IT Delivery Manager - Finance

Vacancy NameIT Delivery Manager – Finance Employment TypePermanent CountryUnited Kingdom LocationLiverpool Business AreaFinance Workplace TypeHybrid About PrincesThe Princes Group has over 7, employees with offices and production sites in the UK, Netherlands, Italy, Poland, France and Mauritius. Princes manufactures different food and drink products responsibly sourced and enjoyed by consumers every day. None of this would be possible without striving to be an employer of choice, where our colleagues are proud to represent our business. Role Description
Job Purpose

Reporting to the Head of IT – Operations & Finance, this role will have responsibility for conceiving, defining, standardising, delivering, monitoring, refining and withdrawing Technology solutions and products that support and maximise business results in Finance Functions.

Strategic Consultancy – Define overall strategic direction of Group SAP Finance and Controlling solutions. This requires a deep understanding of solution capabilities and through gaining a business understanding of the overall solution, to guide the IT function and related business functions in the overall direction and approach for SAP Finance and Controlling solution.

Business Management – Establish and maintain relationships with the key business and technology stakeholders from the Finance functions, perform internal customer research, perform competitive analysis and product development and selection, drive alignment amongst stakeholders, work within product budgets, bring products to market, refine and improve products

Product Delivery Management – act as keeper of the vision, define product and solution roadmaps, coordinate business and IT resources, and determine suitable product lifecycles.

Resource Management – oversee product delivery teams internal and external, coordinate with other product delivery managers, ensure best possible use and prioritise use of all resources to deliver the maximum value and benefits from projects and programs within the portfolio.

Dimensions

• Management of key implementation projects with an asset value of up to £2 million per annum
• Providing technology products and solutions across all Princes Group Finance worldwide.
• Liaising with senior stakeholders in Finance functions such as Finance Director – Operations, Finance Director – Commercial, Financial Controller (Group), Group Treasurer, Group Finance Services Controller.
• Manage a team of up to 15 with up to 8 direct reports some of which may be based at site.
• The role requires travel and periods away from home.
• The role may be required to perform duties outside of normal working hours

Principal Responsibilities

Business Management & Product Delivery
• Establish and maintain relationships with the key business and technology stakeholders, managing budget and product development, making decisions regarding product capabilities and priorities.
• Perform internal customer research as a means of gaining insight into the \”voice of the customer.\” Use this insight to define the product or solution direction and how internal customers would gain value from product capabilities.
• Perform competitive analysis and product selection processes.
• Facilitate and drive alignment among key stakeholders. This will help the business achieve its goals and objectives, according to a shared view of product priorities. Part of defining the roadmap is defining a release strategy, from early prototypes, through minimum viable product (MVP), to the first and subsequent releases. This is subject to frequent change as with any agile delivery process.
• Define, track and communicate key product performance indicators as required to inform this process, and track business results.
• Bring the product/solution to production within agreed budgets ensuring that the business and IT is prepared to deliver and service the product throughout its life cycle. Ensure that the organization is prepared to deliver and support the entire business capability (including all of its human, organizational, process and technology aspects).
• Continually monitor and refine the product while in market. Define, track and communicate key product performance indicators as required to inform this process, and track business results.

Resource Management
• Manage/Develop People – Ensure that the Finance team is appropriately recruited, trained and managed to be able effectively and safely deliver their tasks and ensuring the stability and continuity of this workforce consistent with the long-term needs of the business. This includes where appropriate managing and developing team members in line with Princes guidelines on performance management.
• Team Development – to ensure that the Finance team are enabled to deliver and support the products in the Finance Product portfolio, and to ensure their continued growth and development.
• Resource Allocation – Manage the planning and scheduling of resources required to delivery and support the Group Finance portfolio of products in addition to the research and development of new products.

Change Management
• Change Management – Ensuring that changes to system architecture, platforms and software are managed through the appropriate change processes, and mechanisms to track changes are maintained.
• Support and Maintenance – Advise of the solutions maintenance of software deployed in the Finance systems domain, liaising with third party suppliers of solutions.
Knowledge, Skills & Experience

Knowledge
• Degree level qualification in an IT or related subject.
• Recognised Accountancy Qualification or QBE.
• Deep understanding of Finance and Product costing processes, General Ledger (GL), Accounts Payable (AP), Accounts Receivable (AR), Cost and Profit Center Accounting (CPA), CO Profitable Analysis (COPA) including configuration and product knowledge.
• Strong understanding of SAP FI/CO/PP/MM/ SD functionality, master data and integration points between SAP modules in a FMCG context.
• Knowledge of indirect tax recording and reporting across multiple countries and awareness of latest developments in E-invoicing and E reporting.
• Strong understanding of interfacing techniques used to connect systems such as SAP ECC, with SAP BW, SAP BPC.
• Strong understanding of Financial Consolidation and FP&A processes.
• Strong understanding of change management principals and application
• Understanding of systems architectures that form the backbone of core business systems.
• Detailed understanding of software testing techniques and methods.
• Understanding of methods and approaches to train and coach end users on business systems.
• Up to date knowledge of new and emerging technologies within Finance and Accountancy.
• Understanding of data analytics and presentation of Financial data.
• Understanding of Statutory and management information for reporting purposes.
• Competent user of Microsoft Office applications

Role RequirementsSkills
• Ability to communicate openly and effectively with IT teams, and business stakeholders and across other business teams and functions at all levels without complex jargon
• Strong interpersonal skills; able to quickly establish good relationships both internally, with people at all levels of an organisation, and externally, with suppliers.
• Strong influencer, able to contribute effectively outside immediate area of expertise.
• Assertive, persuasive, patient and resilient
• Creative problem solver, able to analyse problems and opportunities and determine the most appropriate course of action to rectify.
• Project management skills from concept to delivery.
• Work under tight timescales whilst maintaining attention to detail and quality of work.
• Strong people management and development skills providing management, support and direction to your team members to ensure that objectives and targets are clearly defined
• Excellent organisational skills, able to set and drive through an agenda.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong negotiation and persuasive skills
• Willingness to travel in the support of delivery of the Princes Finance Strategy to other Princes Group Operations sites. This may involve some periods away from home.

Experience

• Graduate or of Graduate calibre, with good strong practical experience of project delivery in an IT and FMCG context.
• Strong operational grounding within a complex fast moving manufacturing environment.
• Practical experience of using systems implementation methodologies.
• Demonstrable track record of achieving results / managing change.
• Have developed or worked in the development of Enterprise Architecture associated with Finance solutions and related functions.
• Experience of testing IT systems is desirable.
• Understanding of methods and approaches to train and coach end users on business and manufacturing systems.
• Experience of working cross-functionally dealing with all levels of business employees from senior executives and shop floor operations.
• Demonstrable track record of leading and developing teams, and in resource management across multiple projects, products and locations.

Benefits:

• Cash Car Allowance
• 25 Days Annual Leave plus Birthday off
• 14.5% Pension – 5% employee opt in / 9.5% employer
• Hybrid & Flexible Working – 4 Days in Office / 1 Day WFH
• Flexible Holiday Option – Buy 5 Additional Days
• Enhanced Family Friendly & Carers Policies
• Life Assurance Cover
• Private Medical Insurance
• Critical Illness Cover
• Learning & Development Opportunities