What does a SAP Specialist do in QSRP: hear it from Mirko del Gesso

Hello Mirko, welcome to our IT column! Will you tell us how you landed at QSRP?

Hello, thank you! I have a lot of passion for my job, so I enjoy talking about it. My background is in economics and for my first job, I had the opportunity to work with leading consulting firms specializing in Technology and Business Finance Transformation. Then the pandemic came, and like for many people, the work and life experiences changed. With that I felt the need for new challenges to foster both my professional and career growth. Just in time, I happened to come across an opportunity at QSRP.

I hadn't heard of QSRP before, except for the brands managed. During the interview process, I was impressed by the people in the IT and Finance departments. I also liked the role: a managerial position with responsibilities in a new project that was about to start. I immediately felt I could contribute. I would have also had the opportunity to travel. So, fast-forward and I have been working in the IT-SAP Department for 3 years now.

What does it mean to be an SAP Specialist in a company like QSRP?

When consulting, my goal was to work with numerous 'end clients'; now, I find myself as the end client. My role is critical, as it is essential to consistently meet the needs of the Group and all my internal clients. For example, I mainly support the Finance department, where the periodic financial closings necessitate a swift response to any potential issues.

To mention a few activities, when I first joined, our initial project involved onboarding and migrating each brand to SAP. This was followed by the 'post-go-live' phase, where we guided and trained colleagues while fine-tuning both SAP processes and business workflows to fit each unique case.

Now, we are at a stage where it's important to bring innovations to the processes that we use. We are in a highly dynamic technological landscape, where what was considered cutting-edge just a year ago can quickly become obsolete. Therefore, my role also involves monitoring, understanding, and ultimately implementing relevant updates. We maintain a constant state of learning and improvement.

What do you think is important for carrying out your job?

I believe that a strong understanding of accounting principles is essential. Even if I'm part of the IT team, I always have one foot in Finance, so I need to understand their logic and requirements, and be able to implement them.

Being proactive is equally important; you can't simply wait for issues to come your way or for problems to escalate. It’s crucial to take initiative and address potential challenges before they arise, anticipating future changes along the way.

Good communication is key. Whether you're speaking with the CFO, accounting team, or your IT colleagues, you need to know what communication approach to adopt. You must understand what the person you’re talking to wants to achieve before jumping to solutions. I often say, " It’s important to be clear about the goals and to understand the flow of activities necessary to achieve them." Having an analytical mindset is also essential.

Can you share some projects you worked on recently?

The main project I worked on was the implementation of SAP. I enjoyed the most working with different businesses and people across countries. Even within the same brand, for instance Burger King, in Italy and Belgium they had different functionalities to address and work approaches. You always have goals and timelines, but the paths to get there vary, none is wrong, simply the realities are different. So, it's important to tailor workflows to each business as they can have different needs. This to me is very stimulating and challenging

We are also in a period of expansion, which makes the work dynamic. There's an element of both stability and instability at QSRP, and this adds excitement to the role.

What do you like most about your job?

At QSRP, we have a top-of-the-market solution, which I truly value. This has also provided me with the opportunity to participate in international events representing QSRP. In June, I attended an event in Barcelona, with more opportunities on the horizon to learn about new products, market developments, and to share our journey

I also feel like our team really makes an impact. We have developed processes and automations that have saved the business a lot of people’s time. My colleagues are highly skilled and very welcoming and friendly. They help me grow a lot in my job and as a person, which keeps me from ever feeling bored. They also make me feel part of the team.

What stands out to you about QSRP as a company?

QSRP is very flexible, as part of the IT Team, I report directly to the Chief Information Officer while collaborating closely with all our Finance leaders. I value our open communication; if something doesn’t go as planned, we can easily address it together. We foster a straightforward company culture, and the work environment is excellent, providing me with a great deal of flexibility and autonomy

QSRP is a highly dynamic company with clear goals and a strong understanding of how to achieve them. I appreciate the Group's expansion strategies, which allow me to contribute meaningfully and continue my growth. I am engaged in long-term, exciting projects, and if you're curious and eager to learn, there’s always something new to explore, ensuring you’ll never get bored at QSRP.