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Technical Lead and Functional Analyst, Financial Systems (Workday) (Job ID: 2021-2759)

Employer
The Brookings Institution
Location
Washington, DC
Closing date
Oct 26, 2021
Overview:Join one of the most influential, most quoted and most trusted think tanks!The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit public policy organization based in Washington, DC. Our mission is to conduct in-depth research that leads to new ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global level.We bring together leading experts in government and academia from all over the world, rooted in open-minded inquiry and representing diverse points of view, who provide the highest quality research, policy recommendations, and analysis. Research topics cover a full range of public policy issues in economics, foreign policy, development, governance and metropolitan policy.With fair and transparent business practices, clear communication, mutual respect, and a collaborative atmosphere that offers both professional and personal development opportunities, Brookings offers an inclusive and welcoming workplace that values the efforts of all contributors.The Office of Financial Service (OFS) is dedicated to supporting the mission of Brookings by ensuring and enhancing its financial health and promoting financial efficiency and innovation. We accomplish this by safeguarding the institution's assets, stewarding donor contributions and providing quality and client-driven service characterized by professionalism, integrity, reliability, transparency, accountability, expertise, and above all else - respectfulness and fairness. OFS is comprised of Accounting, Financial Planning and Management, Financial Operations and Investments.The Accounting Office manages the functions of General Accounting, Accounts Payable, Payroll, Tax Reporting, Accounts Receivable and Financial Systems.The Office of Financial Planning and Management (OFPM) is responsible for preparing and executing against the annual institutional operating and capital budgets as well as long-range financial modeling for the Brookings Institution. This includes financial management of Institutional Initiatives and all Business Units. OFPM also oversee grants financial management for the Institution, which consists of a diversified funding portfolio, including US and foreign governments, private foundations, individuals and Universities.Financial Operations is responsible for Procurement and the general operations of OFS which includes policies, project management, administration, staffing and internal communications.The Investment Office manages Brookings' financial assets, particularly the long-term endowment funds originally established by Robert and Isabella Brookings and augmented since by other donors. Approximately 45 legally separate funds support both restricted and unrestricted operations. The funds are pooled into a single investment portfolio that is broadly diversified.Position Location: This position is based in Brookings' Washington, DC office. The person hired for this position must be willing to move to or currently reside in Washington DC, Maryland, or Northern Virginia by their date of hire.Operating status: Brookings eligible employees are currently authorized to work remotely but will be moving towards a hybrid plan later this year, which will require working both in the office and remotely. All vaccinated Brookings employees who wish to work from the office can do so. Brookings policies on masks and other pandemic mitigation measures will continue to be informed by DC and CDC guidelines.Vaccine Policy: Brookings has made the safety of our staff and our surrounding community a top priority. As part of that commitment, Brookings recently announced that staff on Brookings campus this fall are required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Brookings will require all staff and visitors to submit proof of complete vaccination against COVID-19 to be in Brookings buildings.As a visitor and/or a new employee at Brookings, you will be required to comply with the vaccination policy. Individuals invited for an in-person job interview or hired as an employee that (i) have a qualifying medical condition that contraindicates a COVID-19 vaccination, or (ii) who object to being vaccinated based on a sincerely held religious belief, may request a reasonable accommodation.Responsibilities:Ready to contribute to Brookings success?The Brookings Institution will be undergoing a full Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform implementation with a target completion date of early 2023. The platform, Workday, will include both Financials and Human Resource (HR) modules and will replace a legacy PeopleSoft (PS) system. A major goal of this implementation is to modernize and transform critical financial operations and transactions by replacing manual processes and ineffective workflows with technology-driven solutions. The Technical Lead and Functional Analyst, Financial Systems will be a critical member of the Office of Financial Services (OFS) ERP Team and will report to the Controller. In this role, they will work closely with a senior PeopleSoft Techno-Functional Lead to re-envision and deliver a future-state ERP ecosystem (with Workday as the core) that better meets the technical and functional requirements needed to achieve an exceptional experience for Brookings finance staff.Starting from the Readiness phase of the Workday Implementation Project and running through to the stable launch of the new ERP, the Technical Lead and Functional Analyst, Financial Systems will have a unique opportunity to establish a new financial ERP landscape at Brookings. After the launch, they will be a leading member of the post-GO LIVE Workday Finance team and will have the opportunity to shape the support model as well as the future direction of the Workday Finance platform. This role is highly visible within the Finance, HR, and Technology business units and will have day-to-day interaction with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and power users, particularly from each finance department (eg Grants Administration, Procurement, GL, Payroll, and Budgeting and Planning).The Technical Lead and Functional Analyst, Financial Systems will drive the techno-functional aspects of the Workday Implementation Project, with a focus on the design, configuration, testing, and deployment of the financial modules (eg Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting, Grants, Assets, Projects, Banking, Revenue, Supplier Accounts, Gifts and Endowment Accounting, Procurement, Payroll, Planning with Adaptive Insights). In addition, they will be responsible for related third-party systems/integrations (eg Concur).As a key member of the overall ERP Team, they will work closely with the ERP Implementation Partner, ERP Project Management (PM) Team, ERP Finance SMEs and Functional Leads, Brookings Technology (BTech) staff, and other ERP stakeholders to ensure that (1) key Finance-related business requirements are captured and reflected in proposed solutions; that (2) solutions pass quality control tests and meet stakeholder expectations; that (3) all Finance-related technical tasks are in alignment with the overall Workday implementation project plan; that (4) project risks and issues are addressed, escalating as needed; that (5) decisions are made in a timely manner; and that (6) ERP Finance deadlines are being met.In summary, the Technical Lead and Functional Analyst, Financial Systems will play an integral role in the implementation and continual evolution of our financial systems. This position ensures a high level of service with a strong commitment to quality and customer service. They have an opportunity, on a daily basis, to positively impact our environment and to be a pivotal leader who drives change and innovation.Implementation Projects/Enhancements and Analysis (60%)Workday:Serve as Finance Technical Lead on Workday Implementation Project, working closely with ERP Implementation Partner, Brookings ERP Team (particularly Finance functional leads and SMEs), BTech staff, and third-party vendors.Lead effort to cleanse, extract, and convert financial data from legacy systems into Workday format; ensure extracted data is loaded into Workday environments and validated by SMEs.Lead design, configuration, testing, and deployment of delivered functionality and "no-code"A' custom reports for Workday financial modules.Work closely with BTech Workday Integrations/Data Lead and ERP Implementation Partner on design, building, testing, and deployment of integrations with third-party financial systems.Work with Finance functional leads, SMEs, and ERP Implementation Partner to complete functional design sessions and ensure decisions and design documents not only leverage Workday best practices but also can effectively meet Brookings's future-state needs.Lead, coordinate, and document all phases/rounds of testing for Finance business processes, including working with SMEs to ensure all necessary Finance test scenarios are created and executed and all critical issues are resolved.Support ERP Finance Project Manager and ERP Finance Lead to ensure project timelines are met and decisions are made, escalating and addressing issues and risks as soon as possible.Lead training for new Finance Workday functionality, collaborating with others on ERP Team not only to develop presentations, course content, and user manuals/job aids but also to conduct training sessions.Post Go-Live Enhancements and Analysis:Overall, collaborate with Finance leaders, Finance SMEs, HR, BTech, third-party vendors, and other stakeholders on full project life cycle for implementing new financial systems or major enhancements to existing systems (iterative rounds of gathering and analyzing requirements, designing, building/configuring, testing, and deploying).Manage Finance project pipeline by working with Finance SMEs and functional leads to identify improvement opportunities and to prepare and submit project requests and business cases.Serve as Finance representative on formal ERP Change Control Board, working closely with HR and BTech counterparts to prioritize and harmonize overall ERP project pipeline.For approved Finance projects, serve as Techno-Functional Lead, Business Analyst, and/or Project Manager by performing key functions including, but not limited to, eliciting/documenting business requirements; recommending or providing input on proposed system solutions; confirming system designs meet stated business requirements; leading and coordinating all testing and troubleshooting (eg unit testing, system testing, end-to-end testing, user acceptance testing); developing and adjusting project plans, tasks, and overall workload to meet deadlines; reporting on project status; raising/addressing issues and risks that may impact timelines, budgets, and quality; and obtaining formal signoff from business owners before deploying solutions to Production.For approved Finance projects requiring little to no code (including building complex reports), lead or support relevant SME/Power User in system configuration, following best practices.Create and maintain detailed functional-technical documentation to support design and ongoing maintenance of solutions.Support SMEs in change management efforts, as needed, during rollout of new systems and major enhancements.Stay abreast of opportunities to innovate and improve processes, including attending trainings, webinars, and conferences to acquire knowledge and to grow network of ERP contacts.Financial Systems Oversight, Administration, and Coordination (30%)Oversee day-to-day administration, configuration, and troubleshooting of all financial ERP systems (eg Workday, Concur, Tealbook, Contracts SharePoint Workflow site) and related third-party integrations.Provide Tier 1 support by working with SMEs, Power Users, and third-party customer support to diagnose, troubleshoot, and resolve all financial ERP related issues and questions, including functional "How To"A' questions and routine configuration changes (eg developing a report or dashboard); provide best practice expertise where possible; escalate to Tier 2 only as needed; and manage and track support tickets, ensuring proper documentation of issues and resolution steps.Partner with Finance staff to understand critical business processes, needs, and pain points, to better identify opportunities for improvement.Partner with and serve as main financial systems point of contact with BTech, HR, and third-party vendors to ensure overall ERP ecosystem, particularly Workday, is operating smoothly from both a systems and team perspective.Develop and maintain all technical system documentation.Depending on financial system, lead or support administration and auditing of security roles.Lead and manage process for new releases/upgrades for all financial ERP systems (particularly Workday), including reviewing release notes, analyzing impacts of new functionality, communicating impacts to SMEs, and working with SMEs on appropriate response plans.Escalate issues and risks to organizational leadership as needed.Provide some day-to-day PeopleSoft technical, user, and security support until system is decommissioned.Training (10%)Establish framework for and oversee smooth running of Finance training program.Guide and support relevant Finance SMEs in developing end-user curriculums and content for finance systems and key business processes (eg presentations, course materials, user manuals/job aids).Advise and coach relevant Finance SMEs/business owners in delivering formal and informal training sessions for all finance systems and processes.Qualifications:Ready to make an impact? In this role, you will support Brookings values of collegiality, respect, inclusion, diversity and community, and bring the following qualifications:Education/Experience Requirements:Required:Bachelor's degree in accounting, finance, business, computer science, or related field. Minimum of five years' experience in project management, system administration, and implementation of medium to large scale enterprise-level HCM, Payroll, or Financial ERP cloud platforms. Training and supervisory experience.Preferred:Master's degree and or CPA. Professional project management certification (PMP or similar). Non-profit experience. Experience with Microsoft tools, particularly SharePoint, Teams, Visio, and Project. Experience supporting Workday (eg Financials, Payroll, Adaptive Insights), Concur, or SharePoint. Experience with Workday deployment methodology (for initial implementations). Workday Functional Certifications.Must be authorized to work for any employer in teh US Knowledge/Skills Requirements:Required:Excellent written and oral communication skills. Solid working knowledge of accounting and finance principles. Strong project management skills. Strong people skills to effectively build relationships and communicate with stakeholders at all levels, particularly to bridge gap between technical and functional staff. Well-developed root-cause analytical skills with ability to configure and troubleshoot issues and defects. Ability to implement needed solutions and see projects through to completion in face of rapid priority shifts and at times potentially ambiguous needs. Sound judgment, creativity, resourcefulness, agility, and a growth mindset. Ability to understand business priorities and align technology opportunities. Advanced Excel skills; proficiency in Microsoft Office suite (Outlook, Access, Word, PowerPoint). Ability to work in multicultural and multigenerational environments and provide excellent customer service.Highly Desired:Ability to assess risks and provide recommendations. Ability to influence and negotiate without formal direct authority. Focused on quality and customer service. Strong attention to detail.Additional Information:What can we offer you? Brookings provides a generous benefit package that is comprehensive and includes both traditional benefits and unique offerings.Brookings requires that all applicants submit a cover letter and resume. Please attach your cover letter and resume as one document when you apply. Please note: if you have applied to more than one Brookings job opening you should add a position-specific cover letter as a separate attachment.Successful completion of a background investigation is required for employment at Brookings.Brookings welcomes and celebrates diversity in all its forms. We welcome applications that reflect a variety of backgrounds based on ideology, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status, first generation college goers, and other factors protected by law. Brookings is proud to be an equal-opportunity employer that is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace.

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