Analyst Principal-Functional Fico

SUMMARY

The IS FICO Functional Principal Analyst role is to support the operation of the organization's SAP system for one or more of the modules (Financial Accounting (FI), Controlling (CO), Project System (PS), plus others as licensed by Westlake) and associated Business Software Applications (such as OpenText Vendor Invoice Management (VIM), FIS GetPaid, SAP Concur, Vertex, BlackLine, FIS Integrity, etc.) through support best practices. This includes installing, configuring, upgrading, and maintaining the company's investments in proprietary SAP and associated Business Software technologies.

The IS FICO Functional Principal Analyst is responsible for providing functional subject matter expertise in designing, architecting and implementing the SAP FICO and PS modules for the following key areas:

• Inventory Accounting including product costing for discrete and continuous/process manufacturing scenarios. Implementing Activity Based Costing, Standard Costing, Actual Costing, Calculation and Absorption of Variances to calculate the inventory net change.

• Margin reporting and profitability analysis reporting at the product/customer and business unit level. Understanding of cost components and different margins like Variable cost, Fixed Costs, Material Margin, Gross Margin, Net Margin and Cash Margin. Hands on experience in implementing Controlling

• Profitability Analysis (COPA) for a manufacturing organization.

• Integration with Project Systems (PS) including capitalization of assets via project settlements (e.g., expansion and turn around projects).

• Integration of costing and financial information with Sales, Inventory, Purchasing, Production Planning and Plant Maintenance. Extensive experience in integration with core SAP Materials Management (MM), Sales and Distribution (SD) and Production Planning/Quality Management (PP/QM) modules.

• Inventory Transfers/Goods Movements between the Plants, Terminals and Warehouses and the corresponding impact on the inventory valuation. Recoding and settlement of Intercompany transactions.

• Integration with Procure to Pay and Order to Cash processes with respect to handling of Accounts Receivables (AR) and Accounts Payable (AP) transactions.

• Month End Closing Activities in SAP such as Standard Cost Estimate, Inventory Valuation, Assessment and Distributions, Foreign Currency Revaluation, Depreciation Postings, etc.

The IS FICO Functional Principal Analyst is also responsible for working with key business users and process owners in the Accounting & Finance, Procurement, Customer Service and Credit Management organizations:

• To articulate leading practices and to identify opportunities to enhance and improve current processes

• To define project scope and project deliverables

• To manage and deliver projects

• To train and support users

• To apply proven communication and problem-solving skills to guide and assist users on issues related to the design, development, and support of mission-critical business applications

IS FICO Functional Principal Analyst will apply proven leadership skills to work colleagues in the IS FICO & BPC teams; the IS Functional SD/LE, MM, PM & PPQM teams, IS Technical team, and the IT SAP Basis team. This individual will also need to demonstrate leadership skills while working with contractors and third-party vendors to complete projects and to provide support.

The IS FICO Functional Principal Analyst will also be responsible for day-to-day procedures related to the identification, prioritization, coordination, monitoring, tracking, and resolution of SAP (FI/CO and PS) and associated Business Software Applications ServiceNow incidents and requests. This individual will contribute to problem resolution by providing hands-on support and recommending systems modifications to reduce user problems.

Westlake Information Systems Environment Background

Westlake Chemical uses SAP ECC 6.0 EHP 8 to manage Financial and Controlling (FICO), Project System (PS), Sales/Distribution and Logistics Execution (SDLE), Materials Management (MM), Plant Maintenance (PM), Production and Quality Management (PPQM) and other Enterprise Resource Management functions. Westlake is also using additional associated Business Application Software such as OpenText VIM, FIS GetPaid, SAP Concur, Vertex, BlackLine, FIS Integrity, etc. Westlake has over 3,000 active SAP users in approximately 40 locations.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

May include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Establish and maintain communications with business sponsors and business owners to ensure user satisfaction is maintained.

• Manage and resolve support incidents and requests in compliance with annual Application Support goals and service levels for area of responsibility in conjunction with the Business Unit and IS Management.

• Oversee operations and maintenance of SAP functions for area of responsibility, including relevant SAP configuration, and work closely with the IS Technical team, responsible for ABAP Development and other non-SAP application development, to ensure secure and reliable operations as well as Application Architecture consistency and integrity.

• Provide functional support and troubleshooting of system configuration for area of responsibility (and other SAP modules as appropriate).

• Monitor operation of critical Process and Applications.

• Review, approve and test software updates.

• Conduct research and make recommendations on Business Application products, services, and best practices for support services.

• Understand and follow Standard System Life Cycle Methods, Quality Assurance Testing and Sarbanes Oxley (SOX) Program Change Controls. Coordinate and maintain change control and testing processes for modifications to the SAP Application (and other relevant Applications) environment.

• Ensure training materials and user skills are current and coordinate necessary user training.

• Coordinate response to and resolution of SAP and relevant Applications incidents and performance issues for area of responsibility. Handle level 3 system support calls that cannot be resolved by the help desk team.

• Any additional responsibilities or tasks as assigned.

Application Development and Project Management Responsibilities (for IS Projects as assigned)

• Provide Project Management skills for related service requests for enhancements or projects.

• Lead assigned projects, monitor progress of deliverables, co-manage key project risks and issues, and monitor performance of implementation partners as appropriate.

• Lead and/or facilitate design sessions to review and/or configure new systems and features.

• Recommend best practices, improvements and solutions which would improve business efficiency, quality and/or processes while maximizing SAP (or other Applications) functionality.

• Create/review and QA functional designs and specifications for configurations, extensions, security, reports, data conversions, outputs and interfaces.

• Transfer SAP (and other Applications) knowledge and capabilities to the Business Unit organizations including the planning, organization, development, preparation, and delivery of documentation and individual or classroom training sessions.

• Provide services to ensure SAP implementation/customization activities are integrated with other SAP modules and other relevant Applications.

• Test and assist in the development and execution of the functional and acceptance test plans to ensure proper operation and freedom from defects.

• Assess the strategic fit of the initial design in terms of future projects or upgrades.

• Work independently, and/or as a member of a team, and/or as team lead when taking projects from original concept through final implementation.

• Define project scope and objectives.

• Develop detailed work plans, schedules, project estimates, resource plans, and status reports.

• Ensure project records are complete, accurate, and up-to-date.

• Conduct project meetings and provide project tracking and analysis.

• Ensure adherence to quality standards and review project deliverables.

• Manage the integration tasks while also tracking and reviewing project deliverables.

• Manage the schedule, scope, and delivery of new enhancements and projects that are requested for assigned processes.

• For new and enhanced process/systems requests: (1) meet with business unit to identify business requirements; (2) prepare SOW to include scope of work, timeline, resource requirements, and estimated costs; (3) identify Project Manager and resources; (4) assist with the management of project related key risks and issues; (5) monitor project to ensure on-time and on-budget project completion within scope and customer expectations.

• Monitor performance of implementation partners and contracted resources assigned to projects within assigned processes.

• Any additional responsibilities or tasks as assigned.

Process Improvement Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain communications with business sponsors and business owners to ensure business satisfaction that business goals, objectives and requirements are successfully realized.

• Recommend improvements and solutions which would improve business efficiency, quality and/or process while maximizing SAP (and other Applications) functionality.

• Assess the strategic fit for all proposed solutions in terms of future process requirements and system upgrades.

• Maintain the 3 - 5-year strategic plan for the assigned processes and application project portfolio.

• Provide services to ensure SAP implementation/customization activities are integrated with other SAP modules.

• Any additional responsibilities or tasks as assigned.

Other

• Comply with all Company policies and procedures.

• Fully supports Company goals of continuous improvement and operational excellence at strategic and tactical levels including reviewing area of responsibility for improvement opportunities to initiate projects or communicate ideas to management as well as active participation on project teams.

• Any additional responsibilities or tasks as assigned.

EDUCATION, EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS

• College diploma or university degree in the field of accounting and

• 10+ years equivalent work experience.

• Possess 10+ years of SAP FICO Application configuration experience.

• Hands-on configuration experience with SAP version ECC 6.0 or greater.

• Expertise in configuring SAP FI-GL, CO-PC, CO-PA, CO-ABC, CCA and PCA modules.

• Experience in configuring SAP FI-AR, FI-AP, FI-AA and Bank Accounting modules (Bank interfaces, Automatic Bank Reconciliation statements etc.).

• Experience in implementing and supporting SAP AR - Billing, Credit Management, Collections and Cash Application.

• Experience in AP Invoice Automation tools such as OpenText VIM, Coupa, SAP Ariba, Basware or equivalent software solutions.

• Expertise in Project Systems

• Expertise in integration with core SAP modules

• MM, SDLE, PM and PPQM modules

• Experience in Indirect Tax automation solution preferably in Vertex.

• Experience in supporting month end close activities in SAP FICO application.

• Possess basic technical skills in SAP development tools, interfaces methods and protocols.

• Experience with SAP configuration methods, tools and techniques. Knowledge of ASAP methodology preferred.

• Strong understanding of IS Application support and development principles, and practices.

• Experience with business process analysis methods and flowcharting and documenting techniques.

• Experience with Robotic Process Automation tools (RPA) is a plus.

• SAP functional expertise (subject matter expertise) in following Finance and Controlling sub-modules: FICO Organization Structure, General Ledger (including New GL), Project Systems, Product Costing, Profitability Analysis (COPA), Cost Center Accounting, Cost Allocations and Overhead Cost Accounting, Profit Center Accounting and Management Reporting.

• SAP functional knowledge in other Finance and Controlling sub-modules: Accounts Receivables, Accounts Payables, Banking and Asset Accounting.

• SAP functional expertise in integration with Procure to Pay, Order to Cash & Manufacturing Processes.

• Experience working with Vertex, FIS GetPaid, OpenText VIM, BlackLine, FIS Integrity or equivalent software solutions.

• Experience implementing or migrating to SAP S/4 HANA or Central Finance (CFIN) preferred.

• Possess basic technical skills in SAP development tools, interfaces methods and protocols.

• Understanding of SAP configuration methods, tools and techniques.

• Strong understanding of application support and development principles and practices.

• Possess project management skills. Knowledge of ASAP methodology preferred.

• Ability to use business process analysis methods, flowcharting and documenting techniques.

• Good understanding of the organization's goals and objectives.

• Knowledge of applicable data privacy practices and laws (e.g. in European countries).

• Good written and oral communication skills.

• Strong functional and technical documentation skills.

• Good interpersonal skills.

• Ability to conduct research into IS operational issues, standards and applications as required.

• Ability to present ideas in user-friendly language.

• Highly self-motivated and directed.

• Keen attention to detail.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and influence cross-functionally and often in situations without direct authority.

• Proven analytical and problem-solving abilities.

• Ability to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment.

• Strong customer service orientation.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit; stand; walk; use hands to touch, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch. The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate as normally based in an office. Some of the work may be required in the operating units which can require usage of required PPE including safety glasses, hearing protection, etc. May also result in exposure to outside elements and may require usage of stairs and elevators. Travel up to 25% including air travel or auto travel may occasionally be required.