Employee spotlight:
Sarah McHugh
Career tip:
“Changing careers is a normal part of professional growth, and finding a place that fits your long-term goals can take time. Be patient, work hard, stay determined, and never lose sight of the end goal.”
- Sarah McHugh
Sarah McHugh is a Customer Success Manager at SAP NS2. After beginning her career in payroll and HR, Sarah joined SAP NS2 in 2022 looking for a new challenge and an opportunity to grow. Since then, her role has expanded well beyond payroll, giving her the opportunity to support SAP’s broader human capital management (HCM) portfolio and work with customers in complex regulated environments.
Taking a chance on something new
I’m a 2010 college graduate, meaning I entered the workforce during a recession with limited job opportunities. I returned to my very first job at a grocery store, and I built real-world management experience there, until someone suggested I apply to a payroll and HR solution company in 2011.
I worked my way through the traditional career path, starting as an individual contributor and eventually becoming a supervisor. I also spent a year supporting HR for newly acquired gas stations.
When I joined SAP NS2 in 2022, I initially expected to support payroll, but my role quickly expanded to support all HCM products within cloud services. It has been one of the biggest learning experiences of my career! Cybersecurity is also an exciting place to land after a more predictable start to my career. The industry changes constantly and keeping up with new developments has been a welcome change of pace!
“I worked my way through the traditional career path, starting as an individual contributor and eventually becoming a supervisor.”
Sarah McHugh
Choosing growth over comfort
A friend reached out after seeing a listing for an SAP NS2 payroll job, so I took a shot and applied. While my prior experience gave me a strong foundation in payroll, I wanted a new challenge.
My application and interview process was full of self-doubt. I was confident in my payroll and tax knowledge, but I had no idea how this new role would differ until I was in the midst of interviewing.
I had two choices: pull my application or trust that I could learn. I chose the latter. I knew I wanted more for myself, and staying comfortable wasn’t going to get me there.
Looking back, I’m glad I accepted the challenge. I consider myself a lifelong learner, and SAP NS2 has given me the opportunity to continually develop new skills.
Begin with the end in mind
Someone very early in my career told me that it’s important to “begin with the end in mind.” I didn’t fully understand what this meant at the time, but I’ve learned that when something feels overwhelming, it helps to start with the outcome you want and then build a plan to get there.
That mindset has also shaped how I work with customers. While customers appreciate quick responses, quality responses matter more. It’s okay to say you don’t know something, as long as you acknowledge the question, take ownership, and follow up when you say you will. Taking a little more time to provide the right answer often results in a better overall customer experience.
“Taking a little more time to provide the right answer often results in a better overall customer experience.”
Sarah McHugh
5 essential skills:
- Time management and organization
- Personality
- Accountability
- Responsiveness
- Forward thinking
Making an impact every day
As a Customer Success Manager, every day is different. A major focus is moving customer tickets forward, but the work required to resolve each issue can vary significantly.
Some days are full of customer cadence calls, while others involve internal conversations to stay current on what’s happening across the organization. We also communicate upcoming system downtime and patches, balance customer requests and projects, and look for opportunities to help customers get the most value from their suite of services.
I recently took on my first DOD customer and learned a ton! It has been challenging and has pushed me to question myself at times, but it has also shown me how much my problem-solving, research, and networking skills have developed over the past four and a half years.
“I never imagined this role was something I could do all those years ago, but the ability to challenge yourself, learn, and grow within any role here is one facet that makes me so proud to be a part of this organization.”
Sarah McHugh
Interested in joining SAP NS2?
To anyone considering a role at SAP NS2: plain and simple—do it! I never imagined this role was something I could do all those years ago, but the ability to challenge yourself, learn, and grow within any role here is one facet that makes me so proud to be a part of this organization.
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