Business Systems Analyst SAP Manufacturing & Production Operations

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Job Description

Function 

Information Technology/Enterprise Business Systems/MM/PP/SVT 

Position Overview 

The Business Systems Analyst (BSA) is responsible for supporting, enhancing, and optimizing enterprise applications and business processes within an assigned functional domain. The BSA serves as a trusted partner to business stakeholders, providing functional expertise, solution analysis, process improvement recommendations, and day-to-day operational support to ensure enterprise systems effectively enable business objectives. 

The BSA works closely with business users, the Manager Enterprise Systems, Digital Business Partners, technical teams, and third-party service providers to deliver stable, efficient, and scalable technology solutions. This role is responsible for analyzing business requirements, identifying process improvement opportunities, coordinating solution delivery, supporting system enhancements, and ensuring the successful adoption of new capabilities. 

In addition to operational support responsibilities, the BSA contributes to continuous improvement initiatives by identifying opportunities to leverage automation, analytics, AI-enabled capabilities, and process standardization to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and user experience. 

Domain Responsibility Summary 

We are seeking an experienced Business Systems Analyst to support and enhance SAP manufacturing and supply chain solutions in a complex process manufacturing environment. This role serves as the primary functional partner between Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality, Warehouse Operations, EHS, Finance, and IT organizations. 

The successful candidate will provide functional leadership for SAP Production Planning (PP-PI), Inventory Management, Batch Management, Quality Management, Subcontracting, and EHS Substance Volume Tracking while supporting integrations with Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), Warehouse Management Systems (WMS/EWM), and SAP Integrated Business Planning (IBP). 

This position will also play a key role in manufacturing site deployments, plant startups, acquisitions, expansions, and operational readiness initiatives. 

Key Responsibilities 

SAP Production Planning & Manufacturing 

• Support SAP PP-PI processes including production planning, scheduling, process orders, and manufacturing execution. 

• Configure and support Bills of Material (BOMs), Master Recipes, Production Versions, Resources, Work Centers, and production planning master data. 

• Support Material Requirements Planning (MRP) and Master Production Scheduling (MPS). 

• Troubleshoot issues involving production orders, material consumption, yields, scrap, co-products, by-products, and rework processes. 

• Partner with manufacturing teams to improve planning efficiency, production performance, and schedule adherence. 

Manufacturing Master Data Governance 

• Own governance and support of manufacturing master data including:  

• Material Masters (Functional Knowledge, support MDM team) 

• BOMs 

• Master Recipes 

• Production Versions 

• Work Centers and Resources 

• Planning Parameters 

• Batch Characteristics and Classification 

• Coordinate master data readiness for plant startups, acquisitions, expansions, and new product introductions. 

Inventory Management & Reconciliation 

• Support inventory management processes including receipts, issues, transfers, adjustments, and returns. 

• Lead physical inventory, cycle counting, and inventory reconciliation activities. 

• Investigate and resolve inventory discrepancies, stock-status issues, valuation concerns, and ghost inventory situations. 

• Support inventory governance, controls, and audit requirements. 

Batch Management & Quality 

• Support batch-managed and quality-managed manufacturing processes. 

• Support batch traceability, genealogy, classification, and determination. 

• Support SAP Quality Management including inspection lots, usage decisions, quality notifications, and defect management. 

• Ensure compliance with regulatory and quality requirements. 

EHS Substance Volume Tracking 

• Support SAP EHS Substance Volume Tracking and regulatory reporting. 

• Partner with EHS and Regulatory Affairs teams to ensure reporting accuracy and compliance. 

• Investigate data and process issues affecting regulatory reporting. 

Subcontracting & Toll Manufacturing 

• Support subcontracting and toll manufacturing operations. 

• Maintain subcontracting BOMs, special procurement settings, source lists, and procurement master data. 

• Reconcile subcontractor-held inventory and support planning of external manufacturing operations. 

Manufacturing Systems Integration 

• Support integration between SAP and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). 

• Support integration between SAP and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS/EWM). 

• Understand production confirmations, material consumption, inventory synchronization, batch genealogy, and warehouse execution processes. 

• Support integration and business processes involving SAP IBP Demand Planning, Supply Planning, Response & Supply, and Inventory Planning. 

• Troubleshoot cross-system process and data integration issues. 

Plant Setup & Manufacturing Deployments 

• Coordinate SAP setup activities for:  

• New Manufacturing Plants 

• Plant Expansions 

• Acquisitions 

• Divestitures 

• Toll Manufacturing Facilities 

• Warehouse and Distribution Locations 

• Support deployment of organizational structures, inventory initialization, testing, cutover, and go-live readiness activities. 

• Coordinate manufacturing operational readiness and post-deployment stabilization. 

Business Partnership & Requirements Management 

• Develop a strong understanding of assigned business processes, objectives, and operational challenges. 

• Serve as a primary point of contact for business users within supported functional areas. 

• Gather, document, and analyze business requirements for enhancements, projects, and continuous improvement initiatives. 

• Facilitate requirements workshops, process reviews, and solution discussions. 

• Translate business requirements into functional specifications and solution requirements. 

• Support the evaluation and recommendation of technology solutions that address business needs. 

Application Support & Operational Excellence 

• Provide functional support for enterprise applications within the assigned domain. 

• Investigate, troubleshoot, and resolve application, process, and data-related issues. 

• Coordinate issue resolution with technical teams, AMS providers, and vendors. 

• Support incident, problem, and service request management processes. 

• Monitor application performance and identify recurring issues and improvement opportunities. 

• Ensure business continuity through effective support and knowledge management practices. 

Process Improvement & Solution Delivery 

• Analyze business processes and identify opportunities for simplification, standardization, and optimization. 

• Support implementation of approved enhancements and system changes. 

• Participate in project activities, including fit-gap analysis, solution design, configuration reviews, testing, deployment, and hypercare support. 

• Identify opportunities to improve user experience and operational efficiency. 

• Support adoption of automation, workflow, analytics, and AI-enabled solutions. 

Testing & Quality Assurance 

• Develop and execute test plans and test scripts. 

• Coordinate user acceptance testing activities. 

• Validate solution quality and ensure requirements are fully addressed. 

• Support regression testing for application releases and upgrades. 

• Assist with defect management and issue resolution. 

Data, Reporting & Analytics 

• Support data quality initiatives and process governance activities. 

• Assist in development and enhancement of reporting and analytics capabilities. 

• Identify opportunities to improve business insight through data utilization. 

• Ensure consistency and integrity of process-related data within supported applications. 

Collaboration & Stakeholder Engagement 

• Partner closely with business stakeholders to understand evolving business needs. 

• Collaborate with Manager Enterprise Systems to prioritize work and support operational objectives. 

• Support Digital Business Partners in evaluating business capabilities and improvement opportunities. 

• Work effectively with project teams, technical resources, AMS providers, and vendors. 

• Participate in governance, planning, and continuous improvement activities. 

Qualifications 

Required 

• Bachelor's degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business Administration, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance, Human Resources, or a related discipline. 

• 7+ years of SAP functional experience supporting manufacturing and supply chain processes. 

• 5+ years of SAP PP-PI experience in a process manufacturing environment. 

• Hands-on experience supporting:  

• Bills of Material (BOMs) 

• Master Recipes 

• Production Versions 

• Work Centers and Resources 

• MRP and Planning Data 

• Experience supporting batch-managed and quality-managed materials.  

• Experience supporting inventory reconciliation, physical inventory, and cycle counting processes.  

• Experience with MRP and Master Production Scheduling (MPS).  

• Understanding of MES, WMS/EWM, and SAP ERP manufacturing integration concepts.  

• Understanding of SAP IBP planning processes and ERP integration.  

• Experience supporting manufacturing deployments, plant startups, acquisitions, or major operational changes. 

• Experience gathering and documenting business requirements. 

• Experience supporting system enhancements, projects, or technology implementations. 

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills. 

• Ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders. 

Benefits of Joining Albemarle

• Competitive compensation

• Comprehensive benefits package

• A diverse array of resources to support you professionally and personally.

We are partners to one another in pioneering new ways to be better for ourselves, our teams, and our communities. When you join Albemarle, you become our most essential element and you can anticipate competitive compensation, a comprehensive benefits package, and resources that foster your well-being and fuel your personal growth. Help us shape the future, build with purpose and grow together.