SAP Roles

You can build your career in different ways, from working with SAP Partners to SAP Customers on Solution Implementation and Technical Support Roles respectively. You could be a

• Consultant, implementing or supporting specific SAP Solutions, such as HCM or Finance,
• Team Leader, managing particular work streams, such as Technical or Technology,
• Project Manager, delivering cross-functional scope, such as a System Conversion or a New Implementation Project.

Each of these roles needs different skills. Such as a Functional Consultant requires to demonstrate different abilities then the Technical Consultant. Similarly managing a Team or a Project needs one to be skilled in Leadership and Project Management.

Typically, a Functional Consultant works with Subject Matter Experts to

• understand the Line of Business specific challenges,
• design workable solutions, and
• configure the system accordingly.

On the other hand, to fulfill specific business needs a Technical Consultant supports Functional Consultant with

• system enhancements,
• modifications, and
• additional developments.

The Technology Consultants assist both with

• system and software installation,
• performance tuning, and
• user permissions & system security needs etc.

Then there are Team Leads who manage specific Functions within a Project or Operations, depending on how big is the organization and its IT.

Each of the above roles has growth opportunities, from being a Consultant to a Lead and Project Manager.

Let’s now see what types of SAP Jobs could you have.

Contract or Regular Job is yet another aspect which SAP Consultants need to consider prior to engaging with SAP Partners or Customers.

A typical employment contract is for the duration of a project or support assignment, and requires a Consultant to deliver specific scope of work. Generally, such agreements are made through Employment Agencies.

SAP Partners hire Solution Consultants on a full-time basis to engage them on different assignments. In such an employment model, a Consultant can be assigned to any project, locally or globally. As a pay-scale employee, s/he gets salary and incentives according to company policies.

SAP Customers also need people to provide Technical Support, as and when required. SAP Consultants, while working for a company’s internal IT, are responsible for system maintenance. When hired on a regular basis, a Consultant gets salary, and benefits, according to the pay-scale s/he is placed in.

In addition to full-time employees, SAP Partners and Customers have to engage in ‘Solution Implementation or Support’ work, they also hire Contractors.

A typical contract is for a fixed duration and offers a lump-sum amount in compensation which is according to the agreement between the parties.

I hope I have explained the key points within Understanding SAP Career blog series. If you have another question, please leave it in the comments.