SAP Variant Configuration Lead

Career Area:
Technology, Digital and Data
Job Description:
Your Work Shapes the World at Caterpillar Inc.
When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do – but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here – we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Variant Configuration
• Primary responsibility in the SAP Variant Configuration functional area.
• Support configuration solutions used by Manufacturing Engineering and Manufacturing Operations.
• Work with business partners to understand requirements and translate them into sustainable SAP VC solutions.
• Support deployment activities and system readiness for new implementations and enhancements.
Solution Design & Delivery
• Gather and analyze business requirements.
• Develop functional specifications for solution development.
• Define and maintain master-data requirements supporting Variant Configuration.
• Support configuration of materials, routings, change masters and related manufacturing master data.
• Participate in integrated design reviews and cross-functional solution discussions.
• Support delivery partners during solution development and clarify functional requirements.
• Validate delivered solutions against approved requirements.
Testing & Deployment
• Develop test scenarios covering unit, string, integration and user acceptance testing.
• Execute functional testing and support defect resolution.
• Support business users during user acceptance testing.
• Assist with deployment preparation, cutover activities and post-production stabilization.
Production Support
• Provide functional and technical support for production incidents related to Variant Configuration.
• Perform issue analysis and support root-cause identification.
• Work with appropriate technical and business teams to resolve complex issues.
• Evaluate change requests against existing template solutions and application direction.
• Document solutions and reusable knowledge for recurring issues.
Template & Process Optimization
• Promote reuse of standard VC template solutions.
• Identify opportunities to simplify and standardize Variant Configuration processes.
• Support facilities in adopting existing template capabilities.
• Develop functional documentation and knowledge-transfer materials.
• Support training for users and other IT team members.
• Identify opportunities where automation, analytics or AI-assisted tools can improve documentation, testing and issue analysis.
Collaboration & Communication
• Work closely with Caterpillar business partners, Caterpillar IT teams and third-party providers.
• Collaborate across Manufacturing Engineering, Manufacturing Operations and other integrated functional areas.
• Communicate delivery progress, risks, issues and dependencies to the VC Lead and relevant stakeholders.
• Participate in design reviews, deployment discussions and issue-resolution activities.
BACKGROUND / EXPERIENCE
• Relevant degree, technical certification or equivalent experience.
• Knowledge of SAP architecture and SAP technology direction.
• Experience working with ERP solutions in a manufacturing environment.
• Practical experience in SAP functional solution design, deployment and/or production support.
• Strong understanding of how ERP solutions support manufacturing business processes.
REQUIRED SKILLS
• Bachelor's degree in IT or another technology-related field, or equivalent experience.
• 5–7 years of IT experience with 5–7 years of ERP-related experience; experience may be concurrent.
• SAP Variant Configuration functional knowledge.
• Experience gathering requirements and preparing functional specifications.
• Experience with SAP master data supporting manufacturing processes.
• 1–2 years of experience with material masters, routings and change masters.
• Functional testing and defect-resolution experience.
• Basic awareness of AI capabilities and their potential application to SAP Variant Configuration or related ERP processes.
DESIRED SKILLS
• Strong SAP Variant Configuration background.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Customer-focused mindset and ability to influence.
• Ability to understand both technology and business processes.
• Ability to quickly learn technology changes and apply them appropriately.
• Understanding of business operations, supporting technology infrastructure and general business processes.
• Exposure to AI-assisted tools or analytics supporting process improvement, documentation, testing or issue analysis.
Skill Descriptors
Core Application Systems: Knowledge of major production application systems used for delivery of services to internal and external clients; ability to leverage major production application systems in diverse situations.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Manages application-related issues, implications, and approaches with clients.
• Evaluates key interfaces and interdependencies among core applications systems.
• Explains features and benefits of core applications for consideration by business units.
• Implements existing and planned application enhancements in major business units.
• Tracks data flow between own applications and core applications in other business areas.
• Plans enhancement, conversion, and retirement strategies for core applications.
Problem Solving: Knowledge of approaches, tools, techniques for recognizing, anticipating, and resolving organizational, operational or process problems; ability to apply knowledge of problem solving appropriately to diverse situations.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Ensures capture of lessons to be learned from a problem-solving effort.
• Organizes potential problem solvers and leads problem resolution efforts.
• Uses varying problem-solving approaches and techniques as appropriate.
• Contributes to standard practices for problem-solving approaches, tools, and processes.
• Analyzes and synthesizes information and devises alternative resolution strategies.
• Develops successful resolutions to critical or wide-impact problems.
Application Design, Architecture: Knowledge of application design and architecture principles and practices; ability to utilize application design methodologies, tools, and techniques to convert business requirements and logical models into a technical application design.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Analyzes system requirements and translates them into detailed design specifications.
• Designs complex application architectures that meet performance, scalability, and reliability requirements.
• Evaluates and selects appropriate pattern, components, technologies, and tools for application development; integrates them with technical design.
• Leads application design reviews and walkthroughs to ensure alignment between business requirements and technical solution.
• Troubleshoots complex design issues and provides innovative solutions.
• Prepares technical design documents and blueprints for applications.
Implementation: Knowledge of how to run applications for organizations; ability to implement application software within an organization and help end-users perform specific tasks (ex: accounting or graphic design).
Level Working Knowledge:
• Tracks problems associated with the quality and effectiveness of application software.
• Researches the benefits and drawbacks of an organization's application software.
• Drafts application software usage for the department's needs.
• Provides instant support for end users of application software.
• Implements a specific application software under the supervision of management.
Requirements Analysis: Knowledge of tools, methods, and techniques of requirement analysis; ability to elicit, analyze and record required business functionality and non-functionality requirements to ensure the success of a system or software development project.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Plays an active or leading role in recording and storing requirement documents in various forms.
• Ensures the successful completion of all major activities, tasks and deliverables pertaining to the requirement analysis stage.
• Supervises the advanced use of requirements analysis tools and services, including prototyping and use cases.
• Produces detailed functional and information requirements models and documentation.
• Trains others on requirements walkthroughs and quality reviews.
• Utilizes automated diagramming tools to ensure traceability of requirements.
System and Technology Integration: Knowledge of the features and facilities of systems; ability to integrate and communicate among applications, databases and technology platforms.
Level Extensive Experience:
• Designs and develops applications or technology interfaces and bridges.
• Documents existing best practices for system or technolo