Date: 22 Aug 2023
Location: Sassenheim, NL
Company: AkzoNobel
We’ve been pioneering a world of possibilities to bring surfaces to life for well over 200 years. As experts in making coatings, there’s a good chance you’re only ever a few meters away from one of our products. Our world class portfolio of brands – including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon – is trusted by customers around the globe. We’re active in more than 150 countries and have set our sights on becoming the global industry leader. It’s what you’d expect from the most sustainable paints company, which has been inventing the future for more than two centuries.
Job Purpose
Design, develop, test, and implement IT solutions and processes in IT systems like applications, platforms and networks through IT changes, projects in line with global Information Technology (IT) and security guidelines, to support company business requirements to create company value. In the Application Delivery Domain Commercial the focus of this role will be on Order to Cash (and ideally also on and (Field) Service Management) processes in SAP and integrations of those processes into other systems.
The Functional Engineer in Application Delivery is responsible for detailing design and hardwiring business requirements as per Architectural and Security guidelines. This is done through projects, changes and increasingly more through Agile DevOps teams. This requires high quality Stories (change specifications) and projects changes which will allow Engineers and/or Developers to translate into code/configuration. The Functional Engineer sees to properly coordinate, review, approve and execute stories/project changes and has an active role monitoring status, in (unit)testing and change management once developed, including organizing sign-off after testing. The Functional Engineer has an active role in the preparation and execution of the actual changes together with our partners and external consultants where applicable. On request, a Functional Engineer can be asked to be involved in solving urgent high priority incidents and plays a role in process improvements alongside with business.
The work is either done being part of the responsibilities in the line management organization, in agile teams under the leadership of a Scrum Master, or in the case of a waterfall under the leadership of the Project Manager. Depending on the seniority of the Engineer, he/she will also assume these project management activities as a role or will take the lead in delivery of end-to-end changes. It is the intention that more and more work get done as part of the standing organization and no longer create a project for every single change that needs to be done.
The Functional Engineer will participate in improving the way we manage our financials. This includes but is not limited to entering POs for everything that needs to be done before the work starts. Ensuring we have the right provisions in place that reflect the expected spend, even if invoices come in much later. Proper contract and supplier management needs to be executed to ensure that existing contracts are timely renewed given us enough time to see how we can improve/optimize the current conditions or to stop a current service or support.
Responsibilities
Story specification
Translate business requirements into clear detailed designs. Own and develop high quality Stories (change specifications) and project changes for Engineers and External Consultants to then translate into code or config and a proposal on a change implementation.
Development & delivery
Guide, coordinate and oversee the preparation and execution and implementation of the (project) changes and the development of the code/config of Stories. Ensure that all partners follow established standards (process- & documentation standards, coding and testing standards, naming conventions etc.). Review, Approve and control the implementation and/or embedding of new, enhancements and/or modifications of applications, systems and/or solutions. This results in building sustainable and stable first-time right solutions in a very collaborate team spirit (also with external service providers) and in an engaging way with stakeholders and consumers of the solutions. Solutions are built according to the Architectural and Security principles and changes are timely & adequately prepared & documented and/or code works as intended.
Testing
Own testing of changes or stories, and/or actively oversee testing by business. Develop test scripts, examine test outcomes, sign off for unit testing and coordinate business sign off for Application Delivery related testing. Contribute to test planning and test management for a specific release. Resulting in, changes and/or code are properly and timely tested.
Incident management
Perform functional or technical problem analysis in case of incidents or issues as needed depending on the severity of the problem. Perform root cause analysis, document these and share findings. Deploy (or oversee deployment) of updates and fixes. To ensure that issues, incidents, and problems are swiftly and effectively resolved.
Process management and improvement
Monitor, guard, test and analyze that the use and security of applications and systems regarding the functional and performance aspects are in line with the agreed performance indicators, and if necessary, take measures. Actively contribute to process improvement: e.g., tool development, dashboard/insight development and visualization, script automation. Has a good view of the technical state of the application (technical debt) and regularly discuss and works seamlessly together with the (domain)Architect to develop plans to resolve the technical debt. Resulting in, available and optimally performing applications and IT infrastructure for the business and, DevOps process, tooling and dashboards are continuously improving.
Project support
Support a project manager by taking ownership of specific project deliverables (specifications, config, testing, etc.). Define, plan, manage and participate in assigned project deliverables from the own functional or technical domain, in accordance with the IT project manager and involved business project owners. Resulting in, efficient and effective realization of project deliverables.
What do you bring
- In dept knowledge is not limited to a sub domain but to a full domain. Understand integrations with other processes in SAP and also with other applications. Has experience in configuring other modules of SAP and ideally also with Innovaptive mobile solutions.
- Can participate in more complex and bigger projects up to €500K and can coordinate and also review and approve changes.
- Is a good sparring partner with process managers in business, suggests and advise them on process improvements and hardwiring it in solutions.
- Excellent communication skills (verbally and in writing), able to explain technical matters in simple terms and clear specifications.
- Fluent in agile & DevOps Concepts.
- Draws conclusions based on complex analysis within subdomain and impacted other (sub)domains, proposes measures on optimizing tactical/strategic approaches and can estimate implementation efforts, designs and impacts for business and other (sub)domains.
- Initiates, formulates and implements new processes and procedures for the functional discipline and contributes to policy development for the function
- Has led and completed a CI initiative (green belt)
- Works under general guidance. Work is incidentally checked by manager or senior colleagues, e.g. following an incident, when needed as input into a bigger project, etc. Coordinates activities of others. Is asked to take the lead in meetings with external partners and internal Delivery and Operations teams
- Equal to level 2 and advises on and translates business needs into functional and technical optimization of applications.
- 4-7 years of relevant work experience
- Relevant Bachelor or Master degree
At AkzoNobel we are highly committed to ensuring an inclusive and respectful workplace where all employees can be their best self. We strive to embrace diversity in a context of tolerance. Our talent acquisition process plays an integral part in this journey, as setting the foundations for a diverse environment. For this reason we train and educate on the implications of our Unconscious Bias in order for our TA and hiring managers to be mindful of them and take corrective actions when applicable. In our organization, all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age or disability.
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