Who are you? What is your job and how long have you worked at NSI?
My name is Renaud, I’m 38 years old, I’ve been working at NSI for nearly 10 years, and I am a ‘Development Team Leader’ in the ERP Business Unit. My team specifically works with ERP software published by Microsoft: Dynamics 365 for Finance & Operations.
Can you briefly explain your job?
My role consists of generally supervising and organising the team of developers and technicians whose daily work comprises customised modification and roll out of the Microsoft software on our customers’ premises.
Backed up by highly-qualified people, I manage the team in general and make sure that everyone knows what they have to do, working under the best possible conditions.
Describe your daily work at NSI
My job is very varied and stimulating, no two days are ever the same and there are always surprises in store.
In the morning, I generally work my way around the different team members to check whether tasks are flowing correctly and spot any possible difficulties. If there are any problems, I offer that person guidance and advice to find an effective solution to their issue.
Then, I do the general planning for the team’s assignments, depending on the requests we receive, and I organise and coordinate the technical R&D, improving the organisation. I also take part in project monitoring meetings, where I suggest guidance, report on technical aspects that we should watch out for, etc.
Has your job changed since you joined NSI?
Absolutely, I began as an AX developer, and I was trained in ERP by my colleagues. As I was very technology-driven, I then threw myself into the job in an attempt to provide unbeatable qualitative work, which requires the latest technical knowledge. That gave me experience, and responsibilities, as I quickly became a technical benchmark figure. As more people joined the team, someone had to run the coordination, so I took the team lead role. I do increasingly less development these days, but many other things that are just as interesting.
What do you like most about NSI?
If I look back, I think that there are two essential aspects.
On the one hand, being able to work as a system builder for many varied customers. That creates a lot of opportunities to implement wide-ranging technical solutions on many projects. This also gives a very broad vision of the corporate world, which is not generally the case when you work for just one company.
On the other hand, I’m given a free hand to organise the team as I wish. This clearly requires a great deal of energy and personal investment, but it’s highly gratifying in the end, and you feel useful.
Among NSI’s values, which inspires you the most or which do you identify with, and why?
Listening and understanding
I think that the technical work I do every day requires active listening and the will to properly understand whoever you are working with so that you can keep them happy. In fact, you have to realise that our prime focus should be on quality deliverables and roll outs. This implies a good command of multiple technical concepts, abbreviations and acronyms, anglicisms.
The customers and the business consultants that we work with do not always grasp these aspects. Consequently, we have to listen to them, understand their goals so that we can translate them into a technical solution that suits them.
How did lockdown change your working life?
Lockdown showed me that it was possible to perform just as well at work while making the most of a few advantages, such as being able to do some sport in the morning instead of commuting, eating lunch on my patio when it’s sunny, being able to touch base with my wife during the day, even if it’s just for 5 minutes.
