Senior Functional Support Analyst

Overview

Reporting to the Assistant Manager, Financial Operations, the Senior Functional Support Analyst is responsible for providing process and systems support, leadership, and guidance for critical operations and projects within the Finance division.

The Senior Functional Support Analyst ensures that issues and problems identified with Manitoba Public Insurance (MPI) financial systems are resolved in an effective and efficient manner while identifying and assessing opportunities to maximize functionality of the system to support continuous improvement of business processes. The position is the first point of contact on financial systems issues for the designated business users within Finance and its broader user base.

The Senior Functional Support Analyst works with Financial Systems Support (FSS) and Information Technology (IT) to address technical issues and in collaboration with business partners throughout the corporation to mitigate risk around shared elements and critical system dependencies. This includes collaboratively resolving information/data flow challenges, technical issues and system requirements and processes associated with financial systems.

Responsibilities also include planning, coordinating, and supervising the activities of a small unit of staff to ensure efficient and effective operations and for the overall operational support of the corporation’s financial computer environment.

Responsibilities

• Provides leadership, guidance, and direction to a small unit of technical staff in activities related to systems, support, analysis, and issue resolution.
• Reviews and monitors escalated finance and payroll support issues, analysis, documentation, and procedures.
• Develops and maintains knowledge of finance-related applications, including interdependencies with other systems to provide technical leadership, support, and documentation of financial applications and integration with other related systems.
• Maintains an understanding of unique financial business processes, information/data requirements by the various financial systems and processes, and the functionality of computer applications required to enhance, improve, and maximize the cost-effectiveness of these processes.
• Provides guidance, direction, and assistance in analysis, documentation, and requirement gathering within Finance, and scoping activities associated with a new application implementation or release.
• Supports the full User Acceptance Testing (UAT) process for the various financial applications, including environment preparation.
• Collaborates with various business partners throughout the organization to resolve information/data flow challenges, technical issues, and system requirements related to various financial systems for overall integration given system and process dependencies.
• Works closely with and assists FSS and IT in identifying and resolving defects and responds to finance users needing assistance with functionality or related issues.
• Reviews and monitors performance improvement and quality assurance initiatives and activities provided by the team.
• Leads activities in the enhancement of business processes, creating efficiencies through enterprise application systems and other financial applications and interfaces.
• Provides oversight and develops scheduled and ad-hoc financial reports through reporting tools, such as Power BI, dynamic Enterprise Performance Management (dEPM), Crystal Reports, Business Objects, and Lawson Business Intelligence based on existing and emerging user needs.
• Evaluates overall system functionality to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Keeps current with new and upcoming system functionality.
• Monitors and conducts financial system audits to ensure data integrity, including the investigation and resolution of data integrity issues between systems and spreadsheets. Creates and maintains resulting defect reconciliations.
• Keeps current on emerging technological changes within the industry, anticipating opportunities and ensuring readiness for changes and enhancements.
• Documents and analyses workflow processes of the Finance division to assist users in daily activities and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Conducts periodic reviews of reporting content and system functionality to ensure user requirements are being met. Meets with users to assess existing applications, mapping them to overall business needs.
• Provides technical leadership and direction to staff and provides advice and system recommendations to business area team members and other corporate stakeholders.
• Conducts and/or provides input into performance evaluations, using regular feedback and coaching techniques, as means for employee development and performance improvement.
• Participates in the recruitment for positions within the unit.
• Fosters a high-performance team culture that is consistent with corporate vision, values, and leading practices.

Qualifications

• Degree in Commerce, or a related discipline, with supplementary formal coursework in Intermediate Management Information Systems or Intermediate Computer Science. OR
• Degree in Computer Science, or a related discipline, with supplementary formal coursework in Intermediate Accounting.
• Seven years of related analytical experience supporting financial systems, tools, and databases, including conducting process analysis, documenting system requirements, and performing complex data analytics, including two years of experience in a leadership capacity.
• Experience working in a project environment is an asset.
• Working knowledge of accounting functional aspects including accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, large volume complex data reconciliation, JEs preparation, asset management, banking, payroll, inventory and purchasing, and generally accepted accounting principles and auditing principles, and International Financial Reporting Standards.
• Advanced communication skills to:
  • Prepare and present information effectively to various audiences (e.g., Training Materials and its presentations).
  • Convey technical information in a clear, concise, and understandable manner for both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Produce professional business reports and documentation and to explain complicated technical issues in plain language.
• Advanced skills to establish and maintain effective relationships with stakeholders, exercising sound judgment, tact, diplomacy, and confidentiality.
• Advanced analytic and problem-solving skills to comprehend complex issues and related data/information.