Principal Analyst, ERP

$123,000 - $257,000/Yr

Forrester Research - Norwalk, CT

Full-time - Senior

Norwalk, CT

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

The Principal Analyst will conduct innovative research and deliver advice through written reports, client inquiries, speeches, and consulting. This role is part of Forrester's research team and helps senior tech leaders such as heads of enterprise applications across the globe to maximize the business value of technology. The Principal Analyst will require intensive knowledge of and experience with the issues that technology leaders face every day, specializing in the evolution of enterprise resource planning (ERP) and enterprise performance management (EPM) products. This individual will be well-versed in ERP products, enterprise business apps and ERP strategy, best practices, implementation, and cloud migration strategies as well as product selection and contract negotiation. Success in this position entails the ability to work with various ERP and EPM product vendors in the market, evaluate them, conduct and publish research, present the research and insights, along with advising senior client leaders across industries.

Responsibilities

• Develop a deep understanding of what Forrester clients require to be successful as technology leaders with a focus on how they help their organizations accelerate business with modern enterprise applications, services, and sourcing strategies.
• Conduct primary research into ERP and EPM products in the market, strategy, capabilities, best practices, vendor selection, use cases, market trends, contract negotiation, and implementation/deployment - with a focus on SAP.
• Work with different focus areas across Forrester research teams to develop a complete research portfolio on enterprise applications including related areas such as app portfolio rationalization and addressing tech debt.
• Create high quality, actionable, analytically deep and fact-based research content throughout the year. Research/write/create approximately eight to 12 research projects per year, which includes a mix of written reports, tools, webinars, videos, blogs, podcasts, infographics, and other intellectual property.
• Consult with clients to apply Forrester's research in the context of their specific business environment and help solve their problems through inquiry, guidance, and advisory engagements.
• Establish an industry presence as an influential speaker and thinker; build relationships with journalists who cover the sector; participate in vendor briefings and field press inquiries as necessary.
• Support sales in client development discussions.

Requirements

• At least 10 years as a research analyst, consultant, or practitioner where the successful candidate had led or been involved in ERP strategy, vendor selection and contract negotiation, deployment and maintenance or an equal amount of time as product manager for vendors that serve the market. Preference for those who have deep practice with SAP.
• A deep intellectual curiosity about the effect of technology on the business landscape; solid business instincts and a practical understanding of what makes companies tick; and a creative view of markets, technologies, and attitudes combined with a fascination with the future.
• History of developing leading-edge thinking around technology management issues, including tech strategy, best practices, vendor selection, and contract negotiation, and tech/software deployment and management in either a corporate or consulting environment or services industry or ERP product vendor space.
• Superior listening, critical thinking, and writing skills, as well as memorable presentation skills. The ability to take complex, disparate ideas and refine them into simple, bold concepts - and the willingness to take a stand on technologies, vendors/suppliers, and outcomes.
• The ability to travel 30% to 50% of the time.

Benefits

• Base salary range: $123,000 - $257,000
• Base salary range for New York City, NY: $157,000 - $257,000
• Base salary range for Colorado: $137,000 - $223,000
• Bonus target: 15%
• Estimated incentive bonus target as a percentage of base salary.