Sr. Business Systems Analyst--SAP/CO

Summary

• The Senior Specialist, Business Systems Analyst is responsible for the analysis, design, testing, and implementation of business processes and the supporting software applications. This role drives business value by collaborating with business stakeholders and senior application team members to ensure the efficiency of existing processes while designing enhancements and extensions that align technology with key business needs.
• The Analyst should possess deep expertise in business activities and processes within the designated functional area and effectively partner with business teams to ensure IT solutions deliver measurable value.
• This role specifically supports Manufacturing Finance and Controlling functions, including Cost Center Accounting, Product Costing, Production Accounting, Inventory Accounting, Profitability Analysis, Profit Center Accounting, and financial reporting within these domains.

Responsibilities

Solution Delivery:

• Business Process Implementation & Enhancement: Collaborates with business stakeholders and senior IT resources to analyze existing business processes, gather new requirements, develop functional process designs, and define reporting needs to support management oversight.
• Process Knowledge & Impact Assessment: Maintains expertise in current process standards within the designated function. With guidance from senior application team members, evaluates the impact of process changes on the existing environment.
• Testing & Validation: Translates business requirements, functional designs, and business scenarios into comprehensive test plans to validate business processes before implementation. Conducts detailed unit testing to ensure technical solutions align with functional requirements. Works with business stakeholders and senior IT members to ensure integration testing covers all business process variations. Facilitates business user acceptance, identifies impacts on related processes, and performs regression testing as needed.

Operating Environment:

• Business Process Support: Ensures critical business processes within the area of specialization function effectively by maintaining the application platform’s ability to deliver required business capabilities. Resolves production issues promptly while adhering to IT protocols and standards.
• Documentation & Process Design: Develops and maintains documentation for business process design, including high-level overviews, detailed functional specifications, and visual aids such as process flows. Regularly updates documentation as processes evolve, tailoring content to the appropriate audience.
• Training & Knowledge Sharing: Conducts training sessions for business users on new process implementations. Shares best practices across the organization to ensure effective and efficient use of software applications.

Business Partnering:

• Stakeholder Collaboration & IT Liaison: Establishes strong, collaborative relationships with multiple business stakeholders, serving as a clear point of contact within IT. Manages expectations and acts as a bridge between IT and the business, ensuring alignment on technology-driven initiatives.
• Technology Initiative Intake & Roadmap Development: Plays a key role in the intake and prioritization of business technology initiatives. Partners with business stakeholders, IT Solution Architects, and IT Leadership to define the IT/Business initiatives roadmap and advance initiatives through the project intake and assessment process.
• Maximizing IT Services for Business Value: Understands IT service offerings and collaborates with IT Leadership and business stakeholders to optimize their use, ensuring technology initiatives are prioritized based on their potential business impact.
• Strategic IT Alignment: Works closely with IT Enterprise Architecture and IT Leadership to ensure business technology initiatives align with the organization’s overall IT strategy.

Essential Functions of the Role

• Communicate effectively via email, phone, and virtual platforms.
• Collaborate across departments to support organizational goals.
• Participate in cross-functional meetings and initiatives.
• Maintain and analyze data using tools like Excel, SAP, or HRIS systems.
• Ensure data accuracy and confidentiality in compliance with company and legal standards.
• Prepare reports and dashboards for internal stakeholders.
• Manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Lead or support special projects aligned with departmental objectives.
• Demonstrate initiative in identifying process improvements or automation opportunities.
• Resolve inquiries and issues with professionalism and discretion.
• Maintain secure handling of sensitive information.
• Education & Work Requirements
• Bachelor’s Degree with 5-8 years of related experience
• Education & Work Preferences

Specialized Skills/Technical Knowledge:

• Comprehensive Application Expertise: Possesses in-depth enterprise-wide knowledge of applications within the designated business function, encompassing business process configuration, key module integration points, cross-application integrations, master data management, and transactional execution.
• Cost Center Accounting: Expertise in cost center planning, actuals management, cost allocations, and cost center reporting, including month-end and year-end closing activities. Supported systems: SAP ECC 6.0, SAP S/4HANA 2023.
• Product Costing: In-depth knowledge of product costing for both manufactured and purchased products, encompassing key master data elements such as Bills of Material (BOM) and routings, along with associated closing processes. Supported systems: SAP ECC 6.0, SAP S/4HANA 2023.
• Production Accounting: Extensive experience in accounting for production activities using production orders, including material consumption postings, overhead absorption, variance analysis, order settlements, and reporting, with a focus on month-end and year-end closing processes. Supported systems: SAP ECC 6.0, SAP S/4HANA 2023.
• Inventory Accounting: Proficiency in managing inventory-related transactions and their financial impact on the Profit & Loss statement and Balance Sheet, ensuring accurate month-end and year-end closing. Supported systems: SAP ECC 6.0, SAP S/4HANA 2023.
• Profit Centers: Strong understanding of profit center structures and their role in driving management reporting within a manufacturing environment. Supported systems: SAP ECC 6.0, SAP S/4HANA 2023.
• Profitability Analysis (CO-PA): Expertise in the end-to-end flow of sales transactions into Profitability Analysis, including the configuration and management of derivation rules that drive data flow into profitability segments and enable advanced reporting. Supported systems: SAP ECC 6.0, SAP S/4HANA 2023.
• Industry and Technology Awareness: Continuously monitors emerging business trends and technological advancements, integrating relevant developments to address business challenges effectively.
• ** May consider those with more than 8 years of experience in SAP / CO for a Lead level vs Sr. **