Senior Functional Analyst

Introduction

The position is located in the ERP and Admin Apps Unit within the Application Management Services Branch within the Information and Technology Management Department (INFOTEC). INFOTEC is responsible for information management and utilization of technology for the ILO.  INFOTEC provides modern, secure, and reliable IT applications infrastructure, services and technologies to enable the ILO to effectively manage information and use technology to perform its mission. 
    
 The position provides expertise in process modelling, project management, software design, implementation and support for custom point and enterprise application solutions including enterprise resource planning (ERP) modules and processes. The role acts as a liaison between INFOTEC and business units in determining how to best implement software to streamline, automate and facilitate process efficiency and improvement. The position will report to the ERP and Admin Apps Unit Head within the Applications Management Services Branch (AMS).
 

Specific Duties

1.    Lead task forces and working groups within the Office. Implement and adhere to project management standards including preparation of business cases, total costs of ownership, status reports, project plans, work estimations, etc. Prepare briefing materials and presentations as needed to governance bodies and user communities.

2.    Identify opportunities for changes to processes, systems and structures. Recommend how to best utilize standard off the shelf software applications or lead the development of custom solutions to accomplish strategic business objectives which result in increased efficiency and effectiveness to the Office at headquarters and in the field. Ensure changes are implemented effectively considering alignment to master data management rules and application integration standards.

3.    Prepare documentation as needed for the role including scoping documents, process designs, functional designs, etc. Ensure that appropriate software development and configuration practices are performed according to accepted standards within the software development lifecycle and methodologies like ITIL. 

4.    Keep abreast of developments on software and technology related to business processes within the ILO. Make recommendations to Senior Management based on best practices externally. Continually develop skills to operate and implement new versions of implemented applications and software as they evolve over time.

5.    Engage and manage consultants, consulting contracts and vendor relationships to ensure services are performed according to standards and billed appropriately.  Prepare procurement-oriented materials including RfPs, vendor evaluations and Terms of Reference. Organize and prioritize work to ensure delivery to timelines and quality standards.

6.    Identify reporting and analytical needs.  Leverage business intelligence and analytical tools to enable management decision making and process effectiveness.  Recommend additions to the data warehouse and business intelligence framework.

7.    Perform other relevant duties as assigned.

These specific duties are aligned with the relevant ILO generic job description, which includes the following generic duties:

Generic Duties

1.    Provide expert advice to the Unit Head and recommend a course of action in the following ERP areas: solutions scoping, requirements analysis, gap analysis, feasibility, functional design, application configuration, integration testing, user acceptance testing, production deployment, support and training.

2.     Define standards and procedures for validating the integrity and operational viability of existing business processes. Work with the Unit Head to ensure all associated procedures and documentation are being maintained according to evolving business requirements.

3.     Perform strategic impact analysis of existing processes, systems and structures requiring change and provide estimates of effort. Evaluate the design, quality, stability and maintainability of custom code developed to fill gaps between standard Oracle Applications functionality and business requirements. Review design and development efforts that will support future enhancements.

4.     Perform troubleshooting of functional issues; determine if functional requirements are met by existing software and develop action plans to correct deficiencies; support the Office during cutover and transition to new software releases.

5.     Investigate reported application problems and work with Functional Analysts to test, diagnose and isolate the root cause of problems. Prepare incident reports for further investigation by technical operations and development experts. Coordinate further diagnosis and tests as necessary to assist with and recommend workarounds where appropriate.

6.     Work to develop client relationships by listening, understanding and anticipating needs, and suggesting appropriate solutions to ensure client satisfaction and continuous alignment with the client's business needs.

Required qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree in Information Technology Management, Computer Science, Business Management/Administration or other related field that is relevant to the scope of the assignment.   A first-level university degree in a relevant field with 2 years’ additional relevant experience in addition to the experience required below will be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree.

Experience

At least seven years of professional experience in designing and  implementing application and/or digital solutions with a minimum of five years implementing Oracle Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) applications. Experience in specific Oracle ERP modules should include a minimum of three of the following modules/components:  Human Resources, Advanced Benefits, Payroll, Labor Distribution, Personnel Actions, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, General Ledger, Cash Management, Fixed Assets, Purchasing, Projects or Grants Accounting. A minimum of three years of relevant experience should be at the international level. Implementation experience with software which supports public sector applications for Travel, Budgeting or Results Based Management is an advantage. Experience with using technologies such as Oracle Business Intelligence and Hyperion tools; understanding of project management methodologies and ITIL is an advantage. 

Languages

Excellent command of one official language (English, French, Spanish)  of the Organization and a working knowledge of a second official language.

Competencies

In addition to the ILO core competencies, this position requires:

Technical

Sound understanding of ERP implementation methodologies and best practices. Sufficient understanding of relevant business processes, operating strategies, policies, and procedures within the UN environment; capability to gather, document and analyze information; ability to draw conclusions including impacts and resolution options, define strategies and suggest solutions; discernment to differentiate which issues are critical to overall organisation drivers and which are not; ability to solve complex functional issues which cross-organizational boundaries; ability to liaise and negotiate. Ability to operate within the software development lifecycle and to engage team members and partners through the various activities in this cycle.  This will include negotiation, briefings and developing, reviewing and discussing Functional & Technical Designs, Test Scripts/Scenarios, etc. Advanced application software skills including Microsoft Office tools to prepare presentations, spreadsheets, word processing, and project management. Basic SQL knowledge with the ability to develop and execute low-medium complexity queries, in the context of Oracle applications. Sound experience using Oracle Online Support (the online support 'tool' for customers using Oracle technology and applications). 

Behavioural
Effective management skills including time and task management, development of project plans, project briefs, status reports, etc. and capable of working independently and within a team environment in order to meet deadlines. Capability to guide and coordinate the work of external collaborators, general service staff or young professionals. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Ability to work in a multicultural environment and to demonstrate gender sensitive and non-discriminatory behaviour and attitudes