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​Hiring SAP talent is challenging in any market. For not-for-profits, where salary bands and daily rates are often below market, it can feel close to impossible. Yet some NFPs consistently secure high-calibre SAP consultants, even during competitive hiring cycles and major transformation programs.

So, what are they doing differently?

Based on recent work with several not-for-profits, the pattern is clear. Success does not come from trying to match market rates. It comes from understanding what truly motivates SAP professionals, communicating a compelling and credible narrative, and applying targeted, relationship-led sourcing strategies.

1. Lead with a Compelling Purpose Story

Across multiple NFP engagements, the strongest differentiator was a clear, consistent, values-led story taken to market.

In one engagement, significant effort went into aligning internal stakeholders around a single narrative that could be confidently shared with candidates. That narrative focused on:

• The cultural and ethical benefits of working in a not-for-profit environment

• The organisation’s community impact and purpose-driven mission

• A unique operating and funding model

• The opportunity to join an IT transformation before product selection had begun

• The ability to shape systems and ways of working from the ground up

This was not branding for branding’s sake. It became the primary reason candidates engaged, progressed, and ultimately accepted roles despite lower remuneration.

When consultants clearly understand the purpose and impact of their work, financial constraints become far less decisive.

2. Leverage Location and Lifestyle Advantages

Many not-for-profits underestimate how powerful location and lifestyle can be, particularly for mid-career SAP professionals who are prioritising balance over maximum earnings.

In one example, the organisation was based in the eastern suburbs and focused sourcing efforts on consultants already living locally or actively seeking shorter commutes and more predictable working patterns.

This hyper-local approach reduced friction immediately. Less travel, better balance, and realistic hybrid arrangements proved highly attractive.

Lifestyle-aligned messaging is often overlooked, but it can be a genuine competitive advantage.

3. Position the Role as an Opportunity to Build and Influence

Another recurring theme was the appeal of the work itself.

Candidates responded strongly to roles where they could:

• Join an IT transformation at the earliest stage

• Influence decisions typically reserved for senior internal stakeholders

• Help mature an underdeveloped IT function into a strategic capability

Senior SAP consultants, in particular, are often fatigued by highly constrained enterprise programs where processes are fixed and influence is limited.

Not-for-profits can offer the opposite. That contrast should be communicated clearly and confidently.

4. Appeal to Personal Motivations and Values

Not-for-profits rarely win on salary alone, but they often win on alignment.

In several cases, candidates were drawn not only to the technical challenge, such as complex payroll or integration programs, but to the mission itself. Common motivators included:

• Strong alignment with personal values

• A desire to contribute to social impact

• Previous experience in community-focused organisations

For many SAP professionals, meaningful work now carries real weight in decision-making. NFPs have this advantage inherently, but only if it is articulated properly.

5. Use a High-Touch, Relationship-Led Sourcing Model

In tight markets, traditional job advertising played a relatively minor role.

The most effective outcomes came from:

• Direct networks and headhunting

• Targeted engagement with passive candidates

• Talent mapping across thousands of organisations

• Tracking project completion timelines and upcoming availability

In practice, less than 10 percent of effort sat in advertising. The remaining 90 percent relied on established SAP networks and active relationship management.

This level of sourcing intensity allows not-for-profits to compete well above their perceived weight, even with limited budget flexibility.

6. Promote Stability, Culture, and Long-Term Potential

In one transformation program, a key objective was to uplift internal capability so that consultants could transition into permanent roles over time.

For candidates, this offered:

• Greater stability

• A pathway from contract work into purpose-driven permanent roles

• Long-term involvement in a transformation they helped design

This message resonated strongly. Many consultants are not seeking endless short-term engagements, particularly later in their careers.

Not-for-profits should be explicit about this opportunity. Being essential to a smaller program is often more appealing than being one of hundreds on a global rollout.

7. Highlight What Makes the Organisation Unexpectedly Interesting

Several NFPs achieved traction by emphasising aspects candidates did not expect, whether that was a unique business model, a complex operational environment, or an unusual regulatory context.

SAP professionals are, by nature, problem-solvers. Novelty and complexity attract them.

Understanding and consistently articulating these unique elements across interviews is critical.

8. Source for Motivation, Not Just Skills

In purpose-led environments, technical capability alone is not enough.

Validating candidate motivations early, including cultural alignment, availability, and genuine interest in the organisation’s mission, significantly improves outcomes.

When candidates are aligned to purpose from the outset, budget becomes a secondary consideration rather than a blocker.

Conclusion: Competing Differently, Not Louder

The evidence from not-for-profit hiring is consistent.

Top SAP talent can be secured without top-end budgets, but not by competing on salary. Success comes from competing differently.

Not-for-profits that focus on:

• A credible, purpose-led narrative

• Lifestyle and cultural advantages

• Opportunities for influence and ownership

• Network-led, relationship-based sourcing

• Consistent messaging across internal stakeholders

With the right strategy, limited budgets do not have to mean limited talent.