SAP Financials Template Analyst

Job description

Segment

Corporate & Functions
Role synopsis

The Template team is responsible for the process scope and design of financial template processes in BP's strategic ERP systems. These template processes form the global, re-usable engine of the corporation's SAP-based Global Financial Template (GFT), which is being deployed across all business segments and divisions in conjunction with business/logistics functionality appropriate to each of BP's core businesses. We are utilising S/4 HANA and other next generation products to facilitate process design.

This role will be responsible for the Accounts Receivable, Credit and Cash Management (AR) processes. Key requirements of this role will be to define the AR-related transactional processes, related management information (MI) in BP's financial system templates (SAP-based). The Template Analyst will be a subject matter expert for the process area, who can innovate and integrate based upon a thorough understanding and practical experience of the processes and related systems functionality. This role will enable the individual to participate in template design activities for project deployments and continuous improvements across all BP's businesses.

Req ID

80334BR
Location

United Kingdom - South East - Sunbury
Is this a part time position?

No
Relocation available

No
Travel required

Yes - up to 25%
Key accountabilities

Global Business Services (GBS) is accountable for the design of inclusive Purchase to Pay, Order to Cash and Record to Report financial processes for the corporation. Within this remit the Template team is responsible for theprocess scope and design of financial template processes in BP's strategic ERP systems.
The Template Analyst reports to the Team Lead, Accounts Receivable, Credit and Cash Management template processes. Together with the team lead, other team members, and/or design consultants working with the team on an assignment basis , the Template analyst will be responsible for the detailed functional process and Financial Data Structures designs for this process area. In practice, whether working in project or continuous improvement mode, the Template Analyst is expected to participate in a combined team of template process, business, Global Business Services and IT resources in the determination of template processes, oversee their realisation and assist with the related change management activities.
Specific accountabilities of this post include:

• Owning, and exercising design authority over, Accounts Receivable global template processes in the Template, while maintaining a keen awareness of local (unique, non-template) processes in the same domain.

• Understanding and analysing detailed business requirements, in conjunction with applicable process design standards for BP global processes, in order to specify and prioritise changes to the financial template design.

• Challenging the purpose and scope of all requested changes to check business-case validity.

• Synthesising and delivering the blueprint for template process design for the Accounts Receivable process area, including documentation of detailed operational processes and financial data structures, together with configuration rationales, functional specifications and system-based prototypes, where required.

• Determining the Management Information reports for the AR process area to be realised in the template, together with appropriate documentation, and assistance with any change management for their deployment.

• Communicating, and facilitating discussion of, design issues and solutions options with financial template stakeholders, including fellow team members/design forums, project teams, users/user groups and other organisational entities.

• Influencing Finance users to harness financial template processes for their needs, ensuring template solutions meet business requirements, while maintaining the functional integrity of the template and complying with legal requirements and industry best practice

• Approving changes to the design of template processes and configuration as a formal step in the delivery life-cycle.

• Participating in the AR process area team to promote the successful delivery of parallel (multi-site, multi-country), global template roll-ins.

• Creating training materials and delivering training materials to end users or super users in the relevant process area

• Working with the Order to cash Global Process Owner and associated programmes of work to define and implement a standard Order to Cash process for BP within the Financials Template scope

• Ensuring template solutions – including all documentation – meet business requirements, maintain the functional integrity of the template and comply with design standards for BP global process, legal and BP group reporting requirements, and SAP/industry best practice.

Essential Education

An undergraduate degree and a relevant financial or business professional qualification (e.g. mainstream UK or US accounting qualification, MBA etc.).
Desirable criteria and qualifications

• Financial qualification at either university degree or professional level

• Course attendance and accreditation in the relevant SAP modules.

• Course attendance and accreditation in any project management methodologies.

• Evidence of continued professional development for any accounting/business qualifications held.

• Accreditations or other evidence of participation in any communications and interpersonal skills courses.

About BP

Our business is the exploration, production, refining, trading and distribution of energy. This is what we do, and we do it on a truly global scale. BP operates with business activities and customers in more than 80 countries across six continents. Every day, we serve millions of customers around the world. We are continually looking for talented, committed and ambitious people to help us shape the face of energy for the future.
Application close date

05-Jul-2017
Sub-category

Financial & Process Control
Job category

Finance
Countries (State/Region)

United Kingdom

Desired profile

Essential experience and job requirements

A detailed knowledge of two or more of the following processes, configuration and related programs in SAP:

· 
Accounts Receivable, with an in-depth knowledge of payment processing, including high volume, high value automated payment methods such as direct debit

· 
Cash & Banking processes: Automated upload of bank statements, payment and collection file transfers

· 
Customer correspondence

· 
Understanding of the end-end Credit life cycle (preferably in SAP FSCM Credit Management)

· 
Understanding of cash management processes: creating Daily Cash positions and medium to long term cash forecasting

· 
Understanding of the integration with General Ledger, Tax, Order to Cash & Purchase to Pay processes and modules

· 
A knowledge of integration points with external systems such as sales, banking and credit

Practical understanding of SAP deployment and other Finance projects, most likely gained through participation in a minimum of three project lifecycles

Excellent general financial acumen, including a sound understanding of accounting concepts, and ability to assess impacts from legislation and business evolution

A general working knowledge of transactional processes in an SAP environment

Ability to prioritise effectively – the role will call for the successful candidate to liaise with multiple stakeholders, meet and deliver a wide set of demands from various parts of the organisation within challenging and tight deadlines

Ability to work with little supervision. Understanding and capturing requirements, translating these into existing or new proposed Template process designs.
Attention to detail and strong presentation and communication skills, including ability to articulate complex processes and influence key stakeholders
Flexibility and adaptability; readiness to do some out-of-hours working and travel up to 25% in any calendar year

Other Requirements (eg Travel, Location)

Essential experience and job requirements (continued):

· 
An appreciation of BP's internal and external reporting requirements, including Group Reporting and GFO forecast processes

· 
Practical understanding of SAP deployment and other Finance projects, most likely gained through participation in a minimum of three project lifecycles

· 
Ability to prioritise effectively – the role will call for the successful candidate to liaise with multiple stakeholders, meet and deliver a wide set of demands from various parts of the organisation within challenging and tight deadlines

· 
Ability to work with little supervision. Understanding and capturing requirements, translating these into existing or new proposed GFT or process designs.

· 
Attention to detail and strong presentation and communication skills, including ability to articulate complex processes and influence key stakeholders

· 
Flexibility and adaptability; readiness to do some out-of-hours working and travel up to 25% in any calendar year