Senior Solution Architect

CLIENT

As the market leader in decision management software, our client helps the world's largest companies in digitally transforming their integrated business planning, revenue management and supply chain management functions. It's platform puts the right information in front of the right people at the right time, so that everyone in a company can make smarter decisions, faster. They offer a cloud-based platform that connects the supply chain end-to-end through use of technologies like AI/ML and NLP. With a global presence across NA, Europe and Asia-Pac, the company provides services in multiple industries and to some of the biggest brands in the world. It runs as a flat organization with a very strong entrepreneurial culture (and no corporate politics).

POSITION SUMMARY

The role requires deep analytical, technical and complex problem-solving skills with knowledge of optimization methods, financial computations, statistical analysis and advanced mathematical modeling techniques. It also requires exposure to data science, and associated software and programming technologies. Additionally, this role requires exposure to advanced planning systems and tools.

The ideal person will be responsible for solution delivery, analysis and interpretation of data to assist management and leadership in rapid decision making and optimizing their supply chain to better serve their customers and shareholders. Solution delivery is through a variety of activities including process design, data analytics, solution configuration and deployment, setting up performance metrics and new policies, testing and knowledge management.

The Solution Architect would be responsible for participating in requirement and design sessions with the customer; analyzing areas of improvement opportunities; collecting and analyzing data to provide decision support information; preparing business impact case study; working with onshore and offshore teams to configure the solution and finally creating the test-cases to ensure the solution works as per the design.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The responsibilities include end to end solution design, configuration, implementation, data analytics, testing of solution and communication with internal and external stakeholders. The role will include partnering with Project Management, and Client Management functions to ensure successful delivery of software implementations as per customer requirements and contractual agreements.

Design

• Lead process and business requirements sessions, in the form of interviews, workshops, and other method, leading to documented records of a to-be business process leveraging industry best practices.
• Identify and document data requirements needed to enable aligned to-be business processes, such as historical sales, shipment, inventory, logistics, and other operations / supply chain data. Oversee collection and analysis of necessary data from sources like ERP systems, PLM systems, databases, excel sheets, emails, and others. Where data is not available, partner with client points of contact to create missing data elements
• Support Project Management and Client Management teams with capability listings, and effort estimates for PMs and CMs to define project scope, timelines, and execute sign offs with customers.

Configuration

• Lead the technical design documentation based on signed off business requirements that are in scope for client projects. Creating of these documents will include the conversion of business requirements to technical platform design. This will require knowledge of technical systems and platform capabilities and infrastructure.
• Oversee and review the work of solution architects and consultants to develop clear functional and technical design and document data requirements and build complex datasets.
• Oversee tool configuration in the platform as per the design to solve deep operations / supply chain problems and institute rigorous performance monitoring systems.

Data Analytics

• Identify and select appropriate mathematical models, predictive methods, statistical techniques, optimization algorithms and simulations to analyze, manipulate and interpret large enterprise data and provide business insights and data visualization to the client management.
• Be proficient in statistical and optimization tools and programming languages to conduct data integration through extraction, transformation and loading (ETL) and create models to generate time series forecasts and operational plans
• Oversee the execution of data analytics and modeling methods by business analysts, data scientists, and integration specialists

Testing

• Work with internal research and development teams to resolve solution gaps and deploy fixes in the customer environment.
• Oversee the creation and execution workflow and data analytics test-cases and document issues and track progress at resolving issues.
• Ability to design a testing protocol and oversee implementation by junior analysts, with the end goal of automating testing.

Communication

• Works with client cross-functional teams, and IT and business stakeholders, to ensure successful planning and execution of project
• Plan, develop and deliver Super User and End User training, for a global user base
• Mentor solution architects, junior analysts, technical architects, and business analysts to familiarize them with technical and business aspects of a project

REQUIRED SKILLS

Technology

• Statistical, Optimization and Simulation skills through software tools and packages like R, SAS, CPLEX or similar is required
• Knowledge of spreadsheets and software (Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets), document processing (Microsoft Word, Google Docs), presentation (Microsoft PowerPoint) is required
• Knowledge and training in databases (SQL Server, MySQL) and skills one or more languages like SQL, MDX, T-SQL or similar is optional but preferred
• Prior experience in planning systems, and exposure to ERP tools is preferred

Aptitude

• Strong analytical techniques, data mining knowledge and proficiency in handling and processing large amounts of data is needed
• Ability to identify key insights and critical thinking to prioritize and focus on the highest value opportunities or the biggest risks is key
• Coursework and a strong background in mathematics and statistics is key

Communication & Soft Skills

• Strong verbal, written, presentation and demonstration / training skills are necessary
• Ability to communicate mathematical, technical or software usage concepts to audiences with limited prior mathematics, technical or software background is key
• Ability to work in teams, distributed across locations and time zones and at executive and junior levels in a corporate hierarchy is key

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• 8+ years of relevant experience in software implementation, consulting, business transformation, or technology
• Four-year college degree
• Master's Degree preferred
• Academic or certifications in Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Engineering Management, Business Analytics or related fields is preferred

TRAVEL REQUIREMENT

• 70% minimum