SAP Finance Application Manager

What will you do?

As an SAP Finance Application Manager, you will be responsible to oversee and maintain smooth end-to-end technical support operations within the SAP Finance platform as a service. Furthermore, you will play a strategic and tactical role in the design of new solutions or major enhancements relating to the end-to-end SAP Finance solution, encompassing multiple SAP products.

You will report to the Head of SAP Centre of Expertise, a unit within the Applications Platform portfolio of Sanlam Group Technology (SGT) and collaborate with direct and indirect teams to ensure strategic objectives are met, roadmaps are effectively planned and executed, governance, adherence, seamless service delivery and top-notch client support.

Your internal support partner, Sanlam Finance Shared Services (FSS) in Sanlam Life and Savings, provides a chargeable offering to over 80 entities in Sanlam Group and is responsible for, amongst others, payment of supplier invoices, reconciliations, posting resolutions, period end closing, master data changes, cost allocation, processing of fixed assets, etc. Furthermore, FSS is responsible for business support and interaction and setting strategic objectives in collaboration with multiple parties for the Finance solution.

You will maintain a close relationship to effectively support SLA’s and OLA’s between SGT and Finance Shared Services.

You will engage with teams of configuration experts, developers, testers, infrastructure/basis analysts and application security specialists to deliver system and user access change requests for both business-as-usual and projects where applicable.

You will ensure all periodic system upgrade and maintenance activities are successfully completed.

You will oversee the design of complicated, high-impact system requirements to address potential risks to integration, usability and deadlines.

Your client, Sanlam Finance Shared Services (FSS) in Sanlam Life and Savings, provides a chargeable offering to over 80 entities in Sanlam Group and is responsible for, amongst others, payment of supplier invoices, reconciliations, posting resolutions, period end closing, master data changes, cost allocation, processing of fixed assets, etc.

What will make you successful in this role?

• Oversee demand and skills availability to support operations
• Ensure adequate resource levelling in response to backlog and incoming JIRA requests
• Oversee delivery of system related tasks against agreed priorities and deadlines
• Ensure periodic cadences for alignment, prioritisation and escalation activities
• Ensure adherence to release, incident and SAP change management procedures
• Ensure audit compliance in user access and change management
• Where applicable, ensure all SAP legislative changes are addressed
• Ensure all system upgrades and maintenances activities are planned and successfully delivered
• Ensure alignment with SAP CoE governance, procedures and principles and other applicable SGT standards
• Act as a support expert to system analysts when designing system changes
• Design and validate a complex architecture and ensure successful implementation
• Provide recommendations and guidance on SAP platform and tools to enhance the Finance solution
• Understand the business processes for which any solution architecture is being developed
• Influence SGT and SAP CoE strategies ensuring collaborative alignment
• Identify, assess, and solve complex business problems for area of responsibility, where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of variable factors
• Closely follows the strategic direction set by senior management when establishing near-term goals
• Interacts with executive management on matters where they may need to gain acceptance on an alternate approach
• Manage interactions and delivery with third parties contributing to the overall solution
• Oversee, manage and support a team of SAP Finance Systems technical experts

Qualification

• Matric
• Bachelor’s degree or Diploma, preferably in Computer Science, Information Systems or related 
• ITIL Certification or similar

Experience

• At least 8 years in SAP Service delivery 
• At least 5 years in technical support of SAP S/4HANA Finance related applications
• Involvement in 2 full life SAP S/4HANA Finance or Procurement related cycle projects 

Knowledge and skills

• Advanced knowledge of SAP service delivery principles
• Advanced knowledge of planning deliverables i.e. timelines and resources
• Technical knowledge of SAP S/4HANA on-premise FI, CO, PS, MM, SD, EAM, MDG
• Technical knowledge of SAP Data Services will be advantageous
• Technical knowledge of SAP Insurance Analyser or PaPM will be advantageous
• Advanced knowledge of system change management processes preferably using JIRA or similar
• Understanding Waterfall methodology
• Understanding Agile methodologies will be advantageous
• Understanding SAP ABAP and FIORI will be advantageous
• Ability to interpret and interrogate written requirements specification documents
• Ability to prioritise tasks
• Ability to deliver in accordance with strict deadlines
• Ability to negotiate with various stakeholders
• Ability to maintain delivery momentum

Personal Attributes

Build a successful career with us

We’re all about building strong, lasting relationships with our employees. We know that you have hopes for your future – your career, your personal development and of achieving great things. We pride ourselves in helping  our employees to realise their worth. Through its five business clusters – Sanlam Fintech, Sanlam Life and Savings, Sanlam Investment Group, Sanlam Allianz, Santam, as well as MiWay and the Group Office – the group provides many opportunities for growth and development.

Core Competencies

Turnaround time

The shortlisting process will only start once the application due date has been reached. The time taken to complete this process will depend on how far you progress and the availability of managers. 

Our commitment to transformation