PLM Business Analyst

PLM Business Analyst

Department: IT

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: US - Indiana - Fort Wayne

Reporting To: Chad Baughman

Description

The PLM Business Analyst serves as a key technical and functional resource for Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and engineering software tools. This role blends hands-on system administration with user support and process enablement for a global user community. Responsibilities include maintaining and configuring PLM and related applications to maintain system stability, ensure security, and align with enterprise standards. The position works closely with business stakeholders to design and implement solutions that meet operational needs across regions, while also leading and contributing to projects involving upgrades, integrations, and enhancements. Success in this role requires balancing day-to-day support with disciplined project execution to improve system performance, user experience, and process efficiency.

Key Responsibilities

Service Operation

• Responds to internal customers to resolve technology problems related to PLM and engineering software tools.
• Enters and manages Incident and Service Request tickets in ServiceNow; analyzes incident trends and performs root cause analysis to prevent recurrence.
• Administers day-to-day PLM configuration elements (e.g., user provisioning, roles/permissions, lifecycle states, object types/attributes, workflow updates) under established governance.
• Troubleshoots complex issues with integrations and background services related to PLM and engineering software tools and coordinates fixes with platform owners.
• Provides global support coverage in collaboration with regional IT teams; participates in on-call rotations and provides off-hours support as needed.
• Maintains or exceeds SLAs for incident resolution and catalog task completion.
• Verifies system functionality during quarterly disaster recovery tests.
• Ensures all changes and requests are entered and progressed in ServiceNow with appropriate approvals and documentation for compliance (e.g., SOX).

Software License Management

• Manages licensing for engineering tools (e.g., Windchill, Creo, Ansys, Altium, LabVIEW) and maintains license management software.
• Monitors license usage and prepares utilization and forecasting analyses.
• Coordinates renewals with software vendors and Procurement.

Project Management

• Leads small to mid-sized projects and participates as a functional/technical lead on larger initiatives; manages scope, schedule, and quality in accordance with the Franklin Electric IT Development Process.
• Executes projects that support the approved PLM/engineering tools roadmap, including platform upgrades, configuration improvements, and integrations.
• Elicits and documents clear, testable requirements; authors test plans and coordinates UAT; executes cutovers with rollback/validation steps; tracks issues to closure.
• Works closely with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, and Sourcing to ensure systems and processes are aligned and streamlined.
• Partners with infrastructure, security, and application teams to deliver stable releases and upgrades that meet supportability and compliance expectations.

Documentation, Training, and Adoption

• Authors and maintains SOPs, admin runbooks, troubleshooting guides, and end-user job aids for PLM and engineering software tools.
• Maintains and enforces application standards (templates, metadata, conventions, access models) to improve data consistency and supportability.
• Provides targeted training, knowledge shares, and mentoring for PLM Business Analysts and key users to foster standard work and reduce support demand.
• Supports the integration of new acquisitions to Franklin Electric tools and processes; delivers training to users in newly acquired businesses.
• Migrates engineering data such as drawings, CAD models, and parts to Franklin Electric's PLM system.

Skills Knowledge and Expertise

Skills and Abilities

• Communication - Delivers accurate, clear, and concise messages orally and in writing.
• Problem Solving - Performs structured troubleshooting; identifies root causes and implements preventive actions.
• Decision Making - Balances risk, user impact, and compliance to make timely configuration and support decisions.
• Meeting Facilitation - Plans and facilitates sessions with IT teammates, internal customers, and suppliers to share information and make decisions.
• Presentation Skills - Prepares and delivers effective presentations for users, peers, and leadership.
• Business Process Knowledge - Understands the process steps and purpose of the important business processes used by internal customers.
• PLM Concepts - Strong grasp of PLM fundamentals (e.g., part-centric data model, revision control, lifecycle states, change objects, access control, CAD-PLM-ERP integration patterns).
• Requirements Definition & Testing - Elicits and documents requirements; plans and leads validation to ensure solutions meet defined needs.
• Partners with business stakeholders to identify process bottlenecks, improve operational efficiency, and standardize global engineering change practices.
• Configuration Governance - Applies standards and change control for PLM configuration (lifecycles, workflows, access, metadata).
• Project Management - Organizes tasks, manages risks/issues, and reports status in line with IT processes.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, information systems, related field, or equivalent work experience (required).
• 5+ years hands-on experience with PLM systems (e.g., PTC Windchill) and CAD/MCAD tools (e.g., PTC Creo) supporting engineering processes (preferred).
• Exposure to ERP (e.g., JD Edwards E1) and ITSM tools (e.g., ServiceNow) supporting request/change processes (preferred).
• Experience with PLM or ERP data processing and migration (preferred).
• Experience using REST APIs (e.g., for data access, automation, or integration testing) in support of PLM workflows (preferred).

Computer Skills

• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 tools such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.

Don't feel like you check all the boxes in the job description? Here at Franklin Electric, we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive culture which includes embracing candidates from a variety of different backgrounds and industries. We highly encourage you to apply so we can connect on this and future opportunities.

Why Work at Franklin Electric?

Becoming a part of the Franklin Electric team not only provides outstanding benefits, it also opens doors to opportunities for future growth. Enjoy peace of mind with a world-class company. But more importantly, be satisfied in knowing you make a difference.

Take a look at this video to see our Global Headquarters here in Fort Wayne, Indiana.