Career Journey with Mariana
Welcome to our new series called “Career Journeys with Travodians”.
Today we take an in-depth look at the career journey of Mariana, the talented Team Leader of the Project Management Team (Day Shift) at Travod. Mariana has been an integral part of the company's growth and success, and her story is a testament to the hard work, determination, and passion that she brings to her role.
Join us as we delve into Mariana's professional adventure and learn about the challenges she faced, the lessons she learned, and the valuable insights she has gained along the way.
Tell us more about your journey at Travod
At Travod I’ve had the chance and been challenged to learn and grow alongside my mentors and colleagues. We were a small team at the beginning, but strong and determined to realize our big plans for the future.
We therefore devoted a lot of time to defining the core elements of the Operations Department, Project Management, Vendor Management and Quality Management – the roles, individual objectives and responsibilities of each department, and the way the departments would collaborate and deliver the best service to our customers.
I have been given the responsibility and the tremendous opportunity to lead a team of amazingly keen and interested people, very eager to learn and keep up with the most recent industry trends.
How would your colleagues describe you?
Very direct when it comes to feedback sessions, but the aim is to reveal and achieve smart objectives.
Good at coaching and advising people; this is one of my main focuses as Team Leader.
Helpful and supportive. I feel a sense of accomplishment when I help others, especially when I can see the impact, and it's a very rewarding experience.
At times, strict and tough, because the rules apply to everyone, and ‘here and now’ is the principle I believe in.
Who is Mariana outside work?
I am mother to a six-year-old girl, which I usually call the ultimate level of multitasking –showing empathy, care and enormous love :)
Mostly I like to spend time with my daughter, on walks, cooking, playing, telling fairy tales, or just talking, because that’s what she loves to do most of all. All in all, I try to build a strong connection with my child and create lots of memories.
I’m a passionate reader; in the last 5-6 years I have read a lot about parenting and emotional intelligence, but I like to read thrillers as well – this usually helps me take a break from my day-to-day routine.
Why is Project Management so exciting for you?
Here you feel that the value produced has local and global impact. The focus is on immediate and long-term results where, as an individual, you have the space, resources and motivation to do things in ever better ways and surpass your goals. We have a culture of working together on continuous improvements and being innovative in our approaches, and we see opportunity in every challenge, so I believe that, where commitment is at the heart of everything, those who are keen and interested and focused will find that no dreams are impossible.
What motivates you to wake up on Monday?
My sense of responsibility for my team and for the ongoing projects, and the fact that I enjoy my job a lot, especially the interaction and communication with my colleagues and the stakeholders. On top of this, each day is a new challenge, and I have to rediscover and reinvent myself, find solutions, make plans, etc. All that is a continuous drive that makes me feel I belong somewhere. This sense of belonging and responsibility gets me up in the morning :)
And not least :), I have to be a good example to my daughter, by getting up without switching off the alarm several times, and by not rushing and being late...
Why is Travod the right place for you?
The culture we've built together, values, the dynamic international environment and the fast-growing path, the focus on creating value and continuous improvement, and finally, the people, who have a willingness to learn, evolve and to create footprints.
For me, it’s extremely important to know that, through my work, I’m making an impact, making a contribution, and, most importantly, that I am changing the world one step at a time by helping others to become better.
What Travod value do you resonate the most with?
It’s a difficult task to choose only one, as all five values work in a perfect balance, a kind of interdependence. But... I always appreciate agile people, truly impassioned by innovation, able to face challenges and highly driven, with no limits to their wish to achieve excellence in everything they do.
What advice would you give to yourself if you were starting work at Travod today?
Embrace the reality that nothing in the plan you make may happen the way you anticipated. That’s okay, there’s no need to stress. There will be beautiful discoveries to be made on the way that may take you far off-track - and there are wonderful futures down those paths too.
What is one of the most memorable moments in your career at Travod so far?
Team reunions, hugs, smiles, good jokes.
What is your proudest moment when you look back on your career journey?
I am sure that many of my colleagues will say the same: gaining knowledge and experience, and just watching yourself grow professionally is amazing! Just looking at where you are now and thinking back to the days when you started your current job. That can make you appreciate how much you’ve learned along the way and how many ways you’ve managed to improve. That is something to be proud of :)
What is one piece of advice you would give to someone interested in joining Travod?
Work on your goals and always challenge yourself!
Be interested in everything. Never stop learning.
Express your ideas and speak up.
Welcome feedback and take the opportunity to improve things and your skills.
Do not forget about work-life balance.
If you're inspired by Mariana's journey and want to join a dynamic and innovative Project Management Team, Travod is always looking for talented individuals to join our team.
Contact us today to learn more about available opportunities and see if you have what it takes to be the next member of our thriving team.