SAP FICO Architect

Job Title: SAP FICO Architect (or Senior SAP FICO Solution Architect)

Location:
Santa Clara, CA

Job Summary

The SAP FICO Architect leads the design, implementation, and optimization of SAP Financial Accounting (FI) and Controlling (CO) modules within SAP ECC or S/4HANA environments. This role focuses on architecting end-to-end financial solutions, including integrations with modules like SD, MM, PP, and external systems. The architect collaborates with business stakeholders, functional teams, and technical developers to deliver scalable, compliant financial systems. Emphasis is on S/4HANA migrations, Record-to-Report (R2R) processes, and innovative solutions for AP/GL/AR reporting. Ideal for candidates with deep expertise in manufacturing or high-tech industries.

Key Responsibilities

• Solution Design & Architecture:
  Lead the architecture of SAP FICO solutions, including GL, AP, AR, Asset Accounting (AA), Cost Center Accounting (CCA), Profit Center Accounting (PCA), Product Costing, Profitability Analysis (CO-PA), and Treasury Management (TM). Design integrations with SD/MM/PP and handle revenue recognition (e.g., RAR if applicable).
• Implementation & Configuration:
  Hands-on configuration in SAP ECC/S/4HANA; perform feasibility checks, custom coding reviews, and activation of new features (e.g., New Asset Accounting, Account-Based CO-PA). Lead full-cycle implementations, including RICEFW (Reports, Interfaces, Conversions, Enhancements, Forms, Workflows) development.
• Stakeholder Engagement:
  Gather requirements, conduct workshops, and provide consulting to align solutions with business needs. Perform impact analysis for changes, root cause analysis for incidents, and ensure compliance with PCI, VAT/GST/WHT, and multi-country rollouts.
• Testing & Deployment:
  Build, test, and deploy solutions; execute consistency checks, period-end closings, and data migrations. Lead training sessions and create documentation for monitoring, hypercare, and go-live support.
• Optimization & Support:
  Identify process improvements for R2R, cash management, and reporting. Support production issues, including lockbox processes, FSCM, and banking interfaces. Collaborate with ABAP/BASIS teams for fixes and enhancements.
• Innovation:
  Apply design thinking to enable advanced features like Central Finance, Joint Venture Accounting (JVA), or Advanced Financial Closing (AFC).

Required Qualifications & Skills

CategoryDetails

Experience

• 12+ years in SAP FICO (minimum 10 years hands-on configuration/implementation full end-to-end S/4HANA implementations (preferred). - Exposure to discrete manufacturing, semiconductors, or service parts. - Proven track record in AP/GL/AR modules, reporting, and integrations.

Technical Skills

• Proficiency in SAP ECC 6.0 and S/4HANA (Public Cloud preferred for some roles). - Expertise in FI sub-modules (GL, AP, AR, AA) and CO (COPA, CCA, PCA, Material Ledger). - Knowledge of FSCM, TM, Banking, RAR, Vertex/Sabrix for tax, and Concur integration. - ABAP basics for RICEFW; experience with HANA modeling and BW delta extraction. - Familiarity with multi-bank connectors (MBC/BCM) and multi-country taxation (VAT/GST/WHT).

Education & Certifications

• Bachelor's/Master's in Finance, Accounting, IT, or related field. - SAP FICO certification (highly desirable); S/4HANA Central Finance cert a plus.

Soft Skills

• Excellent stakeholder communication and onsite engagement. - Strong problem-solving for incidents and process optimization. - Ability to lead teams and handle hybrid/onsite work in PST timezone.

Preferred Qualifications

• Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification for core finance roles.
• Experience with SAP Lease Accounting (FI-LA), EPRO, or New GL implementations.
• Background in education/public sector or high-volume transaction environments.
• Agile/DevOps exposure for deployment planning.