Stories of Women in Engineering – Alexandra Gasparel
Working with talents
Competency manager
ALTEN Romania
“I was born and raised in Iasi,” says Alexandra, “a vibrant university city in Romania that played a significant role in my personal and professional growth. With an academic background in communication, I have always been passionate about connecting with people, actively listening to their perspectives, and effectively communicating my own ideas.” Alexandra began working at ALTEN as a consultant in 2018. The experience she gained in this position has not only given her insights into the company’s needs and demands – it has provided her with a keen understanding of ALTEN’s values and culture.
What do you do at ALTEN? Can you describe your role and your responsibilities?
My role is focused on people management. My main responsibility is to coordinate the entire team lifecycle, including talent sourcing, hiring, onboarding, professional development and retention or exit plans. I also offer continuous support to all our internal departments, such as recruitment, human resources, finance, IT and business development.
Tell me what gets you out of bed in the morning to come to work at the ALTEN Delivery Center Eastern Europe.
I feel motivated to come to work every day because of the people I get to work with. ALTEN has a culture of attracting and retaining top talent, so I have the privilege of collaborating with some incredibly talented people who are experts in their fields. Their passion and dedication to their work are contagious, and I find myself learning something new from them every single day.
What values are important to you in your day-to-day?
Throughout my professional experience, I have felt that communication is essential in building strong working relationships with colleagues, clients and stakeholders. By fostering open and collaborative communication, I have been able to successfully navigate complex projects and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
Can you tell me what challenges you face in your everyday work?
As a competency manager, stakeholder management is a daily challenge. Balancing the needs and expectations of team members, executives, clients, and partners is essential in building and maintaining relationships, managing performance, and ensuring alignment with the company’s goals and vision. Finding the common ground for everyone is a challenge and it is crucial in achieving these objectives.
Do you feel empowered to make decisions?
Absolutely. ALTEN values and trusts its employees, and this has created a culture of empowerment. I am confident in my ability to make decisions that align with the company’s goals and values, and I am supported in those decisions by my colleagues and leadership team. The people I work with have had a significant impact on the professional I am today. The trust they have shown me, and their continuous encouragement, have helped me to gain more and more confidence in my own judgement. Thanks to their support and guidance I have been able to s쳮d and to feel empowered in my role today.
What inspires you to become a better person and a better professional each day?
Continuous learning and personal growth are my greatest source of inspiration. I really believe that each day is a new opportunity to expand my knowledge, refine my skills, and develop myself both personally and professionally.
What would you say to someone who is looking into working at ALTEN?
I would say don’t miss the opportunity. As a former consultant, I felt valued and appreciated and my ideas were always considered. The company offers the perfect environment for learning, growing, and advancing your career. The feeling of making a difference is priceless.
Women at the heart of technological transformation
ALTEN’s women and men are the driving force behind our business. Our Group’s ability to develop and promote the best talent available is fundamental in enabling us to meet our customers’ needs. Over past years, we have made concerted efforts to counter certain widely held stereotypes and misconceptions in order to encourage engineering vocations among young women. This collection of profiles, Stories of Women in Engineering, is aimed at just that.
“ALTEN is committed to motivating women to join the technical and scientific fields. We hope these Stories of Women in Engineering will contribute to a growing awareness of the vital role women play in science and technology, as innovators, as experts and as colleagues.” Simon Azoulay, Chair and CEO.
Come along their journeys building tomorrow’s world.