At Kitron, our success is based on development, equal career opportunities, and even exciting adventures. In order to demonstrate it, we want to introduce our colleague, who is sharing an interesting career story. Paulius is living proof that a global career can be adventurous and rewarding, and his story is one that we think everyone can learn from.
The beginning of a career
In 2003, Paulius began his journey with Kitron as a trainee while completing his first year at university. Being his first real job, Kitron was a challenge and a fantastic opportunity. For 8 months, Paulius immersed himself in all aspects of manufacturing operations, gaining a comprehensive understanding of how everything fits together. "The next challenge for me was manufacturing planning," Paulius recalls. "The understanding of what is teamwork, commitment, the importance of correct communication and that the customer is (almost) always right."
He shared more of his thoughts on his first impression at Kitron: “Having no experience when I started, I was always surrounded and supported by competent and experienced people who acted as truly great coaches and mentors with the main goal to help me to succeed. Even though I had a lot of things to learn, and I had more questions than answers, I always had people around me for support. That is one of many strengths for Kitron, open-minded, competent, and positive colleagues who are always ready to support each other in order to succeed as a team.”
Next, Paulius transitioned into the role of Key Account Manager. One of the greatest challenges was recognizing that "NO" is just another excuse. It was a privilege for Paulius to work with and learn from some of the most demanding professional customers that Kitron has. He states, " The most exciting thing about working at Kitron, is that I gained experience and knowledge by growing customers from zero to being among the top three, winning and implementing projects worth millions. I also learned what failure is - with regards to losing customers, failing miserably in projects, and not meeting goals. It is extremely important to establish and maintain a good relationship with customers in order to achieve success or overcome failure."
Awaiting growth opportunities
Kitron offers our team members the chance to develop and progress in their careers, providing limitless potential for growth. Paulius' story illustrates this as well. After 7 years in Key Account Management, he was given the opportunity to lead the most motivated and professional Key Account Team at Kitron Lithuania. "The Team has done a terrific job growing the Lithuanian facility from an almost empty building when I joined Kitron into a twice as large fully packed world-class factory," Paulius says, “You are never bored here, even if your position is not changing, the work, the challenges, the expectations and responsibilities are constantly evolving. Being a Key Account Manager for 7 years I have experienced the evolution of the role. What used to be the KAM at Kitron 20 years ago, is not even close to what is the KAM at Kitron today. Now internally we even call them mini managing directors, that is how their responsibility evolved.”
A Global Career Adventure
Paulius is a perfect example of how a successful global career can be both exciting and rewarding. His career journey highlights the global growth opportunities that Kitron offers.
"A year ago, I took another challenge and moved my family of eight to Kitron's facility in the US, where I now lead the Sales and Supply Chain teams. The past year has been amazing, filled with incredible people, great achievements, lots of work, but most of all, a lot of fun."
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He says that the US is much different than Europe, and there is still a lot that he needs to learn and understand. The country has friendly and supportive people, beautiful nature, and lots of travel opportunities, according to what he has experienced over the last year. “And yes, everything is big in the US.” – Paulius confirms.
According to his comparison of Kitron US and Kitron Lithuania, there are many similarities across all Kitron Group sites. In addition to having the same culture, it has the same processes, segments, and a positive attitude. "One thing that stands out is the significantly higher complexity of products in Kitron US. We have a strong presence in the Defence sector, which drives the requirement for high technical expertise as well as compliance with strict customer and government regulations. The medical sector has similar expectations. There is no room for failure thus, we have a high focus on quality and reliability throughout our processes. The US is a bit behind with renewable energy and electrification compared to Europe, but this will change very quickly, and we are happy to have our existing customers as well as ongoing discussions with new prospects to support the upcoming growth." - explained Paulius. “I am excited to see the next challenges and opportunities waiting for me!"
We know that Kitron is a great place for employees to reach their career goals and global career opportunities that can be exciting and rewarding. With dedicated team members such as Paulius, Kitron is able to foster a culture of growth and success that is unlike anything else and fuels our success as a company.
