Assistant Manager SAP Basis

Job description

MAIN JOB PURPOSE:

The Global SAP Infrastructure (SI) team is integral to this strategy, working in alignment with the ISD functions with Innovate, Activate and Operate to provide Enterprise Solutions, Infrastructure and Geography IT with a unified gateway to the Unilever SAP Private Cloud platform in a high quality, cost and time efficient manner whilst activating world class integrated capabilities in collaboration with Innovate, Activate & Operate and in full support of Infrastructure and Service Delivery ambitions. The SI team is comprised of multiple elements such as KEC/Environment Delivery, Business Change Programme/Project Delivery, Solutioning, Support Office & lastly the newly formed SAP TCC (SAP Technical Competency Centre) which provides DBA & Basis resources to support the above teams & undertakes activities in Engineering /Proactive Services, BAU oversight, Project Delivery & Documentation/Process & Control areas.

The Basis Manager (Engineering) is responsible for managing the Engineering function within the SAP TCC team (which will be comprised of on and off shore resources, FTE, contract &/or 3 rd Parties), these resources provide support to deliver Engineering & Proactive/ Landscape Services & Project Delivery activities. This role will include accountability for the team in respect to work allocations, demand & resource mgmt., career planning (targets, objectives, timescales & training requirements) for employees & management of Contract/ 3 rd Party resources to ensure delivery against agreed SLA's (aligned with the central ISD Service Mgmt function). Will drive quality assurance for the team's work, perform regular analysis and reporting of the team's activities. Also ensuring appropriate governance is in place to manage the team (through regular team mtgs, knowledge sharing, risk & issue review sessions & other forums as appropriate).

The Basis Manager (Engineering) will report into the SAP TCC function Manager. This role will operate as a Snr SME, so is expected to operate in a hands on capacity as well as managing the Basis Engineering function & team members. The Basis Engineering team members will be part of a resource pool that is available across Engineering & Landscape disciplines, they may therefore be ring fenced to a particular landscape, operate across landscapes &/or be part of Engineering activities as deemed appropriate. Additionally members of the Basis Engineering team will be on call to provide support & consultative assistance in times of urgent/major incident to the outsourced BAU delivery partner (who is responsible to this team for delivery of agreed BAU services, where the SAP TCC team are then ultimately accountable to the Unilever business) . The Basis Engineering team will ensure appropriate documentation & adherence to standards is maintained at all times.

The Basis Manager (Engineering) will have at least 10 years experience (ideally from one or more of the following roles) management of an SAP or DBA Operations team, SAP Technical Architecture/Solutioning & or SAP Infrastructure provisioning as a project manager, Operated as a Snr Basis SME or consultant as part of an external IT Service provider or consultancy (IBM, HP, Accenture, …) . Should ideally have worked as part of an Application development or SAP project team (in Solutioning, Project Mgmt or Basis) as part of a full lifecycle roll out of a given Application or SAP implementation in either a retail, banking, FMCG or similar customer environments. Should have accreditation in technical disciplines &/or TOGAF, Prince/ PMI or obvious experience as a Snr SME/ Operations or Project manager, with a history of successful delivery.

The successful candidate will have to quickly assimilate a broad knowledge of the SAP hosting landscapes (specific to Unilever) and gain an understanding of Unilever's destination architectures /patterns & roadmaps. They are further expected to stay abreast of technology advances across the core hosting landscape, specific to SAP, to support their operating remit as team manager & Snr SME.

JOB SUMMARY
·
Manage the Basis Engineering team from career perspective, ensure appropriate training is received, conduct performance reviews of personnel.

·
Work in collaboration with peers of this role ie., DBA Manager, Landscape & Delivery Mgrs as part of the SAP TCC team within the Global SAP Infrastructure function

·
Support Landscape Mgrs providing BAU oversight & Proactive Services delivery (‘pit team' landscape audit/review & snag list generation leading to continual service improvement activities)

·
Support Problem analysis leading to architectural pattern re-development & continual service improvement activity

·
Perform demand/ work allocations & resource mgmt. for the team

·
Present information to peers, Snr mgrs. & Directors often at short notice.

·
Create & operate an OOO on call rota (supporting BAU oversight/UI support through Landscape Managers)

·
Manage team allocations /alignments to virtual landscape (pit team) &/or Engineering or Projects

·
Maintain compliance/alignment to the relevant level of system security access standards to ensure full compliance with the current Unilever Security Policies.

·
Review the performance of problem resolution activities by the team to ensure that high priority problems are resolved promptly (through Engineering activities).

·
Ensure team documentation is maintained, run books (align appropriate changes to BAU teams with the 3 rd party), build guides, procedures to highest quality, consistency and mandate/police use in all activities (to provide audit trail for build/change activities).

·
Ensure appropriate governance/controls in place for team regards risk & issue mgmt., team reviews, demand and work assignment forums

·
Keep current with core vendor technologies, act /provide consultancy to SIC team members (individually or through team)

·
Maintain alignment to key stakeholders internally and externally ie SI LT members, KEC/Project delivery, Solutioning/ Capabilities, also externally – IBM, SAP, HP, Microsoft (as part of agreed strategy with SI LT)

·
Present on team progress/status in Town Halls and to SI LT and other key forums

·
Align to and make use of existing Innovate, Activate, Operate processes where suitable.

·
Always ensure where inefficiency or simplifications opportunities exist, catalogue and propose changes to drive improvements. Continually review ways of working and identify improvements to increase team's agility and speed of delivery.

·
Ensure cost efficiency, simplification and standards approach to all delivery activities

·
Maintain technical accreditation in Basis disciplines to support the SME capability individually & for the wider team

KEY REQUIREMENTS
·
Team management/leadership (specifically of SAP Basis SME's in Engineering, Projects or Operations function)

·
Driving standards, quality & consistency approach in all delivery work

·
Track record of IT Operational mgmt. &/ or exposure to project mgmt & successful delivery to agreed timescales

· SAP accreditation