Claudiu joined Endava in Iasi as a Project Manager and 3 years later he accepted a new challenge as a Delivery Manager. Alongside his professional experience, he built skills on how to successfully manage client relationships, he discovered the secrets of craftsman’s work and most importantly, how not to be afraid to make life-changing decisions. Let us find out more about Claudiu, in his charismatic way of describing his journey.

When did you start out as a Project Manager?

I started out as a Project Manager when I joined Endava 5 years ago. Up until that moment, my career path was quite diverse - I sold computers in a computer shop, installed and configured GSM antennas and switched to billing as a Support Engineer, which led me to becoming a Product Manager in the company. Therefore, I was always dealing with clients, promoting and positioning the product and making strategic decisions to position it better in the future.

In 2012, I got a call and an invitation to a discussion in Endava from a very friendly recruitment specialist. After finding out more about the nature of the job and the responsibilities, I decided that Project Management suited my skills, so I started working my way towards making the most of this opportunity.

Can you describe your first day in Endava?

Yes, it was in January 2012, at the Endava front desk on my first day as a Project Manager, feeling nervous but acting all cool. I was introduced to my project team and and I vividly remember the looks on my colleagues’ faces when they told me: ‘It’s demo day today!’... I felt really anxious as I believed I was expected to present in front of the client, but little did I know that in Endava this action involves all team members and the presentation would be done by all of us. So, after half an hour of tension, my new team got me up to speed with what was going on and we all took part in the meeting which went very well.

Tell us more about your career path in Endava

I have been a Project Manager in Endava for 3 years and enjoyed every minute of it, from the daily stand-up meetings, the UAT calls to the production releases. It was during this time I have learned that focusing on work rather than personal gains and constantly developing our skills is in fact, the secret.

I have been a Delivery Manager in Endava since 2015, working daily with clients, teams and Head of Disciplines in delivering high-quality services in the Finance and Insurance sectors.

Both as Project Manager and as Delivery Manager, I discovered a lot about myself.

I like things to be done properly and responsibly. I like things to be straightforward and you can always rely on me to find solutions to the problems, as I’d rather take action than complain. I really enjoy working with people, applying the agile methodology and constantly looking to contribute to the Endava’s culture.

Can you describe a situation that had valuable lessons learned?

In the summer of 2015, we did an architectural review for a company that had several well-established development locations across Europe. We had a very steep team ramp up, arriving at 60 people in a few months, working from 2 different locations and in a wide array of technologies and methodologies varying from Ruby to React, from Java backend to testing and agile consultancy… you name it, we did it.

Along the way, we had our ups and downs, but most importantly we learned from each other and how to value each individual as a unique and valuable team member. We have juniors growing next to seniors, but we also have seniors learning each day from the juniors around them. Determination and a never give up attitude could be the words that define us. Two years later, we are still working side by side with our client, delivering on our promises.

What can you tell us about your life outside of work?

Outside of work, there is not a great difference in terms of who I am. At home or at work, my levels of commitment are the same. I am a father of two wonderful children, which I treasure a lot, and the husband of an amazing woman, who is a constant support in all I do.

I’m very passionate about cars, always being aware of what’s new on the market. Sometimes I paint, but if you have two children, you cannot have many drawings done until one of them comes up with a pencil or brush to ‘help you out’.

As an investment in my personal and professional development, a few years ago, I co-founded the Project Management society in Iasi, a forum suitable for sharing ideas, best practices, knowledge and experiences on Project Management and related domains. We held meet-ups and presentations with other members of the community as we are all driven by the same passion. 

Right now, I am more of a silent partner, as my personal life is taking more of my attention, but I will still gladly accept invitations to present interesting study cases in the project management community.