When Victor joined cbs America in March 2019 as the second hire at cbs in the US, he was stepping into a world he barely knew – SAP was just an acronym to him back then.
Joining cbs was a lucky coincidence. As he didn’t see much possibility for work progression in his previous job, he stumbled upon a job posting on LinkedIn. Little did he know that this rapid application would set the stage for a transformative career journey.
Starting in the Sales department in Philadelphia, Victor quickly became an integral part of cbs America’s growth. Together with Lorenz Praefcke (CEO of cbs America) he was responsible for building up the team from the ground up, transitioning from the early startup phase to a more established entity in North America. As the company grew, so did Victor’s role. From Sales Consultant to Marketing Manager to Sales Manager; not only was he able to progress his career development, but also gain valuable SAP knowledge along the way. Today, as Manager working full-time remotely from the Big Apple, he is responsible for Corporate Sales and Marketing activities across the entire North American region. His work is a blend of sales development, go-to-market strategies, marketing, and team development. These areas include working with partners, reviewing contracts, coordinating with legal, writing stories, event planning, mentoring and coaching which he says is “a little bit of everything”.
It’s about peolpe
Victor’s role isn’t just about numbers and targets. It’s about people. About two and a half years ago, he and some colleagues have been instrumental in setting up the Young Professional Academy, a seven-week onboarding program for new SAP consultants. Looking back, he is proud of seeing how many people they’ve hired and mentored through this program. “I really enjoy seeing some of those new consultants capable of running projects on their own” he shares, reflecting on the journey from the first time he ran the program to now.
Another highlight in Victor’s career was building up a public sector System Landscape Transformation (SLT) practice. It took a while to get off the ground, but what started as a single opportunistic project grew into building a strong partnership with SAP, opening doors and establishing credibility in a competitive market. To date, Victor and his team have been involved in five major projects – three completed and two more on the horizon. Arapahoe County, Collier County and Duval County Public Schools have all successfully transitioned to SAP S/4HANA using Selective Data Transition.
Working in an international company
Victor has also observed the cultural nuances between working in the US and Germany. In the US, there is a strong emphasis on storytelling and evoking emotions. He enjoys the variety that his job offers, especially because working for an international company allows him to combine business with personal trips. For instance, when attending events like the Summer Summit and ONE.CON in Heidelberg, he can also take the opportunity to visit his family in Spain, as he grew up internationally.
The nature of consulting requires frequent travel, and while it’s exhausting, it never gets boring. However, he has also learned the importance of balance. Remote work has shown him that flexibility is possible, and not every project requires being on the road constantly. Finding a healthy work-life balance is important, he explains.
To help dissuade some of the prejudices against consulting, he wrote an article about it. As part of the Young Professional Academy, while on an inspired writing mood, he shared some through about 5 Common Misconceptions of SAP Consulting.
What makes cbs America special
For Victor, it’s not just the work that makes cbs special, it’s the people. The Power of Orange means being able to work with people you like. He explains that the field of IT consulting is not just about technology and business processes, but also about people.
Victor believes that when you take care of your employees, they, in turn, will take care of the customers. This strong sense of identity and culture at cbs is something he values deeply. He genuinely likes the people he works with, and that makes all the difference.
As Victor looks forward to moving to Minnesota next year, he carries with him experiences, growth, and memories of the last years. From building up the cbs America team to mentoring new consultants and seeing the company grow – Victor’s journey is an example of the impact of dedication, adaptability and teamwork.
