Business Analyst Job at Saxon Global in Dallas

The job description for the Source To Pay Business Analyst is as follows:

7+ years experience. Responsible for functional analysis, consulting and evaluation of user business problems and development of system recommendations to meet requirements, delivering the essence into an abstract and algorithmic business model. Assignments typically include problem definition, evaluation of requirements, project management, and implementation of systems to meet business and user requirements. A minimum of 3 system implementations and experience in multiple applications on recent version releases and upgrades. Ability to perform functional lead activities during implementation. During go live will assist the technical staff by testing the behavior of the system. After go live will guarantee that the procedures remain usable and consistent in real live situation and proposes enhancements. Expect comprehensive knowledge of business processes for Source to Pay, Procure to Pay, Procurement, or cloud solutions such as Ivalua, Coupa, Ariba, etc.. Strong teaming, process and change management skills required. Expert knowledge in one or more applications is required (Example: SAP, PeopleSoft, Oracle, etc.).

And my notes for the role based off of our previous working knowledge of the role:

What is this Business Analyst going to do:
•The Business Analyst is going to talk to different business units, figure out how to make the whole procurement process faster and smoother, and then help tailor the Ivalua tool to fit those needs-all while making sure it works well within their SAP environment. Communication is key in this role.

Source To Pay:

Source to Pay (S2P) is highly beneficial for this Business Analyst role because it's the core process the company is trying to streamline and improve through the implementation of the Ivalua tool. Here's why S2P is important for the role:

Key Steps in the S2P Process:

1. Sourcing:

o This is where the company identifies and selects suppliers. It includes tasks like researching, negotiating contracts, and setting terms with vendors who can provide what the business needs.

2. Contracting:

o Once suppliers are chosen, businesses create and sign contracts outlining the terms, conditions, and pricing.

3. Procurement:

o This is where the company places orders for the needed goods or services from the suppliers.

o It often involves using specialized software to manage the order process and track everything.

4. Receiving:

o After placing the order, the business receives the goods or services and checks to make sure they match the order in terms of quality and quantity.

5. Invoicing:

o Once the order is complete, the supplier sends an invoice to the business for payment.

6. Payment:

o The company then processes and pays the invoice, completing the transaction.

How Source to Pay (S2P) Helps the Business Analyst:

1. End-to-End Process Understanding:

o The Business Analyst needs to understand the entire procurement process-from sourcing suppliers to making payments-to identify pain points and areas for improvement. Familiarity with S2P helps them see the big picture and pinpoint specific steps that can be streamlined.

2. Tailoring the Ivalua Tool:

o Since Ivalua will be used to manage the company's Source to Pay process, knowing S2P ensures that the Business Analyst can customize the tool to meet the exact needs of each department. This means they can adjust workflows, data fields, and integrations to ensure efficiency across the whole cycle.

3. Improving Efficiency:

o The goal of implementing Ivalua is to make procurement more efficient. Understanding S2P allows the Business Analyst to design solutions that reduce manual work, speed up approvals, and eliminate bottlenecks in the process. For example, automating contract approvals or supplier performance evaluations.

4. Better Cross-Department Collaboration:

o S2P involves multiple departments (procurement, finance, legal, etc.). The Business Analyst will use their knowledge of S2P to collaborate effectively with each unit, understanding their unique challenges and aligning Ivalua's features with their needs.

5. Identifying Key Metrics:

o By knowing S2P, the Business Analyst can identify important KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to measure the success of the tool's implementation. This could include tracking time spent sourcing suppliers, purchase order accuracy, or the speed of payments.

6. Ensuring Compliance:

o S2P covers not only operational efficiency but also contract and regulatory compliance. The Business Analyst ensures that Ivalua is configured to help the company stay compliant with supplier contracts, internal policies, and external regulations.

7. Post-Implementation Support:

o After Ivalua goes live, the Business Analyst will monitor its performance in real-life situations. Understanding S2P allows them to troubleshoot issues quickly and suggest improvements to keep the process running smoothly.

Why would this person need to know SQL?
•Knowing SQL helps the Business Analyst work with data directly, analyze the current system, generate reports, and make sure the new tool (Ivalua) works well with the company's existing SAP system. SQL skills let them solve data-related problems quickly without needing to depend on other technical teams.

Reasons SQL Is Needed:

Data Analysis:
•The Business Analyst will likely need to extract and analyze data from various systems (like SAP) to understand the current procurement process, identify inefficiencies, and track key performance indicators (KPIs). SQL allows them to query databases directly to pull the specific data they need.
•Using SQL, they can write queries to pull data for these reports, instead of relying on IT teams to generate them.
•Since Ivalua will be implemented within the SAP environment, the Business Analyst may need to understand how data is structured in both systems. SQL can help them ensure that data flows correctly between Ivalua and SAP, and troubleshoot issues if data isn't syncing or being transferred properly.

Testing and Validation:
•During the implementation and go-live phases, the Business Analyst will need to run SQL queries to test whether the new tool (Ivalua) is correctly handling data in the database.

Reasons for Needing a More Technical Business Analyst:

1. Technical Liaison:

o The Business Analyst will work closely with IT teams and other technical staff. Having a technical background helps them speak the same language, facilitating better communication about system requirements, data structures, and technical limitations or possibilities.

2. Data Analysis and SQL Skills:

o Given the need for SQL skills, a technical person can directly access, manipulate, and analyze data within the databases. This is important for:

§ Extracting procurement data from SAP or Ivalua for reporting.

§ Validating data during the implementation.

§ Creating custom queries to ensure data accuracy or troubleshoot issues.

3. System Integration:

o They will need a deep understanding of how these systems work together. A technical person will be able to configure and troubleshoot integration points, ensuring that data flows smoothly between systems.

4. Customization and Configuration:

o Ivalua needs to be customized to fit the company's procurement process. A technical Business Analyst will be able to manage system configurations, workflows, and data mappings, ensuring that the tool is tailored to business needs.

5. Advanced Testing:

o During the go-live and post-implementation phases, the Business Analyst will need to perform advanced testing to ensure the system functions as

intended. A technical person can write and run test scripts, perform regression testing, and troubleshoot system behaviors, which will be crucial for identifying and resolving bugs.
•7+ years' experience. Responsible for technical and functional analysis, consulting and evaluation of user business problems and development of system recommendations to meet requirements, delivering the essence into an abstract and algorithmic business model.
•Assignments typically include problem definition, evaluation of requirements, project management, and implementation of systems to meet business and user requirements.
•A minimum of 3 system implementations and experience in multiple applications on recent version releases and upgrades.
•Ability to perform functional lead activities during implementation.
•During go live will assist the technical staff by testing the behavior of the system.
•After go live will guarantee that the procedures remain usable and consistent in real live situation and proposes enhancements.
•Expect comprehensive knowledge of business processes for Source to Pay, Procure to Pay, Procurement, or cloud solutions such as Ivalua, Coupa, Ariba, etc..
•Strong teaming, process and change management skills required.
•Expert knowledge in one or more applications is required (Example: SAP, PeopleSoft, Oracle, etc.). SQL skills needed.