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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Financial Systems Manager

💰 $120,000 - $185,000

FinanceTechnologyManagementAccountingBusiness Systems

🎯 Role Definition

Are you ready to be the crucial link between finance and technology? As a Financial Systems Manager, you will be the strategic owner of our financial systems landscape, including our core ERP and related applications. You are not just managing systems; you are a business partner, a process innovator, and a project leader. You will work hand-in-hand with Accounting, FP&A, and executive leadership to translate business needs into scalable, efficient, and compliant system solutions. This role is perfect for a leader who is passionate about leveraging technology to drive financial transformation and operational excellence.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior Financial Analyst (with a systems focus)
  • ERP Business Analyst / Consultant
  • Senior Accountant / Accounting Manager (with system implementation experience)
  • IT Project Manager (specializing in finance applications)

Advancement To:

  • Director, Financial Systems
  • Senior Director, Business Applications
  • VP, Corporate Controller
  • Director, Finance Transformation

Lateral Moves:

  • Director of Internal Audit
  • Senior Project Manager, Enterprise Systems
  • Controller

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  • Manage the entire lifecycle of our core financial systems (e.g., NetSuite, SAP, Oracle), including configuration, maintenance, and security.
  • Act as the primary subject matter expert for the Finance and Accounting teams on all system-related functionalities, processes, and capabilities.
  • Lead and execute financial system implementation projects, upgrades, and enhancements from conception through to post-launch support.
  • Drive the optimization and automation of key financial processes, including procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, and record-to-report, to improve efficiency and reduce manual effort.
  • Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to gather and document business requirements, translating them into technical specifications for system enhancements.
  • Develop and maintain a strategic roadmap for financial systems, ensuring alignment with the company's long-term financial and operational goals.
  • Oversee the design, implementation, and maintenance of system integrations between the ERP and other business-critical platforms (e.g., CRM, HRIS, procurement tools).
  • Ensure the integrity, accuracy, and completeness of financial data across all systems, establishing and monitoring data governance policies.
  • Manage IT General Controls (ITGC) and support SOX compliance requirements related to financial systems, working closely with internal and external auditors.
  • Design, build, and maintain complex financial reports, dashboards, and saved searches to support financial analysis, reporting, and decision-making.
  • Provide comprehensive training and ongoing support to end-users, developing user guides, training materials, and best-practice documentation.
  • Serve as the main point of contact for troubleshooting and resolving complex system issues, performing root cause analysis to prevent recurrence.
  • Manage relationships with third-party software vendors, consultants, and implementation partners to ensure effective support and service delivery.
  • Evaluate emerging financial technologies and applications, providing recommendations to leadership on potential investments to enhance capabilities.
  • Lead system testing efforts, including developing test scripts, coordinating user acceptance testing (UAT), and managing issue resolution.
  • Administer system access and security, ensuring proper segregation of duties and adherence to internal control policies.
  • Support the month-end, quarter-end, and year-end financial close processes by ensuring system availability, performance, and accuracy.
  • Conduct regular business process reviews to identify gaps, inefficiencies, and opportunities for system-based improvements.
  • Stay current with new system releases, features, and functionality, and assess their potential impact and benefit to the organization.
  • Champion change management initiatives related to system and process changes to ensure smooth adoption and user buy-in.

Secondary Functions

  • Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
  • Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
  • Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
  • Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • ERP Expertise: Deep, hands-on administrative and functional experience with at least one major ERP system (e.g., NetSuite, SAP S/4HANA, Oracle Fusion/EBS, Workday Financials).
  • Financial Module Proficiency: In-depth knowledge of core financial modules, including General Ledger (GL), Accounts Payable (AP), Accounts Receivable (AR), Fixed Assets, and Procurement.
  • System Implementation: Proven track record of leading multiple full-cycle ERP or financial system implementations and upgrades.
  • Integration Knowledge: Experience with system integration strategies and tools (e.g., Celigo, Boomi, MuleSoft) to connect financial systems with other enterprise platforms.
  • Reporting & Analytics: Proficiency in building custom reports, saved searches, and dashboards within the ERP; SQL skills are highly desirable.
  • SOX & IT Controls: Strong understanding of SOX compliance, IT General Controls (ITGC), and managing system security and user roles.
  • Project Management: Expertise in project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall) and tools (e.g., JIRA, Asana) to manage complex system projects.
  • FP&A Systems: Familiarity with Corporate Performance Management (CPM) and planning tools such as Anaplan, Adaptive Insights, or Hyperion.

Soft Skills

  • Stakeholder Management: Exceptional ability to build relationships and communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, from staff accountants to C-level executives.
  • Problem-Solving: A logical and analytical mindset with a talent for troubleshooting complex system and process issues to identify the root cause.
  • Business Acumen: Strong understanding of fundamental accounting principles (GAAP) and financial business processes.
  • Leadership & Influence: Ability to lead cross-functional project teams and influence decision-making without direct authority.
  • Change Management: Skill in guiding teams through technological and process changes, fostering adoption and minimizing resistance.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

  • Master’s Degree (MBA, Master's in Information Systems) or a relevant professional certification (e.g., PMP, CPA, NetSuite Certified Administrator).

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Finance
  • Accounting
  • Management Information Systems (MIS)
  • Business Administration

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 7-10+ years of progressive experience in managing financial systems and leading technology-driven finance projects.

Preferred:

  • Experience in a high-growth, publicly-traded company environment.
  • Direct experience as a primary administrator for a major ERP system (NetSuite highly preferred).
  • A background that began in accounting or finance before transitioning into a systems-focused role.
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