SAP Project Managers – who are they and what do they do?

SAP Project Manager is a person who is responsible for managing and coordinating all aspects that relate to the implementation itself and subsequent updates of the SAP area in a given project. The responsibilities of an SAP Project Manager also include working with the client to define the scope of the project to be implemented, assembling and subsequently managing the project team, developing the budget, and ensuring that everything is completed on time and within budget.


 

Important aspects that apply to people working in this position are proficiency in SAP software and highly developed communication skills that enable a free flow of information to both their team and the client.

Responsibilities of SAP Project Manager

Working in any SAP area requires a good understanding of the existing business processes and information technology, so an SAP Project Manager should have knowledge of both areas. In addition to this, the position of SAP Project Manager requires close cooperation with business partners, management of a team of consultants and programmers, as well as project coordination – making sure that the team works effectively and does not make mistakes, and that the project itself is carried out on time and within the budget.

The biggest challenges that a SAP Project Manager may face

There can be many challenges to the position of SAP Project Manager

  1. Changing the scope of the project
    During the course of the project, it may become apparent that the scope of the project needs to be reduced or increased. If the project scope is increased, the SAP Project Manager may face reluctance from the client to increase the project budget. In such a situation, the Project Manager must look for savings, while not allowing the quality of the project itself to suffer.
  2. Changing project requirements
    Another problem the SAP Project Manager may encounter is a change in project requirements. In practice, this means that the scope of the project does not change, while its requirements do, which may necessitate the need to go back and work on certain issues from the beginning in a different way.
  3. Budget constraint
    At some point, it may become apparent that the client’s budget has been reduced. As a result, the SAP Project Manager has to decide if he or she will cut costs, while ensuring that the final result will be as expected.
  4. Appropriate team management
    One of the responsibilities of the SAP Project Manager is to manage the team he coordinates – his task is to assign specific tasks to qualified people,and to resolve any conflicts that may appear during the work.