Hiring outlook, remote working rates, and which companies are actively recruiting.
The SAP S/4HANA migration deadline of 2027 is sustaining a multi-year surge in SAP Specialist demand across Ireland and the UK. SAP Specialists with S/4HANA implementation experience are among the most sought-after technology professionals in both markets.
of UK SAP Specialist roles advertise remote or hybrid working
Year-on-year salary movement in UK. Positive movement signals active market competition.
Strongest in: SAP S/4HANA migration wave driven by ECC end-of-support deadline across pharmaceutical, manufacturing, and financial services
The SAP S/4HANA migration deadline of 2027 is sustaining a multi-year surge in SAP Specialist demand across Ireland and the UK. SAP Specialists with S/4HANA implementation experience are among the most sought-after technology professionals in both markets.
Who companies hire: Finance, supply chain, and HR professionals with SAP exposure, along with technology graduates who complete SAP Academy or university SAP programmes, commonly enter SAP Specialist roles.
Salary premium over the UK median for SAP Specialists who list these skills.
Companies with consistent or active SAP Specialist hiring in UK.
Very high demand. SAP Specialist is one of the most actively hired roles in Ireland in 2026. The S/4HANA migration wave, combined with SAP's expansion into cloud and AI capabilities, has created a multi-year surge in demand that shows no signs of abating. Experienced S/4HANA specialists are particularly scarce and command premium salaries and day rates.
SAP S/4HANA is the most in-demand module across all sectors in Ireland. SAP FICO (Finance and Controlling) is consistently the highest-demand functional module, followed by SAP SD (Sales and Distribution), SAP MM (Materials Management), and SAP HCM (Human Capital Management). SAP BTP (Business Technology Platform) integration skills are increasingly required as organisations connect S/4HANA with cloud and third-party systems.
The distinction is largely seniority and scope. An SAP Specialist typically focuses on a specific SAP module or technical area, working within defined project or support parameters. An SAP Consultant has broader scope, often working across multiple modules, leading client engagements, and providing advisory input. In practice, the terms are used interchangeably in Irish job advertising, with Senior SAP Consultant roles typically requiring more than five years of experience.
Yes, ABAP development remains in demand in Ireland in 2026, though the emphasis has shifted. ABAP developers with S/4HANA ABAP skills (including Clean Core ABAP and ABAP for Cloud) are actively hired. SAP BTP ABAP and RAP (RESTful Application Programming Model) skills are particularly valued as organisations move workloads to the cloud. Traditional ECC-era ABAP knowledge is valuable for legacy support but ABAP developers who have not upskilled to S/4HANA and BTP face a narrowing opportunity set.