ERP Manager

Company:

Organizational context and Job Purpose

Organizational Context:

INEOS is a global manufacturer of petrochemicals, speciality chemicals and oil products. Comprising 36 individual businesses, we operate 194 facilities in 29 countries throughout the world. 

INEOS products make a significant contribution to saving life, improving health and enhancing standards of living for people around the world. Our businesses produce the raw materials that are essential in the manufacture of a wide variety of goods: from paints to plastics, textiles to technology, medicines to mobile phones - chemicals manufactured by INEOS enhance almost every aspect of modern life.

Purpose of the job:

Create business value, operational efficiencies, and financial data integrity through effective management of the SAP Enterprise applications supporting Oligomers and Nitriles business functions.  These two businesses both have operations across multiple regions including North America, Europe and Asia.

Environment/Context:

INEOS Oligomers and INEOS Nitriles relies on robust and fit-for-purpose processes and ERP applications to realize its business vision.  The ERP Manager delivers value through effective management of our SAP ERP and associated applications portfolio.  Key applications provide significant value to the Oligomers and Nitriles businesses as SAP enables all of the key business processes within the company. The role indirectly manages multiple third-party providers who develop & support IT applications. They are responsible for the direct management of 4 SAP professionals, and indirect management of another technical resource and external contractors as needed.  This team does the business analysis as well as the configuration changes in SAP that are necessary to delivering the desired business solutions. They also work closely with our external SAP Hosting and Basis Support Partner (Delaware). They work with a wide range of staff from the business, SAP team and third parties on problem solving. The employee addresses unique problems and evaluates advantages and disadvantages of alternatives.

This position is directed by broad functional goals.  The post-holder influences portions of corporate functional strategies for optimizing overall business performance. This position develops local discipline policies and practices as well as approves modified and new procedures and standards.

The individual performs complex tasks that must be coordinated with tasks outside the work unit; The individual provides advice and counsel to both IT and Business Management.

Responsibilities and Accountabilities

Accountability 1: ERP System Management and Support

• Responsible for the reliable delivery of SAP and related applications.
• Maintains a detailed understanding the major business functions used across our businesses (Sales, Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance and Accounting, Manufacturing, Plant Maintenance, Project Systems).
• Serves as the primary interface with our SAP hosting partner and coordinates all SAP hosting activities to minimize any disruptions to our production SAP environment.
• Directly manages a team of professionals and indirectly manages an internal technical resource and service providers for supporting SAP and related projects.
• Develops and manages governance processes to ensure that all change requests and SAP projects have a robust business case.
• Consults and networks with counterparts in other INEOS businesses to leverage past experiences and lessons.
• Understands the Value Added Tax (VAT) as it applies to our various business locations to help ensure compliance with related regulations.
• Advises management on ways to best manage the costs associated with ongoing SAP support activities.
• Understands and applies the INEOS 20 Principles and establishes processes and procedures to ensure compliance with those for the SAP team and environment.

Accountability 2: System improvement and optimization

• Actively engage business experts to identify opportunities to improve corporate performance.
• Conduct review and scoping sessions to develop detailed plans to improve existing work processes, system solutions, and improve business performance.
• Execute project plans to deliver work on time and within budget.
• Explore ways to use new system functionality and technology to drive system improvements.
• Acts independently to achieve results.
• Ensures tasks are consistent with objectives and determines how/when to achieve them.
• Implement process improvements that delivery quantifiable benefits to the business from cost reductions, labor savings, increasing revenue, etc.

Accountability 3: Strategy and configuration consultant

• Work closely with senior level leaders across the business to understand and help shape strategy and functional work processes.
• Converts business needs into proper SAP configuration to address functional needs.
• Works with the IT manager on the development and implementation of the ERP/SAP strategy.
• Consults with peers across other INEOS businesses to identify opportunities for our businesses to leverage best practices and proven solutions.
• Consults with the business teams to identify knowledge gaps.
• Research options available inside and outside of INEOS to address opportunities and to address gaps in our business processes.
• Organize and execute plans to delivery any SAP training.
• Maintain awareness of new regulations and compliance in the countries we operate to identify needs to ensure compliance.
• Advise and advocate how IT can support the fulfillment of the business strategy by engaging with senior and board-level management in all functions.
• Develop & communicate business cases working in close association with management in the functional areas & garner support for their approval. 

Accountability 4: Project Management

• Develop project plans using standard practices and tools for all significant work in the ERP area.
• Arranges detailed reviews with key stakeholders to completely document all requirements and deliverables.
• Develop and agree scope for third party consultants and effectively manage resources and costs to ensure strong delivery of project work.
• Consult with other INEOS businesses to leverage similar efforts experienced in other business units.
• Manages a team of internal resources, direct and in-direct, to deliver projects.
• Creates test plans for all parts of the project to ensure success including unit testing through integration and regression testing.
• Prepares regular communication updates for all levels for the projects from senior management, steering team, project team and the business at large.
• Conducts regular project reviews to identify issues and develop detailed actions.
• Organizes proper management of change reviews to mitigate risks and ensure success.
• Follows agreed management of change processes and arranges any require business or user training needed to support the effort.
• Establishes proper support levels for any go-live event ensuring both normal and project support are delivered.
• Conduct project closeout meetings to share lessons with internal team as well as with other INEOS businesses.

Accountability 5: Data Reporting & Analytics

Has the overall responsibility for providing an environment to provided the required information and data analysis for the businesses to efficient and effectively function. The incumbent will work with business management and IT manager to design a reporting and analytics environment to meet overall business reporting and data analyst needs. This includes:

• Acquire and maintain a detailed understanding of all the data sources across the Oligomers and Nitriles business units.
• Continuously work with other INEOS business units to exploit existing solutions, processes, etc. as it relates to business reporting and data analytics. 
• Meet regularly with business functions to understand reporting and data analytical requirements.
• Share successes and learning with other INEOS businesses.
• Understand current technologies available in the industry and within INEOS to help address existing reporting and data analytical needs.
• Prioritize new requirements to manage spend to deliver the greatest value to the business.
• Develop training plans for both data management and understanding, as well as the tools to generate value.
• Develop data quality assurance processes to validate any published information from the business.
• Establish priorities and manage resources to delivery critical information to the business.
• Train the business and users by communicating agreed processes and procedures to ensure all data comes form the controlled version and not from uncontrolled copies.

Skills & Knowledge Required

Education/Experience

• Bachelor of Science required, MBA preferred
• Minimum 10 years experience in SAP with at least 5 years in the manufacturing industry, preferable the chemical industry, particularly in areas of business process, commercial operations, or supply chain.
• Strong aptitude in functionality of a variety of IT applications, particularly SAP including S4/HANA.
• Exposure and some experience in data warehousing, business reporting and data analytical solutions and tools.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in managing staff.
• Experience in supporting a global SAP system with operations in multiple countries.
• Minimum 5 years' experience in working with SAP consultants for both ongoing support needs and projects.
• Strong project management experience.
• Experience in preparing and managing operational and project budgets.

Skills/Competencies

Technical Skills

• Possess a deep understanding of typical SAP landscapes, along with typical tools and processes to support an SAP environment.
• Strong experience managing complex IT applications, particularly SAP with deep experience in multiple SAP modules.
• Understands complex business processes and the applications that support them
• Understands and designs highly complex aspects of a wide range of technologies and performs work without supervision. 
• Has a good understanding of technologies often used in developing and supporting applications and business systems.
• Able to diagnose and solve complex, rare technical or process issues, and evaluate impact on business.  Is frequently called upon by other organizations to assist in problem resolution.
• Ability to perform configuration activities within an SAP environment.
• Efficient at preparing functional specifications detailing business requirements to technical resources.
• Ability to use typical tools to help manage projects including reporting back to all levels.
• Competent at identifying risks and preparing mitigations to reduce or minimize risks.

Behavioral Skills

• Ability to break down complex issues into manageable objects to allow issues to be addressed in a logical and controller manner.
• Presents ideas and concepts to non-discipline colleagues and management in a manner that is respectful and understandable.
• Motivate others to act; understanding, developing, motivating, negotiating, mediating conflict with technical staff and third parties.
• Creates an environment in which quality information flows freely between self and others; encourages open expression of ideas and opinions; builds effective teams
• Excellent communication skills (both written and verbal) and the ability to interact across different cultures and time zones.
• Expected to have regular interaction with management and counterparts in multiple businesses and countries.
• Demonstrates ability to handle abstract problems with no known solutions.
• Continuous adapts to multiple/changing demands.
• Quickly assess priorities and criticalities to assign work to maximize business value.
• Applies best practices, both internal and external, that could benefit our businesses, and successfully implements them.
• Demonstrates strategic and visionary behaviors.

ADA Physical requirements, visual acuity requirements and environmental conditions

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and perform tasks requiring repetitive use of hands.  The employee must occasionally walk, stand and travel by car, airplane or other means.   Exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.

Employee must have the ability to see written documents, computer screens and to adjust focus.

Hearing: Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction. Ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and to make discriminations in sound.

Work Environment:  This job is performed mainly in a temperature controlled office environment.

Our culture is one of honesty and integrity with an emphasis on safety, health and environmental performance.On our team, people are acknowledged for embracing new practices that help create real value for customers.