Role Definitions for Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

Project Manager

Role Description

• Schedules and coordinates project resources to ensure right bench utilization and project profitability.
• Ensures that the project team is successfully executing on the approved project plan.
• Has approval authority for all project-related time and expense charges.
• Follows business processes.
• Creates a culture sensitive to the impact of change on the customer.

Competencies

Presales Specialist

Role Description

• Primary purpose is to provide the technical expertise required to increase win ratios and shorten sales cycles. 
• Is engaged by the Sales Manager to bring the technical expertise required in the sales cycle. 
• Leads the discovery process, conducting business process analysis and gap analysis. 
• Configures solution. 
• Demonstrates the solution to the prospect with particular emphasis on the business and competitive value of the solution. 
• Follows business processes. 
• Stays up-to-date on technology and other trends in the customer’s vertical industry.

Competencies

Developer

Role Description

• Responsible for the design and development of modifications or extensions to the standard Microsoft Dynamics applications. 
• Responsible for coding, unit testing and creating supporting documentation for Microsoft Dynamics based Solutions. 
• Gains understanding of customer’s needs and collaborates with other consultants and support teams to complete design and testing documentation. Provides technical input in creating functional specifications when customizations or extensions to Microsoft Dynamics solutions are needed. 
• Responsible for driving the effort to migrate the customers’ data sources into Microsoft’s sources, ensuring proper alignment of data models. Offers support on Microsoft tools for migration and integration. 
• Implements reports per requirements documents and standards. 
• May be tasked with additional development tasks such as: developing data migration procedures to integrate Microsoft Dynamics Solutions to legacy systems; creating services to be called from Microsoft BizTalk Server for system integrations. 
• Provides support and expertise on development technologies and environments. 
• Test modifications for validity of results, accuracy, reliability, and conformance to established standards. 
• Participates in system and acceptance testing. 
• Provides work estimates that permit prioritization and assignments to be made. 
• Has awareness of the prescribed Microsoft Dynamics implementation methodology, Sure Step; understands how the development and related testing activities fit into the overall customer engagement lifecycle.

Competencies

Application Consultant

Role Description

• Participates in every aspect of the solution implementation from analyzing the customer’s business requirements to configuring the Microsoft Dynamics application to meet the customer’s needs. 
• Collaborates with stakeholders throughout the organization to ensure a comprehensive set of requirements, aligned to business objectives, gaining full understanding of current business processes. 
• Provides in-depth knowledge of the Microsoft Dynamics application and evaluates the customer’s business processes against the standard Microsoft Dynamics functionality. 
• Demonstrates experience in use of the prescribed Microsoft Dynamics implementation methodology, Sure Step; understands the key activities and deliverables for the client engagement and internal projects. 
• Responsible for documenting the business requirements which express what actions a solution must take and what outcome is expected. 
• Responsible for configuring and customizing the Microsoft Dynamics application to achieve the customer’s business requirements. 
• If modifications/customizations are required, either to processes or to the Microsoft Dynamics application, the Application Consultant facilitates the customer’s decision-making process and develops the functional design document that will drive the development process. 
• Responsible for conducting acceptance testing and training customer resources to successfully use and maintain the Microsoft Dynamics application.
• Has industry experience and understands challenges and risks when implementing vertical applications.

Competencies

Technical Consultant

Role Description

• Responsible for providing technical knowledge of the IT and DBMS (database management system) infrastructure required for successful operation of the Microsoft Dynamics application. 
• Provides guidance for business decisions from a technical perspective on issues such as: performance, scalability, reliability, and security. 
• Defines the implementation and migration specification, making recommendations on hardware sizing and software upgrades. 
• Assists the customer's staff in upgrading hardware and software to meet Microsoft Dynamics installation requirements. 
• Test reports for validity of results, accuracy, reliability, and conformance to established standards. 
• Executes planning and implementation of system tests to ensure functionality, configuration, and data comply with specifications and standards. 
• Conducts or supports training for technical and IT management staff as defined in project scope. 
• Has awareness of the prescribed Microsoft Dynamics implementation methodology, Sure Step; understands the key activities related to installation and environment setup.

Competencies

Solution Architect

Role Description

• Applies the core fundamentals of the project requirements defined by the customer and drives definition of business, technical, and architectural requirements, and recognizes any inconsistencies, assumptions, and critical elements that must be considered in an Enterprise solution.
• Responsible for defining the technical solution blueprint for the Microsoft Dynamics solution (addressing all high-level business and technical requirements) included in the Customer proposal; participating with both functional and technical specialists in the Fit/Gap analysis.
• Ability to understand the high level business requirements (Industry, Business model technology landscape)
• Demonstrates experience in use of common software implementation methodologies, including an understanding of Microsoft Dynamics Sure Step; understands and applies relevant problem solving frameworks and techniques to client engagement and internal projects.
• Defines the functionalities, use cases, interfaces, and/or load scenarios for which a POC may be needed, and outlines any prototypes as required.
• Understand the Microsoft product stack so as to provide a complete solution offering. Product stack includes MOSS, SQL, BizTalk, Office, .NET.
• Contributes to the scope management, risk management, meaning identification, evaluation and mitigation plan.
• Helps drive the work estimation to realize the implementation of the proposed solution.
• Interacts with stakeholders in the IT and business groups to provide the engineering view of the users' vision regarding the structure and function of the system, as well as the areas in which the system must be able to evolve.
• Develops the integration strategy, if required, following fundamental architectural concepts and in accordance with customer’s requirements and constraints, to ensure that Microsoft solutions and customer’s data sources are appropriately integrated.
• Plans and oversees the execution of the User Acceptance test in collaboration with the project manager and gathers early user feedback on the solution from key customer stakeholders. 
• Validates that the solution will satisfy the customer’s requirements after a POC or UAT.
• Supports the Implementation Team through the development and implementation phase of the project to handle solution oriented topics.
• Demonstrates strong qualitative analytic capabilities, particularly in relevant strategy formulation areas such as client, industry, and management issues/challenges.
• Demonstrates growing knowledge base regarding current issues and trends, key drivers, and their impacts in relevant industries and Microsoft technologies.
• Demonstrates ability to plan and manage engagement work and allocate resources appropriately under time, quality and budget constraints.
• Contributes to company growth and revenue generation through identification and proactive pursuit of new revenue opportunities.
• Works collaboratively with practice leadership team to grow, develop and enhance solution best practices, tools and methods, and intellectual property.

Competencies