SAP Consultant Job Description (With Key Duties and FAQs)

Updated 14 March 2023

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if you enjoy working with technology and helping others, you might like a career as an SAP consultant. SAP consultants get to help diverse clients understand their unique software needs and implement IT structures that support their operations, staff members, strategies and goals. Knowing more about the job responsibilities of and qualifications for SAP consultant roles can help you determine if this career matches your professional skills, experiences, interests and ambitions.

In this article, we discuss what an SAP consultant job description is, explore the qualifications that employers might look for in these candidates and provide the answers to some frequently asked questions about being an SAP consultant.

SAP Consultant Job Description

An SAP consultant job description is a type of job posting for an open SAP consultant role detailing the qualifications that employer requires or prefers in their candidates. While specific requirement requirements can vary based on factors like the employer and their industry, hiring managers typically look for SAP consultants when they want to find a professional who can help them select, develop and implement the right software needs for their organisation. Employers may also look for SAP consultants who can effectively analyse their software requirements or integrate that software into existing IT systems.

Job Responsibilities Of An SAP Consultant

Although the job duties of an SAP consultant can depend on their speciality and client, these are some of the primary responsibilities that many SAP consultants conduct:

Evaluating a client's needs through strategies like competitor analysis, data management and consulting sessions
Assessing the business's current software and IT structure to determine its strengths, potential areas of improvement and possible integrations
preparing reports or delivering presentations about their recommended SAP implementations or modifications
developing programs with user interfaces that are easy for clients to navigate
conducting software tests, such as unit tests, to ensure that the systems function optimally and that all features integrate well with one another
making technical manuals or user guides about the software solutions they develop or implement

Qualifications For An SAP Consultant Role

The education, skills, credentials and experiences for various SAP consultant positions can vary depending on several factors, including the type of SAP consultancy and the industry. In general, SAP consultants possess the following qualifications:

Education

Most SAP consultants possess at least a bachelor's degree. They usually hold this undergraduate degree in a subject such as computer science, information technology, computer engineering or a related major. Many SAP consultants also take courses on topics like business administration, finance or project management. They might also consider earning a more advanced degree, like a master's in information technology or business administration.

Training

The majority of SAP consultants pursue training or certification programmes related specifically to SAP principles, strategies and processes. These training programmes usually focus on a specific type of SAP, such as sales software or customisable codes. Completing this training or holding this type of certificate can demonstrate to prospective employers or clients a professional's competency in creating or implementing software programs into a range of IT structures.

Experience

An SAP consultant role is typically an intermediary career position. This means that professionals who aspire to become SAP consultants typically gain related professional experience first before advancing into this role. While these related experiences can vary, many professionals usually have entry-level experience in an office environment working in a field, like information technology or business development. Other aspiring SAP consultants might join an IT consultancy firm to take on various entry-level projects among a diverse client base.

Skills

When posting an SAP consultant job description, many clients or employers desire to find candidates for these positions who possess an array of both soft and hard skills. Soft skills are behavioural habits or personality traits that can influence a professional's conduct on the job, like communication and organisation. By contrast, hard skills are more technical abilities learned through extensive studying or training, such as Advanced Business Application Programming (ABAP) or data analysis. Here are some skills that prospective clients or employers might look for when searching for an SAP consultant:

ABAP: ABAP refers to a specific type of programming language related to SAP. Many SAP consultants use ABAP to develop, change or integrate business application software into a client's IT infrastructure.
Communication: SAP consultants use communication skills to make sure that they thoroughly understand a client's software and IT needs as they relate to that client's business operations, tactics and goals. Communication skills that SAP consultants can benefit from developing include active listening, clarity, politeness and consideration.
Reading comprehension: SAP consultants often review technical manuals related to various existing software models and other components of an IT infrastructure. They use reading comprehension skills to make sure that they understand all the technical concepts and can explain them using simplified language to their clients.
Data management: An SAP consultant often analyses an array of data sets and sources when evaluating what type of software systems or modifications their clients want. This data might include figures related to software performance, operational efficiency, employee productivity and customer needs.
Field knowledge: Many SAP consultants specialise in working with software infrastructure related to a particular field, such as finance, marketing, human resources or business development. This knowledge of their chosen industry can help them develop or implement IT structures that might offer the greatest benefit to their clients.
Presentation skills: SAP consultants often present their business evaluations and suggested software implementations to their clients. Presentation skills that they might use for this job duty include creating visual aids, explaining complex terminology in a way that's easy to understand and summarising their finding.

FAQs About SAP Consultants

Following are the answers to some frequently asked questions about becoming and being an SAP consultant:

Do SAP consultants need to know programming?

While some types of SAP consultants possess programming knowledge, others do not. For instance, an SAP consultant who specialises in business analysis primarily focuses on evaluating an organisation's software needs and implementing IT structures that align with business goals. In comparison, an SAP consultant who specialises in software development does understand programming languages, principles and techniques.

Is being an SAP consultant hard?

Although being an SAP consultant can be challenging, many professionals ultimately find this to be a rewarding career. SAP consultants usually get to help a range of clients develop and implement crucial software that can support their business's operations, strategies and goals. Many SAP consultants also appreciate the flexibility of their positions, such as the option to determine their own job hours.

Can I learn SAP on my own?

Most SAP consultants develop their SAP skills through a training or certification course offered by a professional instructor. You can find these training programs both online and in person. Professionals looking to instead teach themselves SAP might consider looking into training books or videos that can help guide them through developing these sets of knowledge and abilities.

How long does it take to become an SAP consultant?

The time it takes to become an SAP consultant can vary based on several factors, including what experiences or credentials a professional already possesses. It can take professionals approximately six to eight years to acquire a bachelor's degree, complete SAP training and gain entry-level experience related to business administration and software systems. If you already have undergraduate credentials and relevant professional experience, completing an SAP training or certification course can take anywhere from a month to a year.