Senior Manager, Finance Technology – IBP

Role: Senior Manager, Finance Technology – IBP

Location : New Brunswick, NJ

Duration: Contract to Hire

Job Description:

The Senior Manager, Finance Technology – IBP is responsible for owning end-to-end Integrated Business Planning (IBP) processes and technology enablement. This role serves as a key SAP S/4HANA Finance / Planning SME supporting planning, financial alignment, forecasting, budgeting, and performance reporting—ensuring the IBP operating model, data integrity, workflows, and system integrations run effectively and reliably across Finance and Supply Chain planning teams.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES (IBP END-TO-END OWNERSHIP):

1) Lead IBP Business Process Ownership (Finance + Planning Integration)

■      Own IBP process design, governance, and continuous improvement across budgeting, forecasting, planning cycles, scenario planning, and performance review

■      Partner with Finance, Supply Chain, Operations, and Controlling teams to define planning requirements and process controls

■      Ensure IBP outputs align to enterprise planning and financial consolidation needs (e.g., plans used for reporting and decision-making)

■      Maintain clear process documentation, work instructions, and runbook-based operational support for planning events

■      Drive adoption by enabling stakeholders on planning practices, planning logic, and system usage

 2) Serve as SAP S/4HANA Planning SME (Finance Technology)

■      Act as the primary SME for SAP S/4HANA capabilities relevant to planning and finance process execution

■      Provide functional guidance on Master Data, planning structures, allocation logic, and calculation rules

■      Validate process correctness through UAT support, solution validation, and reconciliation of planning outcomes

■      Ensure correct configuration for planning cycles, reporting views, and downstream data consumption

■      Translate business requirements into system-ready functional specifications and acceptance criteria

3) Own IBP System Enablement, Integration, and Automation

■      Manage and improve end-to-end IBP workflows (data loads, planning steps, approvals, versioning, and output generation)

■      Oversee integration touchpoints between IBP-related systems and SAP S/4HANA-dependent processes, including data flows and interfaces

■      Drive automation opportunities to reduce cycle time and manual effort (e.g., standardized batch runs, scheduling, validations)

■      Implement robust controls (data quality checks, exception handling, and audit-friendly traceability)

■      Ensure system reliability and planning performance during peak planning periods (close/freeze support model)

4) Lead Delivery, Governance, and Technology Roadmap for IBP

■      Drive planning technology improvements through roadmap planning, backlog management, and release planning

■      Coordinate cross-functional teams for enhancements: Solution Architecture, Data, Security, Integration, QA, and Operations support

■      Establish strong governance for change management (requirements traceability, testing strategy, deployment controls)

■      Lead incident/problem management during planning cycles and ensure timely root-cause resolution

■      Support vendor/partner coordination when applicable and ensure outcomes meet business SLAs

 SME SKILLS & COMPETENCIES (MUST-HAVES)

■      SAP S/4HANA Functional Expertise with strong understanding of finance-driven planning concepts

■      Demonstrated IBP process mastery (planning lifecycle, versions, approvals, scenario management, and performance cadence)

■      Strong capability in planning logic validation (allocation rules, drivers, calculation accuracy, reconciliation)

■      Proficiency in data management fundamentals for planning (master data strategy, data governance, and quality controls)

■      Expertise in end-to-end planning execution from data preparation to results consumption and stakeholder review

■      Ability to create and maintain functional documentation: process maps, configuration logic summaries, and runbooks

■      Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills to resolve planning discrepancies quickly during cycle events

■      Experience partnering with Finance leadership and operational teams to translate business goals into technology outcomes

 KEY SUPPORTED AREAS BY S/4HANA (EXAMPLES OF SCOPE)

■      Finance-driven planning structures and rules impacting IBP outcomes

■      Planning cycle execution support (iteration management, version control, validation checks)

■      Master data and planning hierarchy alignment supporting consistent planning results

■      Reporting outputs and reconciliation readiness for downstream finance analytics

■      Integration and data synchronization between planning inputs and S/4HANA-dependent finance processes

 LEADERSHIP & COLLABORATION

■      Lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders without direct authority

■      Provide executive-ready status updates during planning cycles and release windows

■      Mentor analysts and engineers supporting IBP processes and planning operations

■      Partner effectively with IT architecture, security, integration, and data governance groups

■      Facilitate workshops to gather requirements, align on process design, and drive decision-making

 KPIS / SUCCESS METRICS (WHAT “GOOD” LOOKS LIKE)

■      IBP cycle time reduction and fewer manual interventions

■      Improved data quality and reduction in planning discrepancies/exception rates

■      On-time completion of planning events (budgets/forecasts) with high stakeholder satisfaction

■      Higher planning accuracy through validation, controls, and reconciliation

■      Stable system performance during critical planning periods (low incident rate, quick resolution)

■      Successful delivery of agreed enhancements/releases aligned with roadmap

 REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

■      Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Computer Science, Engineering, or related field

■      8+ years of experience in Finance technology, planning systems, or enterprise applications (or equivalent)

■      Proven experience as an SAP S/4HANA SME in planning/finance process support and improvements

■      Demonstrated ownership of end-to-end planning cycles in enterprise environments

■      Strong experience in functional design, testing support (UAT), and production planning operations

 PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

■      Experience in regulated or quality-sensitive environments (e.g., healthcare/manufacturing)

■      Prior experience supporting IBP transformation or modernization initiatives

■      Knowledge of planning governance frameworks, audit readiness, and SOX-aligned controls

■      Experience with master data governance and data quality controls for planning