Senior IT Specialist Application Operations - ERP

VARD Group is continuing to strengthen its focus on digitalization and improving our value chain. Our IT solutions play a key role in this journey. We aim to further develop our existing systems while also exploring new solutions and new ways of working.

Our Digital Innovation & IT (DIIT) organization is a global in‑house technology team with about 40 employees in Norway, and another 30 in Romania, Vietnam, and the USA. We deliver modern and business‑critical platforms and applications for the entire company — including our ERP solutions.

Today, we operate several ERP systems (including SAP and IFS). Over the coming years, we are moving toward a unified SAP platform. This work is done together with our parent company, Fincantieri, and several global partners. It is a dynamic environment where governance, standardization, and value creation are essential.

We are now strengthening our team and looking for a Senior IT Specialist – Application Operations, with solid experience in ERP and other business‑critical applications.

Duties and responsibilities

We are seeking a knowledgeable and enthusiastic Senior Specialist to lead ERP operations at VARD so our employees have reliable, well‑functioning ERP services. You will work closely with our Key User network, vendors, and our parent company Fincantieri. The primary focus will be SAP , but you will also oversee IFS as our legacy ERP. This is a coordination/governance role — you will work with those that configure and develop our solutions.
You will own budgets and delivery within your domain, ensuring projects, changes, and value realization are executed to plan.

Responsibility

• Own the ERP demand process: capture, clarify and prioritize business requirements, and translate them into provider‑ready change requests.
• Coordinate SAP changes delivered by suppliers and parent company: impact assessment, testing, business readiness, and communication in VARD.
• Oversee IFS lifecycle and stability as our legacy ERP.
• Manage vendors per VARD’s framework: contracts, SLAs/OLAs, KPIs, and third‑party work packages/budgets.
• Help the business at VARD establish and maintain a functional Key User organisation that supports ERP users and works closely with IT
• Lead and participate in ERP forums and activities.
• Maintain clear visibility of cost, risk, compliance, and dependencies; provide concise, decision‑ready updates to stakeholders

Qualifications

• Relevant higher education or equivalent experience within IT
• Broad ERP understanding with working knowledge of key SAP modules and capabilities
• Strong grasp of business processes and conceptual thinking.
• Proven experience managing senior stakeholders and influencing decisions at senior levels.
• Background in gathering business requirements and preparing specifications for IT systems or services.
• Professional communication skills in English

Desirable but not essential

• General familiarity with IFS
• Experience in IT supplier management, including SLA/OLA follow-up.
• Knowledge of PRINCE2 methodology.
• Experience with ITIL and IT Service Management (ITSM).
• Professional communication skills in a Scandinavian language

VARD works systematically for inclusion and diversity and encourage everyone to apply, even if your competence does not match 100% the above.

This employment may require a background check, or security clearance by the Norwegian National Security Authority.

Personal qualities

You:

• Build strong collaborative relationships and enjoy working across teams
• Feel confident working with ERP systems and understand the value they bring to business processes.
• Approach tasks with structure, curiosity, and a problem‑solving mindset.
• Appreciate both independent work and teamwork.
• Communicate clearly, openly, and respectfully.
• Are motivated by seeing your work make a practical, positive impact.
• Identify yourself with the VARD values Craftmanship, Salesmanship and Fellowship.

Our commitment to you

• A good working environment with exciting and important tasks in an international environment
• Competitive pension scheme and insurance package
• Subsidized lunch in the office canteen
• Subsidized membership at the gym
• Occupational health service
• Flexible work from home policy
• Free mobile phone usage and subsidized internet at home
• Central office location and free parking
• We understand the importance of continuous learning and we strive to give you the chance to gain new skills and further develop your career

VARD recognizes the importance of having fun at work, this is why with VARD Social you will have the chance to bond with colleagues through new experiences and shared interests. The social offer varies throughout the year and includes activities like 'walk and talk' during lunch hours, fjord cruises, cooking lessons, go karting, football practices and wine tasting, just to name a few.

With the right blend of fun, expertise and hard work, we are creating ships for the future. Join us!

World leaders in offering the best marine engineering solutions, we are the only shipbuilders who can conceive, design and construct all types of extremely complex ships, from cruise vessels to mega yachts, naval vessels and high-tech offshore units. Every ship is a unique, state-of-the-art, highly complex and innovative product, a symbol of our culture and the result of the excellence of sound engineering expertise. Innovation, research, technology, quality and 230 years of experience, through which Fincantieri has played a crucial role in the Italian Navy's history.

We are proud of our active participation in all the segments with the most potential, and although our roots are in Italy, we are present around the globe with sites and infrastructure on four continents. We are part of a global network that brings together the work and the expertise of thousands of people who all have different skills, experiences and ambitions. With people of substance, whose value we recognize.