Whirlpool - General Manager - Applications

Job Summary :

- The General Manager is a business leader responsible for partnering with the business stakeholders across all verticals to drive business transformation using IT as an enabler. The person will be responsible for leading the SAP & Applications Team consisting of about 10 - 15 team members.

The incumbent of this position is a key leader within the GIS organization and should be able to manage the following aspects of the role :

- Business systems analysis, design, development, installation, maintenance and enhancement for mission-critical business systems for assigned for strategic projects

- Allocate budget, staff, tools and specialized support necessary for cost effective implementation and user training for new systems

- Provide leadership to the team delivering projects, assist in developing appropriate support from various technology and service departments and integrate activities with other departments to ensure the successful implementation and support of project efforts

- Lead the discussions and efforts in potentially setting up Centre of Excellence for IT Operations for Whirlpool Corporation in India

- Lead and facilitate efforts designed to improve overall IT processes and systems while maintaining an absolute focus on the customer. These efforts include initiatives such as reducing defects, problems, driving work out of our processes, reducing cycle time and driving digital control plans.

- Provide leadership and support the growth of talent in the team. Educate and coach IT employees on specific Six Sigma and/or lean tools and approaches, as needed, to enable them to do their jobs better. Additionally, partner with employees outside of IT who work in Business Process Improvement (BPI) roles.

- Lead the delivery of monthly metrics via a balanced scorecard approach. Supplement traditional IT reporting metrics with measures such as financial, customer satisfaction, IT risk management and adherence to internal processes.

- Partner with global IT in understanding and assessing the existing global portfolio to create local and global wins for Whirlpool India business

- Enable socialization of new technologies and leveraging them for business value, thus creating differentiated competencies for business

- The person should demonstrate capability and potential to be regional CIO in future.

Key Result Areas :

- Co own creating and delivering the IT Application strategy in alignment with business requirements and GIS strategic portfolio.

- Contribute positively while operating as a team to drive process re-engineering and increasing efficiencies.

- Project Delivery on time within budget

- Ensuring system reliability and performance

- Driving Employee Engagement scores

- Manage the Strategic Partners on a day to day basis in ensuring delivery standards, SLA and end user satisfaction.

- Be the first point of user escalation for all Application issues, should issues arise with the service levels or ticket completion.

- Implement and execute projects including planning and tracking by utilizing the global project process.

- Support business engagement through harmonized global delivery

- Coordinate with GIS groups and ensure consistent adherence to GIS standards and policies.

- Help define, fine tune and maintain local GIS processes.

- Ensure proper and adequate GIS and Security policy implementation and adherence.

- Excellent soft skills should be able to interface well with end users and partners.

- Scan technology trends and recommend options for solution optimization

- Conduct need based user training and orientation

Qualifications :

- Graduate/ Engineer with MBA from a Tier 1 Institute preferably.

- Strong competence in SAP - Functional and Technical. He/ she should have led atleast one complete SAP implementation cycle with a sound understanding of all SAP modules including understanding the technical aspects of SAP ABAP and SAP support services.

- Should keep abreast of new technologies and industry strategies in order to identify opportunities to improve business value of IT.

- Good understanding of application development - web apps, mobile apps

- Should have worked on process re-engineering initiatives

- Awareness of local statutory rules & regulations

- Governance of delivery with respect to business and service providers

Experience :

- Should have worked in FMCG/ Consumer Goods/ White Goods companies of repute with 12 -14 years of experience in application managed services including applications management and application development. The candidate should also have consulting exposure.

- Must have experience with SAP, leading SAP projects

- Prior experience of Team Lead level from a delivery background will be an added advantage

Personal Attributes :

Thought Leadership :

- Demonstrated strategic and big picture thinking

- Should be process centric, extremely good at designing and execution of processes

Communication Skills and Attributes :

- Excellent verbal and written communication skills

- Ability to drive consensus amongst diverse user group

- Ability of deliver results under stretched timelines

- Solid people leadership experience