Solution Architect, Anaplan

Job-Specific Responsibilities

Harvard University is implementing an Anaplan budgeting, forecasting, and planning platform. We are seeking a hands-on Technical Lead & Product Owner to own both the technical ecosystem and the product vision for Anaplan across the University-spanning architecture, integrations, security, performance, model design, and roadmap/feature prioritization.

This role combines deep financial planning and analysis (FP&A) expertise with product management and consulting skills. You will partner with the Office of Financial Strategy & Planning, school and unit finance teams, IT, and external partners to design, prioritize, and deliver a scalable, intuitive, and well-governed planning platform in a highly decentralized environment.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Ownership & Architecture

• Serve as primary technical owner of Harvard's Anaplan environment (architecture, workspaces, security, performance).
• Design the end-to-end technical architecture, including how Anaplan connects with existing reporting and analytics tools, the data warehouse, identity management systems, and downstream reporting solutions.
• Define environment strategy (DEV/TEST/UAT/PROD), promotion paths, and ALM approach; ensure robust controls and segregation of duties.

Model Design, FP&A & Non-Functional Requirements

• Lead detailed Harvard model design grounded in FP&A best practices and Harvard's dimensional structures (TUB, Org, Dept, Fund, etc.), time, versioning, and what-if scenarios.
• Design driver-based planning, key calculation chains, allocations, and performance-conscious formulas using Anaplan best practices.
• Define and manage non-functional requirements: scalability, performance, availability, model sizing, and peak-planning performance targets.

Data, Integrations & Governance

• Own integration design to and from Anaplan, including choice of tools (APIs, Anaplan Connect, ETL), batch vs near real-time patterns, and error handling.
• Establish data and metadata standards: sources of truth for chart of accounts, org hierarchy, budget centers, and rules for hierarchy changes and approvals.
• Implement reconciliation controls between Anaplan, HART, and the GL.
• Define data quality rules and monitoring.

Security, Compliance, Testing & Operations

• Design the security model: SSO (Okta)/identity integration, role-to-group mapping (TUB, Org), and row-level security by org, fund, activity, etc.; and "budget center" which may span both.
• Ensure appropriate handling of sensitive data and alignment with Harvard security, privacy, and audit requirements.
• Define and oversee testing strategy (unit, system/integration, UAT, regression), defect management, and "go-live ready" criteria.
• Lead cutover and migration planning, legacy/shadow system retirement, and approach for initial parallel runs, as needed.
• Define operational monitoring (integrations, KPIs, job success/failure) and runbooks for common incidents; set UX/UI standards with a focus on usability and accessibility.

Governance

• Help shape Anaplan governance: product ownership post-go-live, enhancement intake and prioritization, and guardrails for new/local models.
• Lead technical and business viability assessments of novel concepts (e.g., budget center, "planning in plain English") and their impact on chart of accounts, HART, and source systems.
• Influence over future operating model and potential for supervision of solution staff.

Product Ownership & Stakeholder Engagement

• Serve as product owner for the Anaplan budgeting and planning platform: define the product vision, roadmap, and release priorities in partnership with finance and IT leadership.
• Gather, analyze, and reconcile requirements from central and school/unit stakeholders; frame tradeoffs and options using strong consulting and facilitation skills.
• Translate business needs-budgeting, forecasting, longrange planning, scenario analysis-into user stories and clear acceptance criteria.
• Champion user experience and adoption through demos, feedback sessions, training input, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum of seven years' post-secondary education or relevant work experience

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• 7+ years of experience in enterprise planning, financial systems, or analytics, including substantial experience in FP&A or financial planning/budgeting roles.
• Hands-on Anaplan model building and architecture, including leading complex, multi-entity Anaplan implementations integrated with source systems.
• Demonstrated experience acting as a product owner/manager or lead consultant for financial systems or planning platforms, including roadmap definition and stakeholder prioritization.
• Ideally 3+ years of hands-on Anaplan model building and architecture, including leading complex, multi-entity Anaplan implementations integrated with source systems.
• Strong understanding of finance/accounting concepts (budget vs actuals, chart of accounts, allocations, position budgeting, capital planning, variance analysis).
• Proven consulting and communication skills: able to facilitate workshops, challenge assumptions, synthesize diverse requirements, and present clear recommendations to senior stakeholders.
• Familiarity with integration tools and APIs (e.g., SQL plus at least one of: Anaplan Connect, Informatica, MuleSoft, Boomi, SnapLogic, or similar).
• Demonstrated strength in data modeling, master data management, metadata management, and performance-optimized design.

Anaplan Level 2 Model Builder, Solution Architect, or Master Anaplanner certification strongly preferred. Experience in higher education or similarly complex, decentralized organizations.