This interview process is designed to assess candidates for the Chief Development Expert (T5) role at SAP. It evaluates technical expertise, leadership potential, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit within SAP's innovative environment.
Rounds·5
Timeline·~4d
Experience·10 - 15 yrs
Comp band·US$180000 - US$250000
Interview time·285 min
Evaluation
Preparation
Tips
Study plan
Fig · Study plan — 03 phases
01 / 03Phase 01 of 03
Weeks 1-2: SAP products, company strategy, personal projects review, CS fundamentals.
Weeks 1-2: Deep dive into SAP's core products (e.g., S/4HANA, SAP BTP), recent technological advancements, and company strategy. Review your past projects, focusing on technical challenges, solutions, and impact. Brush up on fundamental computer science concepts, including data structures, algorithms, and design patterns.
Phase 02 of 03
Weeks 3-4: System design practice, behavioral question preparation (STAR method).
Weeks 3-4: Focus on system design principles, including scalability, availability, fault tolerance, and distributed systems. Practice designing complex systems and articulating your design choices. Prepare for behavioral questions by recalling specific examples of leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork using the STAR method.
Phase 03 of 03
Week 5: Mock interviews, coding practice, question preparation for interviewers.
Week 5: Engage in mock interviews, both technical and behavioral, to simulate the interview environment. Seek feedback and refine your answers and approach. Practice coding problems under timed conditions. Prepare specific questions to ask the interviewers about the role, team, and company culture.
Questions
Locations
Fig · Regions — 03 locations
01 / 03Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Location
Interview focus
Common questions
Tips
Rounds
Expand a step for evaluation criteria, sample questions, and prep notes.
HR Screening · 45 min · HR Recruiter / Talent Acquisition Specialist
This initial screening round is conducted by HR to assess your overall fit with SAP, your career aspirations, and your understanding of the role. They will ask about your background, motivations, and general technical experience. It's an opportunity to showcase your communication skills and enthusiasm for joining SAP.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Tell me about yourself and your career journey.
Why are you interested in SAP and this Chief Development Expert role?
What are your salary expectations?
Describe a challenging project you worked on and how you handled it.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
System Design Interview · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer / Architect
This round focuses on your ability to design and architect complex software systems. You will be presented with a high-level problem statement and asked to design a solution, considering aspects like scalability, reliability, performance, and maintainability. Expect to discuss trade-offs and justify your design decisions.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Design a system to handle real-time analytics for a large e-commerce platform.
How would you design a distributed caching system?
Design an API gateway for a microservices architecture.
How would you ensure high availability for a critical service?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Technical Coding Interview · 60 min · Senior Software Engineer
This round is a hands-on coding challenge. You'll be asked to solve one or two algorithmic problems, typically on a shared coding platform or whiteboard. The focus is on your ability to write clean, efficient, and correct code, as well as your understanding of fundamental data structures and algorithms.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Implement a function to find the k-th largest element in an unsorted array.
Given a binary tree, find its inorder traversal.
Write a function to determine if a string is a palindrome, ignoring non-alphanumeric characters.
Find the shortest path in a grid with obstacles.
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Managerial / Leadership Interview · 60 min · Engineering Manager / Director
This interview focuses on your leadership capabilities, strategic thinking, and experience in managing technical teams and projects. You'll be asked about your approach to leadership, how you handle team dynamics, drive innovation, and manage complex projects from inception to delivery. Behavioral questions will be used to assess your past experiences.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
Describe your leadership philosophy and how you motivate engineers.
Tell me about a time you had to resolve a conflict within your team.
How do you approach technical decision-making when there are multiple valid options?
What is your strategy for onboarding and mentoring new engineers?
How do you balance delivering features with maintaining code quality and addressing technical debt?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
Executive / Final Round · 60 min · Senior Director / VP of Engineering
This final round is with a senior leader (Director or VP) to assess your strategic thinking, business acumen, and overall fit for a senior leadership position at SAP. They will want to understand your vision for technology within the company, how you align with SAP's strategic objectives, and your ability to influence and lead at a higher level. This is also your opportunity to ask high-level questions about the company's direction.
What they look for
Evaluation
Sample questions
What is your vision for the future of enterprise software at SAP?
How would you align technology initiatives with SAP's business objectives?
Describe a time you influenced senior leadership on a critical technical decision.
What are the biggest technological challenges facing SAP today, and how would you address them?
Prep for this round
Common rejection reasons
DSA
Frequently reported on SAP loops
Other guides
