Jobsity’s Role Spotlight Series: SAP Developers
Welcome to Jobsity’s Role Spotlight Series, where we take you through the ins and outs of the most in-demand tech professionals.
This week, we’re covering SAP developers. What does SAP stand for in the first place? What does their job entail? How does someone become an SAP developer? And are they the hire you need to make your project come to life?
Let’s find out.
What is an SAP Developer?
SAP stands for Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing. SAP itself is a multinational corporation based in Germany. They create enterprise software solutions to help businesses manage various aspects of their operations. These include finance, supply chain, human resources, and customer relationship management.
An SAP developer, therefore, is a specialized software engineer who designs, customizes, and implements software solutions within the SAP ecosystem. They develop applications, modules, and functionalities that allow businesses to use SAP technologies to meet their needs.
SAP developers collaborate closely with SAP's customers and partners to understand their requirements and find solutions that leverage SAP's technology stack. They must be proficient in programming languages such as ABAP (Advanced Business Application Programming). They should also be familiar with using tools like SAP Fiori for UI design and SAP HANA for database management.
In addition to creating custom solutions, SAP developers also integrate SAP systems with other enterprise applications and platforms. They collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless data flow and interoperability between different systems. This requires a comprehensive cross-industry understanding of SAP platforms.
Once a system’s up and running, SAP developers oversee data management/integration and troubleshoot technical issues. As businesses grow, the SAP developer is responsible for system upgrades and migrations, allowing for smooth transitions and minimizing disruptions.
What Education Does an SAP Developer Need?
Most SAP devs have a bachelor’s degree in computer science, IT, or a related field. This helps build the fundamental knowledge and skills needed for high-level enterprise software engineering.
After completing their bachelor’s, aspiring SAP developers pursue advanced certifications in SAP modules. The modules complement the bachelor’s study and help the developers specialize in their chosen areas: finance, supply chain management, or human capital management.
What Tools and Platforms Do They Use?
At the heart of an SAP developer’s toolkit is SAP's Enterprise Resource Planning, or ERP system. It combines all the core business processes needed to run a company. The ERP system is often called the “System of Record” of the organization.
Aside from the ERP system, other modules address specific organizational needs. These include SAP S/4HANA for real-time analytics, SAP BW/4HANA for data warehousing, and SAP SuccessFactors for human capital management.
And as we mentioned before, proficiency in programming languages such as ABAP is a must. ABAP allows SAP professionals to customize and extend SAP functionalities to fit the needs of an individual client.
Which Industries Need SAP Developers?
The brilliance of SAP systems is that they have cross-industry functionality. All top industries can benefit from SAP solutions:
- Healthcare: SAP developers design and implement software solutions that streamline patient management, optimize supply chain processes, and ensure regulatory compliance.
- Energy: SAP devs create processes for efficient resource management, asset tracking, and predictive maintenance solutions. This helps energy companies maximize productivity, minimize downtime, and meet sustainability goals.
- Manufacturing: SAP developers integrate manufacturing production systems, improving inventory management, and supporting quality control processes. This leads to increased productivity, reduced costs, and better decision-making capabilities.
- Food: SAP devs support food safety compliance, supply chain optimization, and demand forecasting. This allows companies to maintain high-quality standards, minimize waste, and meet changing consumer demands.
- Finance: SAP developers develop robust financial management systems, risk assessment tools, and regulatory compliance solutions. This helps financial companies streamline their operations, identify and mitigate risks, and make effective, data-driven decisions.
What Makes a Good SAP Developer?
Along with the ABAP and SAP tool proficiencies we’ve mentioned, a good SAP developer needs other, less measurable attributes as well.
When hiring an SAP dev, ask them to demonstrate excellent problem-solving skills. SAP devs should also have an extremely high level of attention to detail. Determining problem-solving skills and attention to detail can come in the form of tech challenges, but also in answers to pointed interview questions.
Because SAP is so customizable, devs should be able to adapt to complex, changing needs without losing focus. They should also be able to communicate these changes to the group, prioritize tasks related to migration, and understand the implementation process and inherent challenges therein.
SAP devs should have the ability to translate complex business requirements into scalable and efficient technical solutions. Give a prospective hire a problem your company has faced in the past and see how they would recommend solving it. Their answer should also show effective communication skills and a collaborative mindset—as well as a willingness to continue learning.
But it’s more than their skill sets. You need a dev who’s excited to be a part of the team and able to commit to seeing a project through, end-to-end. You need an SAP developer who’s in it for the long haul, able to take the time to learn your organization inside and out to make the best choices.
That’s Where Jobsity Comes In
Our approach to staffing helps you level up your tech team, with long-term payoff. We find your ideal candidate, on your timeline, in your budget. We pride ourselves on taking the hassle out of hiring.
Jobsity devs stand head and shoulders above the rest, with an average retention rate of over 3 years. They represent the top 3% of LATAM talent, specializing in programming languages such as ABAP, Python, R, and C++.
That’s why companies like McGraw Hill and Creed Interactive trust Jobsity to provide the talent they need to make their projects a breeze.
Want a risk-free trial? Book a call today.
Donna Kmetz is a business writer with a background in Healthcare, Education, and Linguistics. Her work has included SEO optimization for diverse industries, specialty course creation, and RFP/grant development. Donna is currently the Staff Writer at Jobsity, where she creates compelling content to educate readers and drive the company brand.