Consultant, Professional Services

Overview :

A PowerPlan Professional Services Consultant works with a team of anywhere from 2-8 people to configure and customize PowerPlan’s software to meet the specific accounting needs and business processes of utility customers.

Consultants must fully understand the Statement of Work and deliverables for each project, work with clients to determine the best changes to their current system processes and data structures to ensure a strong solution through the use of the PowerPlan modules.

After the project design, consultants will build the solution by writing SQL scripts, assisting in the configuration of interfaces, testing client data, and customizing various aspects of the software to meet the client’s desired outcomes and ensure the client’s desired outcomes are fully met.

Consultants are responsible for a working solution while being on time and on budget within the contracted scope. Project timelines range from around 3 months to 2 years depending on the size and depth of scope.

While it’s possible a consultant can work on one large project at a time, smaller project scopes would require juggling multiple projects at once in various stages of completion.

Consultants are expected to travel 40-60% of the time to client sites.

Responsibilities :

Key Performance Objectives

Participate in creating and configuring the build. Consultants should be able to write SQL scripts in support of custom configurations to ensure the outcomes required by the design documents are met.

Consultants work with PowerPlan’s testing group to identify and support the running of appropriate testing scripts. Consultants support testers by identifying the root cause of any issues discovered through the testing process, resolving the issue, and pushing the updates for retesting.

Troubleshoot Problems : Consultants must understand or know how to learn the ins and outs of how different tables and processes are related within the PowerPlan system to both configure and reconcile the build and data.

If outputs are not as expected, the consultant is expected to thoroughly investigate why it isn’t working (root cause analysis) through knowledge of table purposes.

This requires an in-depth knowledge of the relationships between PowerPlan tables and the front-end application.

Track progress and provide regular and timely reports to the project manager : Consultants actively report to a Project Manager to give accurate status updates, reliable timeline estimates, and potential project obstacles.

Know where to get answers : Consultants should become increasingly adept at knowing where to find good actionable information to address and solve project needs in PowerPlan’s wealth of data and knowledge from previous implementations.

Develop a complete understanding of each client project : Within the first few days of receiving a new project, the consultant will work to fully understand the signed scope of work, research the client’s key contacts, and prepare for the initial meetings.

The consultant must learn everything necessary to ensure a successful kick-off for each project.

Participate in design meetings : A consultant will participate in meetings with key stakeholders at the client’s site to fully understand their current processes, data requirements, and the specific deliverables as outlined in the SOW.

Help in Project Design : Depending on the size and scope of the project, a consultant might be responsible for designing parts of the project and laying out the solution on their own.

More complex projects would be designed by Solutions Architects with the consultant acting as scribe and occasionally assisting in writing design documents for smaller and less complex components.

With smaller projects, the consultant may run design meetings without additional support when necessary. All design documents must be signed off by the Solution Architect (if they are involved) and the client before proceeding with the build.

Conduct client training sessions : New features, methodologies, and implementation procedures required to make the system work to spec.

Consultants customize training materials and deliver trainings via Zoom or on location with the client if determined in the Statement of Work.

Oversee the work of analysts : In larger projects, consultants will provide oversight, support, and help as needed to less experienced team members.

Consultants may also assign some tasks to analysts to support their primary implementation areas while simultaneously helping to improve colleagues’ consulting and technical skills.

Learn PowerPlan’s core product Line by completing an intense two-week training : This includes a high-level understanding of PowerPlan’s platform applications and data structure, SQL, PowerBuilder, SourceTree, JIRA, etc.

and the basics of utility accounting. Be able to complete a mockup build or given a design to execute with the rest of the class or in groups on your local database.

Qualifications :

Actively participate and be highly engaged as part of a project team (including clients, colleagues, other consultants, vendors, etc.

Activities include contributing to project and task plan development and completion of templates and documentation.

Complete tasks and activities as assigned by the Project Lead / Manager, and in accordance with PowerPlan’s methodology. Adhere to project schedules and budgetary constraints;

provide early notice of any potential risks or issues with respect to adherence to project schedules or budgets.

Hands-on project execution :

Gather, document, and analyze client requirements.

Develop functional / technical specifications.

Configure the application to meet the approved design.

Assist clients with data conversion.

Build technical programs for integration & conversion in accordance with design specifications and PowerPlan standards.

Testing :

Assist with the development of use and test cases, as appropriate.

Perform test execution and create appropriate documentation of test results.

Support client testing and provide defect resolution.

Support application go-live :

Provide knowledge transfer to clients and ensure the client staff are ready to operate the application upon go-live.

Assist clients in transitioning the application to the client’s production support team.

Plan and execute an effective hand-off to PowerPlan’s Support organization.

Identify client skill or knowledge gaps that might be addressed via PowerPlan’s training organization and / or via an enhanced support model.

Communicate status updates, risks, and issues to customers and internal stakeholders as appropriate.

Address risks and resolve issues relating to implementation; if needed, with assistance / direction from the Project Lead / Manager.

May write interfaces, conversions, and other technical build items. Other responsibilities include unit testing their work, testing the software, and performing analysis to ensure the project meets specific customer requirements and is within company standards.

Develop application and domain / industry-specific expertise, and utilize this knowledge on projects.

Required Qualifications :

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Excellent, effective communication skills, including :

Verbal, written, listening, and presentation skills.

Ability to engage and successfully interact with the client and project team at all levels.

Consulting and client / project team relationship-building skills.

Strong technical background.

Ability to establish oneself as a trusted advisor to the client, project team, and PowerPlan Inc colleagues.

Excellent organizational and time management skills.

Ability to adhere to a firm’s methodology.

Skilled in MS Office Suite.

Willingness to travel, on average 40-60%.

Preferred Qualifications :

One to three (1-3) years experience implementing enterprise software applications in a client-facing consultant role.

Experience in more than one phase of the implementation process.

Experience with utilizing a robust implementation methodology.

History of increasing responsibility or upward progression.

Experience with implementing key enterprise applications, including ERP, EAM, CRM, and Maximo.

Specifically regarding ERP implementations, working knowledge of financial accounting processes (General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Fixed Assets, Project Accounting, Close, Budget).

Understanding of system and network architecture, system platforms, system access, data models, database design, SQL queries, and network protocols.

Experience with some of the advanced functions of Excel, including functions, macros, and pivot tables.

Process orientation, and ability to analyze and design / build complex processes.

Hands-on experience working on or with capital projects, capital budgets and fixed asset accounting, or business tax software.

Property Tax or Income Tax expertise within an enterprise business.

Industry experience within oil and gas, mining, transportation, natural resources, utilities, energy markets, or telecom.

Experience with Test Management Software, such as HP ALM or Azure Dev Ops.

PowerPlan is an EOE

Please note that this is a hybrid role that involves a combination of onsite work from our corporate office as well as work from home.

While we strive to accommodate flexible working arrangements when sensible, there will be times when onsite work is required.

This could include scheduled office days, team meetings, client meetings, or special events.