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.

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