S/4HANA Migration Finding Staff – Recruiting Guide 2026
41% of companies are under significant pressure to act regarding their S/4HANA migration — but only 23% of SAP consultants bring S/4HANA experience with them. This gap makes recruitment the critical path of any migration. While most articles highlight the technical aspects of the migration, this recruiting guide addresses the actual project risk: the talent shortage. You will learn which roles an S/4HANA migration project requires, how to develop the right staffing strategy combining permanent employment and freelancing, and when you need to have which experts on board. With its 5-day candidate guarantee and a network of 8,000+ IT and tech professionals, Nova Search delivers the speed that time-critical migration projects demand. Including timeline planning, cost comparison, and concrete recommendations for your HR strategy.
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The topic in brief and concise terms
Only 23% of SAP consultants have S/4HANA experience, while 41% of companies are under acute migration pressure — the staffing bottleneck is the critical path of every migration.
A typical S/4HANA migration project in medium-sized businesses requires 8 to 15 specialists, including FI/CO consultants, ABAP developers, Basis administrators, and change managers.
The optimal staffing strategy for most companies is a mixed team comprising an internal core team for long-term knowledge retention and external specialists for migration peaks.
The 2027 deadline for the end of SAP ECC mainstream support is approaching — and with it, the staffing bottleneck is growing dramatically. 41% of companies are under great pressure to complete their S/4HANA migration on time. At the same time, only 23% of SAP consultants have practical S/4HANA experience. The consequence: demand far exceeds supply, and every month of delay in finding staff further reduces the available talent pool.
This recruiting guide focuses on what most S/4HANA articles omit: the staffing bottleneck as the main project risk. You will learn which roles your migration project needs, how to develop the right staffing strategy, and how Nova Search — with 8,000+ IT and tech professionals and the 5-day candidate guarantee — helps you set up your S/4HANA team in time. From timeline planning to cost comparison and concrete implementation: everything you need for your S/4HANA staffing strategy.
2027 Deadline: Why the S/4HANA Talent Search Is Becoming Critical Now
SAP is ending mainstream support for ECC 6.0 in 2027. Companies that have not migrated to S/4HANA by then risk security gaps, a lack of regulatory updates and limited innovative capability. What looks like a technical deadline at first glance is in truth a talent shortage issue.
The figures highlight the urgency:
41% of companies are under major pressure to act regarding their S/4HANA migration
Only 23% of SAP consultants already have hands-on S/4HANA experience — the rest are still working on ECC systems
The average migration duration is 12 to 24 months, depending on the complexity and chosen approach (brownfield vs. greenfield)
For your workforce planning, this means a simple calculation: anyone wanting to go live in 2027 must have their S/4HANA team fully assembled by early 2026 at the latest. Yet, this is exactly where the problem begins. Many companies have planned the technical migration but postponed the workforce planning — on the assumption that qualified consultants would be available at short notice.
The reality is different: the talent pool is dramatically smaller than demand, and it is not growing fast enough. SAP training programmes take months, experienced S/4HANA consultants are tied up in the long term, and competition for the remaining specialists is becoming fiercer with every quarter. Recruiting is not a side task of your migration — it is the critical path.
Which roles are needed for an S/4HANA migration project?
An S/4HANA migration is not a one-person project. Depending on the size of the company, the SAP landscape and the chosen migration approach, you will need a team of 8 to 15 specialists for a typical mid-sized project. An overview of the core roles:
Functional Consultants (module-specific):
FI/CO (Finance & Controlling): Financial processes form the backbone of any S/4HANA migration. FI/CO consultants are the most highly-demanded role
MM (Materials Management): Indispensable for manufacturing companies and retail companies with complex procurement processes
SD (Sales & Distribution): Relevant for all companies with sales processes in the SAP system
Technical Roles:
ABAP Developers: For custom code adjustments, clean core migration and connection to the SAP BTP. Particularly in demand: experience with the new ABAP RESTful Application Programming Model (RAP)
SAP Basis Administrators: For the technical migration, system configuration and operation of the new landscape — especially in cloud or hybrid scenarios
Management Roles:
SAP Project Manager: Overall responsibility for scope, timeline, budget and stakeholder management. Ideally with S/4HANA migration experience
Change Manager: Accompanies the organisational change, trains end users and ensures acceptance of the new processes
Not every role needs to be filled from day one. You will need Basis administrators and functional consultants right from the start, while change managers are only required from the realisation phase onwards. The exact composition depends on your project plan — Nova Search will be happy to advise you on role-specific resource planning in a free consultation.
The shortage of skilled workers in figures: supply vs. demand
One of the most strategic decisions for your S/4HANA migration is the question: Do you upskill existing employees (Build) or bring in external experts (Buy)? Both approaches have clear advantages and disadvantages.
Build u2014 building an internal team:
Advantage: Long-term knowledge build-up within the company, less dependence on external parties after the migration, higher identification with the business processes
Disadvantage: Further training takes 6 to 12 months, ties up existing resources during training, and does not provide immediate project capacity
Risk: If the migration is under time pressure, internal qualification alone is not enough
Buy u2014 hiring external experts:
Advantage: Immediate availability of S/4HANA experience, proven methodology, no training time
Disadvantage: Higher daily costs, limited knowledge transfer if not actively managed, dependency during migration
Risk: If the external team leaves after the migration, a knowledge gap remains
The recommendation: Mixed Team Strategy
For most medium-sized companies, a combination of both approaches is ideal. The model looks like this:
Internal core team: 2 to 4 employees who undergo further training alongside the migration and will manage the SAP landscape in the long term
External specialists: Experienced S/4HANA consultants (freelance or permanent) who guide the migration technically and actively transfer knowledge to the internal team
Knowledge transfer as an obligation: Anchor knowledge transfer contractually and make it a fixed part of the project u2014 not an optional extra
Nova Search supports you on both sides: We recruit permanent employees for your core team as well as freelancers for peak migration periods and specialised topics.
Build vs. Buy: Build your own team or hire external experts?
One of the most strategic decisions for your S/4HANA migration is the question: Do you upskill existing employees (Build) or bring in external experts (Buy)? Both approaches have clear advantages and disadvantages.
Build u2014 building an internal team:
Advantage: Long-term knowledge build-up within the company, less dependence on external parties after the migration, higher identification with the business processes
Disadvantage: Further training takes 6 to 12 months, ties up existing resources during training, and does not provide immediate project capacity
Risk: If the migration is under time pressure, internal qualification alone is not enough
Buy u2014 hiring external experts:
Advantage: Immediate availability of S/4HANA experience, proven methodology, no training time
Disadvantage: Higher daily costs, limited knowledge transfer if not actively managed, dependency during migration
Risk: If the external team leaves after the migration, a knowledge gap remains
The recommendation: Mixed Team Strategy
For most medium-sized companies, a combination of both approaches is ideal. The model looks like this:
Internal core team: 2 to 4 employees who undergo further training alongside the migration and will manage the SAP landscape in the long term
External specialists: Experienced S/4HANA consultants (freelance or permanent) who guide the migration technically and actively transfer knowledge to the internal team
Knowledge transfer as an obligation: Anchor knowledge transfer contractually and make it a fixed part of the project u2014 not an optional extra
Nova Search supports you on both sides: We recruit permanent employees for your core team as well as freelancers for peak migration periods and specialised topics.
Freelancers, permanent employment or mixed team — the right staffing strategy
Choosing the right employment model is not just a detail for S/4HANA migration projects — it is a strategic decision with a direct impact on project speed, costs, and knowledge retention.
Permanent Employment:
Ideal for roles that are still needed after the migration: SAP administrators, internal FI/CO consultants, SAP team leads
Recruiting lead time: 4 to 8 weeks via specialised recruitment agencies
Advantage: Long-term retention and knowledge preservation within the company
Challenge: Higher overall costs for short-term needs, longer onboarding phase
Freelance / Contracting:
Ideal for temporary migration roles: project-specific Functional Consultants, ABAP developers for custom-code remediation, change managers
Recruiting lead time: 1 to 3 weeks via specialised networks
Advantage: Immediate availability, no long-term commitment, scalable according to project phase
Challenge: Higher daily rates, knowledge transfer must be actively managed
Mixed Team — the recommended strategy:
Most successful S/4HANA projects in medium-sized businesses rely on a combination of permanent employment and freelancing. A typical composition for a mid-sized migration project looks like this:
Permanent staff (3-5 roles): Project management, SAP Basis administration, 1-2 Key-User-facing Functional Consultants
Freelance (4-8 roles): Module-specific consultants for migration peaks, ABAP development, change management, niche modules
Nova Search provides both models from a single network of 8,000+ IT and tech professionals. This means: one point of contact, one quality assurance, flexible team composition. Discuss your optimal staffing strategy in a free consultation.
Timeline planning: When you need to have which roles on board
A common mistake in S/4HANA migration planning: recruiting is not integrated into the project timeline. This results in staff shortages during critical phases, which jeopardises the entire project plan. Here is a phase-based recruiting timeline for a typical mid-sized migration project:
Phase 1 — Discover & Prepare (Month 1-3):
Required roles: SAP Project Manager, SAP Basis Administrator, Lead Functional Consultant (FI/CO or key module)
Recruiting lead time: Allow 4-8 weeks before the project starts
Tip: These roles are the hardest to fill — start recruiting for them first
Phase 2 — Explore & Design (Month 3-6):
Required roles: Module-specific Functional Consultants (MM, SD, others), ABAP Developers
Recruiting lead time: 3-6 weeks for freelancers, 6-8 weeks for permanent hires
Tip: This is when staffing needs peak — the team must be fully staffed
Phase 3 — Realize & Test (Month 6-15):
Required roles: Complete team plus additional ABAP developers for custom code remediation and Test Manager, if required
Recruiting lead time: 2-4 weeks for additional freelancers
Tip: Project peaks are common in this phase — plan for flexible capacity
Phase 4 — Deploy & Run (Month 15-18+):
Required roles: Change Manager, Hypercare Support Team, SAP Basis for Go-Live support
Recruiting lead time: Recruit Change Manager 4-6 weeks before the deployment phase
Tip: Start the knowledge transfer to the internal team here for ongoing operations
Key takeaway: Add recruiting lead times to your project milestones. If your design phase starts in month 3, recruiting for functional consultants must begin in month 1.
How the 5-day candidate guarantee works for S/4HANA projects
For time-critical S/4HANA migration projects, every day counts. Nova Search's 5-day candidate guarantee was developed precisely for this situation: you will receive initial qualified candidates for your S/4HANA roles within five working days.
The process in detail:
Briefing (Day 1): In a structured discussion, we capture your requirements — role, S/4HANA experience level, module knowledge, project context (brownfield/greenfield), employment model (permanent/freelance) and start date
Network activation (Days 1-3): Our team of 7 recruitment specialists searches our network of 8,000+ IT and tech professionals specifically for suitable candidates and contacts them directly
Technical qualification (Days 2-4): We conduct in-depth discussions with potential candidates, verifying S/4HANA experience, module expertise and availability
Introduction (Day 5): You receive pre-qualified candidate profiles with our technical assessment, availability details and recommendation
Why pace is particularly important for S/4HANA roles:
Migration projects have fixed deadlines and interdependent work packages. If a Functional Consultant FI/CO starts two months late, it is not just the design phase that is delayed — but the entire migration. The typical time-to-hire via traditional channels is 60 to 120 days. With the 5-day candidate guarantee, you shorten the most critical phase — the time to the first qualified candidate profile — to a fraction.
The founder-led team at Nova Search brings genuine technical understanding to the table: Morten Laufer (IT & FinTech expertise) and his team understand the difference between a brownfield and greenfield migration and can assess candidates technically — rather than just forwarding CVs. Speak to us about your project plan.
Costs of a delayed migration vs. costs of the right recruiting
Many companies hesitate to invest in specialised SAP recruiting — without considering the overall costs of a delayed migration. A sober comparison shows why fast, qualified recruiting is the more economical decision.
Costs of a delayed S/4HANA migration:
Extended maintenance fees: SAP offers extended support after 2027 — at significantly higher licence costs. These additional costs are incurred annually for as long as the ECC system is in operation
Security and compliance risks: Without mainstream support, the risk of security vulnerabilities and missing regulatory updates increases — potential costs from data breaches or audit findings are difficult to quantify, but significant
Opportunity costs: Every month without S/4HANA means a lack of access to innovations (AI integration, real-time analytics, SAP BTP) that competitors are already using
Rising recruiting costs: The closer the 2027 deadline gets, the higher the salary expectations and daily rates for S/4HANA specialists — those who recruit earlier pay less
Costs of the right recruiting:
Specialised recruitment consultancy: Nova Search works on a success-based commission — you only pay upon successful placement, with no upfront costs
Freelance daily rates: External S/4HANA specialists cost more per day than internal employees — but they deliver immediately and bring proven migration experience
Internal further training: Cheaper per person, but time-consuming (6-12 months) and only useful as a supplement
The calculation is clear: The costs of a migration delayed by 6 to 12 months — extended maintenance fees, compliance risks, opportunity costs — far exceed the investment in specialised recruiting. Fast, qualified recruiting is not a cost centre — it is an investment in project success and adherence to schedules.
Checklist: Successfully planning and implementing S/4HANA Recruiting
Use this checklist to approach your S/4HANA recruiting systematically and avoid missing any critical steps:
Conduct a role analysis: Define all required roles for your migration project — from functional consultants and ABAP developers to change managers. Typical for medium-sized companies: 8 to 15 positions
Define staffing strategy: Decide for each role whether permanent employment, freelance/contracting or a combination makes sense. Rule of thumb: long-term roles internally, migration peaks externally
Plan recruiting lead times: Add 4 to 8 weeks (permanent employment) or 1 to 3 weeks (freelance) to your project milestones. Start recruiting before the project begins
Define budget framework: Check current market salaries and daily rates with the Nova Search salary calculator. Plan realistically — underbidding the market significantly extends the time-to-hire
Involve specialised recruiting partners: Generic recruiting is not enough for S/4HANA roles. Work with an SAP-specialised recruitment consultancy that knows the talent pool and can assess candidates professionally
Anchor knowledge transfer: Ensure that external specialists are contractually obliged to transfer knowledge to your internal team. Define concrete handover documents and training dates
Accelerate onboarding: Prepare system access, project documentation and contact partners so that new team members can work productively from day 1
Develop a backup strategy: Identify a backup option for each critical role (e.g. freelancer as a bridge if the permanent recruitment takes longer)
This checklist forms the basis for structured S/4HANA recruiting. The Nova Search team will be happy to assist you with individual advice on your specific migration project — arrange a consultation.
Conclusion: Successfully staffing S/4HANA migration — HR strategy as a critical success factor
S/4HANA migration is one of the largest IT projects that medium-sized companies are implementing this decade. The technical challenges are significant — but the greatest project risk lies not in the technology, but in the talent shortage. With only 23% of S/4HANA-experienced consultants and at the same time 41% of companies under migration pressure, the specialist market is the limiting factor.
The key recommendations for action:
Treat recruiting as a critical path: Integrate recruiting lead times into your project plan — not as an afterthought, but as an integral part
Rely on a mixed team: Combine an internal core team (long-term knowledge retention) with external specialists (immediate capacity and experience)
Start now: Each month of delay reduces the available talent pool and increases costs. If you want to go live in 2027, you must have the team set up in 2026
Work with specialists: Generic recruiting is not enough for S/4HANA roles — only SAP-specialised partners can assess candidates professionally and reach passive talent
As a founder-led recruitment consultancy from Hamburg with a focus on Tech & SAP, Nova Search is specialised in precisely this challenge. Our team of 7 recruitment specialists, a network of 8,000+ IT and tech professionals and the 5-day candidate guarantee give your S/4HANA project the recruitment advantage it needs.
Arrange your consultation now — we will discuss your project plan and show you how we set up your S/4HANA team. You can find current S/4HANA positions on our job board, and market values for your positions in the SAP salary calculator.
More useful links
/blog/nova-search-kontakt; /blog/nova-search-jobs
FAQ
What happens if my company misses the 2027 ECC deadline?
Companies without a completed S/4HANA migration can book Extended Maintenance from SAP — at significantly higher licensing costs. Furthermore, you risk a lack of security updates, compliance issues with regulatory changes, and limited access to SAP innovations such as AI integrations and real-time analytics.
How does Nova Search support S/4HANA workforce planning?
Nova Search advises you on the HR strategy for your S/4HANA migration: Which roles do you need and when, which employment model is optimal, and how do you prioritise staffing along your project plan. We recruit both permanent employees and freelancers from our network of 8,000+ IT and tech professionals.
Can Nova Search also provide S/4HANA freelancers at short notice?
Yes, the 5-day candidate guarantee also applies to freelance positions. Especially for S/4HANA projects under time pressure, we place freelancers with proven migration experience who are available at short notice. The recruiting lead time for freelancers is currently 1 to 3 weeks.
Which S/4HANA modules are the most difficult to source?
FI/CO is the most sought-after module, as every migration begins with the financial process conversion. ABAP development with clean core experience follows closely behind. MM and SD are also in high demand, depending on the industry. Niche modules such as BW/4HANA or Treasury have the smallest talent pool and the longest time-to-hire.
Brownfield or greenfield — does the migration approach influence recruiting?
Yes, significantly. Greenfield migrations (re-implementation) require more functional consultants for process redesign and have longer project timelines with a higher overall staffing requirement. Brownfield migrations (technical conversion) are less resource-intensive in terms of personnel, but require more technical expertise (ABAP, Basis). The team compositions differ significantly.
How do I ensure that knowledge remains within the company after the migration?
Contractually anchor knowledge transfer with external consultants: define handover documents, training dates, and knowledge transfer sessions as fixed project milestones. Assign at least 2 to 3 internal employees to be trained alongside the migration and to support the SAP landscape in the long term.
