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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for EDI Analyst / Specialist / Developer

💰 $75,000 - $125,000

Information TechnologyData IntegrationSupply ChainBusiness to Business (B2B)

🎯 Role Definition

The EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) role is a specialized technical and business function responsible for designing, implementing, and maintaining the electronic exchange of business documents between our organization and its trading partners. This position acts as the primary liaison between internal business units, IT teams, and external partners to ensure all EDI transactions—such as purchase orders, invoices, and shipping notices—are processed efficiently and accurately. The role is critical for maintaining supply chain velocity, reducing manual errors, and strengthening B2B relationships through reliable data automation.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • IT Support Specialist
  • Junior Business Analyst
  • Data Entry Coordinator

Advancement To:

  • Senior EDI Analyst
  • EDI Manager
  • B2B Integration Architect

Lateral Moves:

  • Integration Specialist
  • Data Analyst
  • ERP Consultant

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Design, develop, test, and implement new EDI maps and transaction sets (e.g., ANSI X12, EDIFACT) to meet trading partner and internal business requirements.
  • Manage the end-to-end process of onboarding new trading partners, including initial communication, requirements gathering, mapping, testing, and go-live support.
  • Proactively monitor daily EDI transaction flows, identify and troubleshoot processing errors, and perform root cause analysis to prevent future occurrences.
  • Serve as the primary point of contact for all EDI-related inquiries and issues from both internal stakeholders (Customer Service, Logistics, Finance) and external trading partners.
  • Maintain and manage communication protocols for data exchange, including AS2, SFTP, FTP, and Value-Added Networks (VANs), ensuring secure and reliable connections.
  • Collaborate with ERP and application development teams to ensure seamless integration between the EDI platform and backend systems like SAP, Oracle, or NetSuite.
  • Create and maintain comprehensive documentation for all EDI processes, including mapping specifications, trading partner guidelines, and standard operating procedures (SOPs).
  • Analyze and interpret trading partner EDI implementation guides and translate their specific requirements into actionable development tasks.
  • Perform modifications and updates to existing EDI maps and workflows to accommodate changes in business processes or trading partner specifications.
  • Coordinate and execute end-to-end testing with trading partners to validate all transaction sets (e.g., 850, 855, 856, 810, 820, 997) before production deployment.
  • Develop and maintain SQL queries and scripts to audit EDI data, generate reports, and support data reconciliation between systems.
  • Manage and configure the EDI translation software and B2B integration platform (e.g., Sterling Integrator, BizTalk, MuleSoft, Cleo) to optimize performance and reliability.
  • Provide training and support to internal business users on EDI-related processes and how to interpret EDI data within their respective applications.
  • Ensure all EDI processes are compliant with industry standards and company policies, particularly regarding data privacy and security.
  • Lead or participate in projects to upgrade EDI systems, migrate to new platforms, or expand EDI capabilities into new business areas.
  • Act as a subject matter expert (SME) on EDI and B2B integration, providing guidance and recommendations to business and IT leadership.
  • Respond to and resolve EDI transaction rejections and acknowledgments (997/FA), working with partners to correct underlying data or format issues.
  • Automate manual processes related to EDI monitoring, reporting, and error handling to improve operational efficiency.
  • Stay current with emerging EDI standards, technologies, and best practices to drive continuous improvement within the B2B integration landscape.
  • Validate inbound and outbound EDI documents to ensure they adhere to strict formatting and data integrity rules before processing.
  • Develop custom alerts and dashboards to provide real-time visibility into the health and performance of the EDI environment.
  • Work closely with the supply chain and logistics teams to troubleshoot issues related to Advanced Ship Notices (ASNs/856) and ensure warehouse receiving processes are not impacted.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis from various business units.
  • Contribute to the organization's overall data strategy and B2B integration roadmap.
  • Provide training and create knowledge base articles for internal teams on EDI concepts and processes.
  • Participate in sprint planning, daily stand-ups, and other agile ceremonies within the integration team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • Deep expertise in EDI standards, including ANSI X12 and EDIFACT, and common transaction sets (850, 810, 856, 820, 855, 997).
  • Hands-on experience with EDI mapping and translation software (e.g., IBM Sterling B2B Integrator, OpenText, Seeburger, BizTalk, Cleo, MuleSoft).
  • Proficiency in managing communication protocols such as AS2, SFTP, FTPS, and VANs.
  • Strong SQL skills for querying databases (SQL Server, Oracle, DB2) to troubleshoot, research, and report on data.
  • Experience with ERP system integration (SAP, Oracle E-Business Suite, JDE, NetSuite) and understanding of related business modules (SD, MM, FI).
  • Knowledge of various data formats including XML, JSON, CSV, and flat files, and experience with data transformation between them.
  • Familiarity with scripting languages (e.g., Python, PowerShell, Perl) for process automation and data manipulation.
  • Experience in creating and reading technical documentation, including mapping specifications and trading partner implementation guides.
  • Understanding of B2B integration concepts, service-oriented architecture (SOA), and API-based integration.
  • Ability to use project management and ticketing tools like JIRA, ServiceNow, or Confluence.

Soft Skills

  • Exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills with a meticulous attention to detail.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
  • Excellent organizational and time-management skills, capable of managing multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
  • Customer-centric mindset with strong partner relationship management abilities.
  • A proactive and self-motivated work ethic, with the ability to work both independently and as part of a collaborative team.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree in a relevant field or an Associate's Degree combined with 5+ years of direct EDI experience.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor's Degree

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Computer Science
  • Information Systems
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

3-7 years of hands-on experience in an EDI-focused role.

Preferred:

Experience within a specific industry such as retail, manufacturing, logistics/3PL, or healthcare is highly desirable.

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