Our HCM practice is having a great year and is one of the largest practices within Namos. So, this month, we’re sitting down with our recently-appointed HCM Practice Director, Duncan Davies, to talk all things Human Capital Management!
Can you talk me through your previous experience?
I’ve been working on Oracle HCM systems since 2001 – initially PeopleSoft and then Oracle Cloud since 2014. I’ve done pretty much every role you can in a delivery team. I used to love the buzz you get when you give the users what they need – and sometimes more than they expected. Now I work in roles where I help the delivery teams I get just as much enjoyment when someone in the team gets some great feedback.
What led you to join Namos?
I’d worked for a few other partners in the Oracle ecosystem and over the last couple of years I’d looked enviously at Namos, as they’d emerged into the company that had the most clients, the strongest reputation and were hiring the best people. I did my due diligence – asking for opinions from trusted friends who worked there – that was all positive so I leapt at the chance to join up.
What do you love about working for Namos?
I’m a relatively recent joiner so it’s early days, but my highlight is working with the HCM Practice. It’s a big team – I’ve been told the largest team of Oracle Cloud HCM consultants in the UK – and contains some phenomenally smart people.
The other aspect that has stood out so far are the values that run through everything we do – there’s a genuine desire that comes right from top leadership to treat both our people and our clients fairly.
Finally, I love that we run our business on Oracle Cloud. I did my onboarding on Cloud. I book my absence on Cloud. I enter my timesheet on Cloud. I hire people through Cloud. I do performance check-ins on Cloud. I enter my expenses on Cloud and I’m paid via Cloud Payroll. Any issues I have I raise a helpdesk ticket on Cloud. It really matters that if we’re sharing a vision to potential customers of how good their future could be on Oracle Cloud that we’re talking from a position of knowledge. It would feel disingenuous to be doing so while running our own business on some other system.
Talk me through the typical roles you recruit for within your team.
We have three workstreams within the HCM Practice:
- Core HR – which deals with Global HR, Absence, HR Helpdesk, Health & Safety, Worklife etc
- Payroll – covering Payroll, Compensation, Time & Labour, and Benefits
- Talent – which comprises Recruit, Learn and the Talent Management Modules
We’re typically looking for candidates of varying levels of experience to join one of these streams.
What qualities would make someone a good fit for your team?
This is giving the game away a little for anyone who interviews with me in the future, but I always look for evidence of the following qualities, in no particular order:
- You’re Smart – being a consultant has a steep learning curve and you’ve got to be able to think on your feet and pick things up quickly
- You Genuinely Care – being someone that takes pride in what is being delivered and feel it’s personally important that it’s done properly and to a high standard
- You’re a Team Player – being part of a team that does good work (team ambition) is – to me – of greater importance than looking out for yourself (personal ambition)
Which aspects of your work are you most passionate about?
It’s all about the team. If I’ve secured a candidate that’s a perfect fit for Namos, or if I can give someone an opportunity to fill a role that I know they’ve been wanting to do for a while, or if I can line up a consultant that perfectly fits what a client is looking for, then I finish for the day with a smile.
What does the future look like for your team?
In short, measured expansion. We need to grow the team – as we have plenty of work and some people are working too many hours, which we’re trying to guard against – however the quality of the existing team is high, and it wouldn’t be fair on them if I lowered the bar. So, we’ll recruit to expand the team, but we’ll do so in a careful and considered manner.
What advice would you give to candidates starting out in the Oracle world?
It’s a great place to be right now. There are a lot of eager customers and there’s always something to learn – the product is so broad and deep and is constantly expanding – so it’s impossible for even the most experienced consultants to know everything. If you’re just starting out, go deep into your chosen module and become an expert, and then look to broaden your skills.
About Namos Solutions
Namos Solutions are an award-winning Oracle OPN Modernised Partner specialising in the implementation and support of ERP, EPM and HCM business solutions, both in the Cloud and on-premise.
Although based in central London, we work wherever our clients need us to be. Many leading organisations located all over the world trust and rely on our expertise to deliver industry-leading business solutions. Namos customers can currently be found in the UK, Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific, North America and Africa.
For more information, please visit www.namossolutions.com or email info@namossolutions.com.
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