Specializing in logistics and supply chain, Olga Andrade now works at Sandoz Farmacéutica, a division of the multinational Novartis, which manufactures and commercializes generic and biosimilar medication.
Tell us about your position at Sandoz and your day-to-day duties at the company.
The position I currently hold at Sandoz is a trainee in the Supply Chain, Logistics & Demand department. The tasks I perform on a day-to-day basis are related to planning, stock control taking into account demand, drafting sales projection reports and acting as the intermediary between suppliers and the production plants, among others.
What type of people do you deal with?
I work in an international environment, so my daily interaction with my department colleagues, the meetings and lots of my tasks are all in English.
How did the opportunity to join Sandoz arise?
The opportunity to join Sandoz came about thanks to EAE's Employment Exchange. The business school though it was a good idea to send my CV to the company and they got in contact with me.
What was the selection process like?
The selection process was long and there was a lot of competition, as is usually the case with large multinationals. The first time they contacted me for an interview with Human Resources was in September. Just when I was finishing making my decisions about the companies that had had shown an interest in me, the telephone rang. Sandoz told me that they would like me to continue in the process. At the end of November, I had a short telephone conversation in which they evaluated my capacities. Lastly, I had an interview with the department manager.
Did you prepare in any particular way?
Every time I had a test or a meeting, I tried to prepare a little, but I prefer to present myself in a natural way. However, I tried to keep saying the following things to myself in my head when taking part in a selection process: "It is not just a matter aptitude but also attitude and reaching the altitude" and "Try to be interested instead of interesting". I believe that every expert was once a beginner and the only people we are destined to be are the people we decide to be. That said, success doesn't just happen, you have to go out and look for it and that is why I will keep on working.
How did you feel when they told you that you were the selected candidate?
The last part of the process was really quick. The same day that I had the last interview, they called me in the afternoon to tell me that they would lie to take me on. I wasn't expecting it. It was a really immediate response from a company that was one of my preferred options and a leader in the sector. I didn't know why I had been picked out of so many candidates. I felt very pleased and calm inside at the same time. After many years studying and spending time abroad to acquire a competitive training in the professional market, I suddenly had the perfect job offer. It fulfilled all my needs, gave me the change to develop professionally and continue learning in a multinational company that forms part of the Novartis group.
Why do you think you are the ideal person to hold this position?
An element of luck and being in the right place at the right time certainly played a role, but also because I am a proactive person committed to my duties and with a fighting attitude in all aspects of my life. Sometimes life hasn't been easy, but other times your efforts are rewarded and those of the people around you. Moreover, I think that me positive, disciplined, collaborative attitude, my ability for teamwork and analysis, and my drive to learn in my new position, as well as the skills required for the post, made me the right person for the job.
What experience do you think you can gain at Sandoz?
I am gaining a lot from the company already. I am learning loads about the field of Supply Chain in a pharmaceutical setting that requires expertise in the tasks I perform. I am gaining knowledge from the great team of professionals that I work with, who help me to develop professionally and add differential value. Last but not least, belonging to a company like Sandoz enables me to lay strong foundations on which to build my professional career.
What contribution can you make to a company like Sandoz? Do you have any preference in terms of a specific division?
Right now, my preference is the division of Novartis that I am currently working in, Sandoz. In terms of departments, I know that I prefer to focus on everything related to the supply chain. Specifically, what I can contribute in the tasks I perform at the company is the knowledge I acquired on the Master in Supply Chain Management & Logistics at EAE, my analytical and numerical skills gained during my studies in engineering and, most importantly, my ability to generate a good working atmosphere, dealing with people from different countries, communicating in various languages, a young mindset and a passion to learn and keep gaining experience bit by bit.
What are Sandoz's strengths?
Sandoz is a division of Novartis, a highly respected multinational company in the market, with a great capacity for incorporating the use of technological resources. It operates in the pharmaceutical sector, a sector in which logistics and the supply chain are extremely important, bearing in mind that the medication produced is perishable and highly regulated, requiring more finely-tuned management than may be the case in other sectors. Sandoz responds to this challenge really well and all the departments are perfectly aligned to achieve the set objectives. In addition, I have to emphasize the great way they treat their employees and the flexibility that exists in the team.
Are you putting into practice the knowledge acquired on the Master in Supply Chain Management?
Of course, doing this master has given me the opportunity to acquire all the knowledge I need to perform my daily tasks. In fact, not only to do my tasks but also to understand why they are performed in one way rather than another. In my opinion, the knowledge shared by certain lecturers, who are great professionals in their field, is helping me on a daily basis.
Why did you decide to take the Master in Supply Chain Management at EAE?
I was sure that I want to specialize in logistics and supply chain. I chose to train at EAE Business School based on the recommendations of some former students who had taken the master, the School's location in the capital and its reputation: EAE Business School's Master in Supply Chain Management & Logistics is ranked as the 2nd best master in Spain in the league tables.
What aspects of the knowledge and skills you acquired at EAE would you highlight?
I would primarily emphasize the knowledge and advice given by the lecturers, who are all professionals working in logistics and supply chain companies. They are the ones who made the master interesting and productive, studying real cases that they have experienced first hand.
Besides the academic side of things, what other experiences did you have in your year at EAE Business School?
I had a new experience. At the business school, I met lots of international people, made contact with professionals in the area, gained a much closer insight into the professional world, attended business events organized by the School and was treated really well by the HR team when required, etc.
Would you recommend EAE Business School? Why?
I would recommend EAE Business School to anybody who wants to do a master in a business school with an international atmosphere. If you are looking for good training professional development, an approach that gives you and closer insight into the professional world and a different experience focused on practical learning, EAE is the place for you. The School can give you all that.
