Let’s Get You In !
Understand the Game Plan
You have the job specification in hand. It identifies the specific duties and responsibilities that the job entails and the attributes the employer is seeking of the candidate.
There needs to be a good match to proceed to the next stage of the selection and interview process.
Let’s explore the two main aspects of project delivery and stakeholder management that features predominantly in most SAP finance consultancy job specification.
Project Delivery Experience
Project delivery experience is a key requirement of any SAP related job specification.
Most SAP finance transformation programmes are highly complex thus requiring skilled SAP finance consultants to minimise implementation risk.
Where a company has an existing SAP template solution, sustaining the solution will still require project delivery experience, not least in the technical upgrades, but also in supporting M&A activities and new IFRS requirements, e.g., IFRS 16 Leases in Jan 2019.
As a junior consultant, you may be asked to facilitate detailed design workshops for your functional area, collecting business requirements and mapping out business processes.
These initial workshops follow a linear, waterfall project methodology of requirements gathering through to design and implementation against feedback loops with the end customer at several stages of the life cycle.
Newer project methodologies like Agile supports a more fluid line of requirement/solutions evolving and design, build, test phases in shorter sprints.
Nevertheless, the constant pressure to meet challenging timelines to produce a given set of deliverables requires team members who are disciplined and results oriented.
Valuing and acting on customer feedback has never been more important especially as the end customer describes their requirement by way of user stories and your demonstration that the requirement has been met is paramount to pushing the change to production.
Stakeholder Management
The aspect of stakeholder management is not just for senior project members to undertake though there is a more pressing topic of project governance that needs to be understood in this area.
Large or small, project governance is applicable to all projects.
A successful Project Leadership Team (PLT) is empowered to make tactical project decisions in a quick and flexible way and is held accountable for the success of the project.
This requires strong leadership qualities of its senior members with soft skills in motivating and inspiring the teams and individuals across all levels of the organisation.
Being able to support a healthy communication channel with the respective parent organisation or sponsor on the project’s success and setbacks is also essential.
Outside of project management, a SAP template solution that is to survive in the fast pace development of new technologies, will require individuals who are able to articulate, guide and influence strategic roadmaps.
There has never been a more exciting time to embark on the career path of an SAP Finance consultant, not least due to the demanding role SAP consultants will undertake in newer products on the market.
Explore the Catalogue of SAP Solutions for an exploration into SAP Finance Consultancy!
Understand the Basics of SAP Finance and other upcoming intermediate/advanced level courses by subscribing to our channel.
