Technical Product Owner, SAP RTR/RAR

Role Description

Cengage requires a Technical Product Owner possessing proven experience in SAP Record-to-Report (RTR), Revenue Accounting & Reporting (RAR), and deep familiarity with SAP S/4 Finance. This role oversees advancements across our enterprise financial systems. You will work alongside Finance business leads and multifunctional peers to guarantee all solutions implement to Cengage’s process standards, architectural frameworks, and strategic ERP roadmap.

This role is crucial to strengthening our RTR/RAR capabilities and ensuring a stable, scalable, compliant, and audit‑ready financial foundation for the business.

What You’ll Do

• Drive RTR/RAR Strategy, Standards, and Requirements
  • Collaborate with Controllership, Revenue Accounting, FP&A, Finance, and Technology leaders to collect requirements, validate business needs, and ensure alignment with standard RTR/RAR processes and enterprise build principles.
  • Translate business needs into clear user stories, acceptance criteria, and functional specifications that safeguard system integrity and compliance.
  • Ensure solution suitability by verifying that all RTR / RAR modifications follow SAP guidelines, internal controls, accounting standards (GAAP/ASC 606/IFRS 15), and global templates.
• Lead the RTR/RAR Product Roadmap and Governance
  • Lead and prioritize the product backlog for SAP RAR, RTR, GL accounting, financial close, and revenue workflows.
  • Build and maintain a multi-quarter roadmap that improves financial accuracy, automation, controls, audit readiness, and operational scale.
  • Ensure that backlog items align with Finance leadership priorities, compliance requirements, and Cengage’s broader ERP transformation strategy.
  • Facilitate establishing authority and conducting development governance reviews, ensuring all RTR/RAR solutions meet the necessary quality and compliance standards.
• Ensure Delivery of High‑Quality SAP Finance Improvements
  • Partner with SAP functional analysts, developers, and architecture teams to deliver improvements across revenue recognition, contract asset/liability calculations, GL posting logic, period-end close processes, reconciliations, and reporting structures.
  • Confirm functional builds and test outcomes to guarantee financial accuracy, data integrity, and alignment with RTR/RAR standards.
  • Lead root-cause analysis, defect management, and long-term stabilization of RTR and RAR processes.
• Lead Agile Execution
  • Own sprint planning, backlog refinement, and release readiness in partnership with IT delivery teams.
  • Ensure visibility, clear prioritization, and timely delivery across internal IT teams and external implementation partners.
  • Champion quality and accountability across all stages of composing, building, testing, and releasing cycles.
• Optimize End-to-End RTR & RAR Workflows
  • Identify and address problems affecting revenue accuracy, subledger/ledger alignment, period-end close schedules, and maintaining consistency in financial policies.
  • Drive cross-team problem solving and ensure remediation plans deliver durable process improvements.
  • Support ongoing development tied to Cengage’s enterprise-wide finance modernization initiatives, including simplification and automation of financial processes.
• Improve Integrations and Data Continuity
  • Partner across platforms to optimize integrations between SAP, revenue engines, data platforms, consolidation tools, and downstream reporting systems.
  • Ensure consistent and accurate data flow from order to revenue, subledger, and general ledger workflows.
• Stay Ahead of SAP and Finance Technology Trends
  • Monitor SAP feature updates, changes in regulations, and revisions to accounting standards (ASC 606/IFRS 15).
  • Apply findings from large-scale ERP transformation programs to improve decision-making, risk mitigation, and solution reliability.

Qualifications

• Proven background of 10–12 years as a Technical Product Owner, Business Analyst, or functional lead supporting SAP RTR, RAR, or financial ERP processes.
• Strong expertise in SAP S/4HANA Finance—including FI/CO, RAR, financial posting logic, and close processes.
• Demonstrable experience maintaining alignment with finance process standards, accounting policies, and SAP guidelines.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to diagnose system, process, and data issues affecting financial accuracy.
• Agile delivery experience using Jira, Monday.com, or similar tools.
• Superb interpersonal and communication skills—capable of working with Finance and Accounting leaders to convert needs into scalable technical specifications.

Requirements

• Deep experience with SAP S/4HANA RAR, compliance frameworks, and financial controls.
• Experience supporting multi-entity, multi-product, or global financial operating models.
• Background supporting ERP transformation, stabilization, or financial modernization programs.
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business, Information Systems, or equivalent experience.
• SAP Finance certifications.

Benefits

• Comprehensive and rewarding Total Rewards package designed to support and empower employees.
• Eligible to participate in the company’s discretionary incentive bonus program.
• Bonus target amount: 15% Annual: Individual Target.
• Base pay range: $77,100.00 - $100,200.00 USD.