Interested in interacting with Alina for your project purchasing or supply chain requirements? Reach out to her or other members of our team today.
Spotlight: Alina Ciortea
Alina has been with NeuronicWorks for 7 years now and has grown along with the organization contributing in innumerable ways. She is a go-getter who is passionate about continued learning and committed in finding the right solutions for all our stakeholders.
What does your job entail?
My role involves coordination with most of the departments daily, more so with the hardware team, project managers and the production team.
As a design engineering and manufacturing company, we are always on the lookout for components and parts for our various ongoing and upcoming projects. Our regular process would involve initiating Bill of Materials (BOM) for each project, we would then approach our vendor with our requirements; they would raise a quote and we would raise a PO in response. It was fairly straightforward.
However, today, things are different. With current global component shortage, we have had to pivot our method of component sourcing. For example, one of our recent projects required around 170 different components out of which 51 were not in stock with any of our suppliers. This has now become a common scenario which has made our work more challenging. We need to find the right components and source them from the right, reliable supplier from all over the globe (US, China, Europe). This involves a lot of research, coordination, and follow-ups. In case a substitute component is offered by a supplier, we need to go back to our design and engineering team and get their confirmation for use of the substitute component in their design. Every single order goes through our project managers who will have to approve the orders before we can proceed to source. The process has become longer, but we have been successfully seeing it through.
Our supplier relationships are strong, and we have over the years built a great network of reliable partners.
What originally attracted you to NeuronicWorks?
Call it fate, but I met Simona Botos, our COO, while on a regular shopping run at Canadian Tire. We were complete strangers at the time, and we had a pleasant conversation. Nearly two years later, Simona remembered me when there was an opportunity at NeuronicWorks and that’s how I joined the team.
After joining the company, what attracted me the most about NeuronicWorks and the founding team was their determination to succeed. Their hard work has got them and the company to where it is today, and it is very commendable. Having a great team to work with was of course an added advantage.
What do you think is the most essential skill required to succeed as a purchasing officer?
I think its persistence and perseverance. It is to never give up and to never say ‘It is not possible’ until you try your very best.
Especially with the component shortages scenario, we keep facing shut doors and dead ends. But we don’t give up, we keep knocking and waiting for a window to at least crack open, if not a door.
Never give up and never say ‘It is not possible’ until you try your very best
How has your professional development progressed since joining NeuronicWorks?
I joined NeuronicWorks as an office assistant before moving into accounting and then purchasing. I always loved numbers and negotiations, and so purchasing seemed like the perfect fit for my interests.
Over the years, I have taken up several courses and programs to equip myself with the skills required. I have a certificate in accounting and now I am looking forward to joining a supply chain management program early next year. The program has some prerequisites, some courses that I had to complete before starting the program and which I completed over the last two years. It is going to be challenging to take up a program with a full-time role, but I am looking forward to it.
I also gained a health and safety certification in the interim and am a part of the Health and Safety committee at NeuronicWorks.
How do you see yourself in the next couple of years?
The purchasing department is set to grow by leaps as we are in the process of expansion into production and as we set our processes and systems in place. I see our team growing and am excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.
What are 3 words you would use to describe NeuronicWorks?
This is a difficult question as it is tough to concise an experience into three words. I would say determination, growth mindset and a strong multicultural team are three words that come to mind when I think of NeuronicWorks.
Fun Facts
Not many would know about this, I am a huge fan of forensic science. Back home, in Romania, I used to work at a Forensic institute (Institutul de Medicină Legală) and loved my profile. For me forensic, is a science and solving crime mystery is a passion. I still love watching forensic shows and binge-watch crime documentaries when I get the time.
Guilty Pleasure
I love going on long drives when I can.
I also love activities for a cause and am passionate about contributing to the community around me in whatever small way I can. Every small initiative can help make the world a better place.
What has been your proudest moment at the company?
Any task that I feel is daunting at the onset, but that I successfully complete and fulfill, I consider them as personal achievements that I am proud of.
Also, being recognized by my managers for my hard work and dedication is always a proud moment.
What is your favorite part about working at NeuronicWorks?
My favorite part of working here is the team spirit. The team comes together and works seamlessly to deliver great results. As we spend a lot of our time in the office working together, it is important that we enjoy our time together and fortunately for us we have a great team!
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