating reconciliation results.
  • Drive data quality initiatives using tools and metrics (e.g., completeness, accuracy, uniqueness, timeliness) and partner with data stewardship teams to remediate data defects and implement preventative controls.
  • Develop and maintain master data authoring and approval workflows (SAP MDG, custom workflow, SAP Business Workflow) to ensure controlled, auditable master data changes with SLA’s for turnaround times.
  • Configure and maintain integration points for master data (IDocs, ALE, BAPI, REST/SOAP APIs, middleware such as CPI/PI, Boomi or Informatica) to ensure consistent data across downstream systems and cloud services.
  • Create, maintain and execute detailed test plans, unit tests, integration tests and UAT scripts for master data changes, ensuring there is no negative impact on transactional processes (procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, record-to-report).
  • Analyze master data-related incidents and root causes, apply corrective actions, and document knowledge articles and process SOPs to reduce repeat issues and accelerate resolution.
  • Build and maintain master data reporting and dashboards (Power BI, Tableau, SAP BW/4HANA) to provide stakeholders with actionable insights on data quality, master data growth and compliance.
  • Partner with business process owners (procurement, supply chain, finance, sales) to translate business requirements into master data object attributes, validations and derived master data processes.
  • Coordinate global master data harmonization projects, including taxonomy standardization, classification alignment (e.g., UNSPSC, material groups) and consolidation of duplicate records across regions.
  • Support periodic master data audits and compliance reviews (internal and external), providing evidence of controls, change logs and remediations to auditors and governance forums.
  • Provide expert-level support during cutover and hypercare phases for SAP upgrades or S/4HANA migrations, including master data freeze planning, backout plans and rapid remediation for critical production issues.
  • Maintain and improve mass maintenance processes (Mass Change, LSMW, SAP MDG mass processing) to accelerate bulk updates while preserving data integrity and auditability.
  • Train and coach business users, data stewards and regional master data teams on approved data creation procedures, system navigation, error handling and governance requirements.
  • Collaborate with IT and security teams to ensure appropriate authorizations and segregation of duties are applied to master data creation and maintenance transactions.
  • Participate in shaping the master data roadmap and prioritize initiatives that reduce manual rework, improve automation and deliver measurable ROI from master data improvements.
  • Drive continuous improvement projects to optimize master data lifecycle times, reduce exceptions, and eliminate manual reconciliations by leveraging automation and standard SAP functionality.
  • Lead impact analysis and data modeling for new business requirements (e.g., product launches, mergers & acquisitions, vendor onboarding) to ensure master data supports business growth with minimal disruption.
  • Manage relationships with external vendors and implementation partners for master data projects, including statement of work review, testing oversight and quality assurance.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.
  • Maintain a library of standard templates, naming conventions, and sample load files to accelerate onboarding and reduce errors for regional teams.
  • Facilitate cross-functional master data governance council meetings, prepare meeting materials and follow up on action items to ensure decisions are operationalized.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Expert knowledge of SAP master data domains: Material Master (MM), Vendor (MM/FI), Customer (SD), BOM, Routing and Price Conditions.
  • Hands-on experience configuring and administering SAP MDG (Master Data Governance) for creation, consolidation, and quality management.
  • Practical experience with SAP S/4HANA master data objects and migration considerations from ECC to S/4HANA (data model changes, compatibility checks).
  • Proficiency with data migration tools and techniques: LSMW, SAP Data Services, SAP S/4HANA migration cockpit, flat-file mapping and reconciliation.
  • Familiarity with integration technologies: IDoc/ALE, BAPI, RFC, SAP PI/PO, SAP CPI, REST and SOAP APIs and middleware orchestration.
  • Strong SQL skills for data profiling, extraction and transformation; experience with SAP BW/4HANA, HANA views or other reporting data stores.
  • Experience with data quality and MDM tools (Informatica, Talend, Collibra, SAP Information Steward, Data Services) and implementing data quality rules.
  • Knowledge of SAP authorization concepts and security roles related to master data transactions and segregation of duties.
  • Ability to design and implement master data workflows, validations, and rule frameworks within SAP MDG or custom workflow engines.
  • Proficiency in Excel (advanced functions, Power Query), Power BI/Tableau for dashboards and data analysis.
  • Basic understanding of ABAP concepts or working with developers to implement custom BAdIs, enhancements or validation logic.
  • Experience with agile delivery and project management tools (JIRA, Confluence, MS Project) to manage backlog, sprints and releases.

Soft Skills

  • Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills; ability to drive change across global, cross-functional teams.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills for documentation, training and executive reporting.
  • Strategic thinking and near-term execution focus: translate governance into practical controls that minimize business friction.
  • Analytical mindset with strong attention to detail and methodical problem-solving skills.
  • Customer-focused attitude — able to balance governance with the operational needs of procurement, manufacturing and sales teams.
  • Facilitation and training skills to onboard regional master data stewards and power users.
  • Time management and prioritization in a complex, high-volume master data environment.
  • Collaborative team player who can work with both technical teams and business stakeholders.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business Administration, Finance, Supply Chain, or related field.

Preferred Education:

  • Master's degree in Information Systems, Business Analytics, Supply Chain Management, or MBA preferred for senior/lead roles.
  • Certifications such as SAP MDG, SAP S/4HANA (functional), or data governance/MDM vendor certifications are a plus.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Information Systems / Computer Science
  • Business Administration / Finance
  • Supply Chain Management / Logistics
  • Data Science / Data Analytics

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 3 to 7 years in SAP master data, ERP data governance or master data management roles.

Preferred:

  • 5+ years of progressive experience managing SAP master data across global deployments, with at least one full lifecycle S/4HANA or SAP MDG implementation.
  • Demonstrated track record of improving data quality metrics, leading data migration projects, and establishing governance frameworks that scale across regions.
Explore More Careers