Head of Supply Chain Giedrė

Giedrė is the mastermind behind Ruptela’s supply chain. Although she stumbled upon the tech industry by chance, she was immediately drawn to its dynamic nature and potential for social impact. For Giedrė, working in telematics is an opportunity to be part of an ever-evolving industry that plays a crucial role in improving the world.

But it’s not all work and no play for Giedrė. She firmly believes in the importance of work-life balance and its benefits to productivity and motivation. That’s why, when she’s not strategizing and analyzing supply chain data, she’s off mushroom foraging in the forests during autumn weekends or dancing salsa and bachata.

And if you’re a woman thinking about a career in telematics, Giedrė has some advice for you: go for it! Her journey with Ruptela has been nothing short of amazing, and she’s ready to inspire you too!

Tell us more about yourself and what led you to your current position. What three words would you use to describe your role?

My name is Giedrė. It’s been 4 years since I joined Ruptela. Currently, for a year and a half, I have been a Head of Supply Chain. Three words I could use to describe this role – strategic, collaborative, and analytical.

What made you pursue a career in tech? How did you become interested in telematics and join Ruptela?

Tech is a rapidly growing industry with the potential to have a significant social impact. To be completely transparent, I stumbled on telematics by accident. When I got more familiar with it, I decided to pursue a career here as I wanted to be part of a dynamic industry that is not only constantly evolving but also socially and environmentally important.

How does your journey at Ruptela looks like?

I’m having the most amazing journey in Ruptela. From the beginning, I felt supported, nurtured, and given the opportunity to grow. Mentoring and trust given to me have led to me developing as a specialist and advancing my career. I hope to pay that forward and successfully contribute to my colleagues’ growth as well.

How do you start your day? Please share any rituals or tips&tricks that help you stay productive all-day.

I never put snooze on my alarm and get up from bed during the first 2-4 min after the alarm sound. When I come to the office, I have my first (and usually last) cup of coffee and enjoy traditional breakfast with the team while chatting about the upcoming day. I prioritize tasks and try to minimize distractions to stay productive throughout the day. A clean and organized workspace also helps with productivity.

What motivates you to go to work every day?

My team is the driving force and the source of collaborative spirit, and they are the ones that inspire me to go and make an impact. Each day presents itself with a new challenge but, simultaneously, a new opportunity to make a difference.

What are your job’s most challenging and most cheering elements? What do you think is the most exciting part of being a woman in the tech industry?

Supply chain as an area of expertise is challenging by itself. The global supply chain has faced several unexpected challenges in the last few years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and natural disasters. It resulted in disruptions in transportation and a shortage of raw materials. The experience gained during these uncertain times was the most challenging, highlighting the need for increased resilience and flexibility. What brought me joy is that we got priceless lessons in new ways of working and managed to stay one unit as a team. As a woman in the tech industry, I would not emphasize this as something exceptional – I’m just an equal company member, although tech is considered a more male-dominated industry. I hope that I, as well as many other women in tech, inspire other women to not feel intimidated by the tech sector and pursue a career here if they wish for it. Fun fact about Ruptela: our management consists of an equal number of men and women, and all this happened naturally!

How do you balance work and life?

I believe well-rested people who have fulfilling personal life are more productive and motivated at work. It is healthy to disconnect from work issues during free time, and having a balance between work and personal life allows me to avoid that commonly faced Monday dread and enjoy both: my work and personal lives.

Tell us more about your hobbies

I’ve recently started taking salsa and bachata classes, and even though I’m not too good at dancing, I really enjoy them! Also, both a hobby and an interesting fact about me is that during autumn, it is very likely that during weekends you can find me in forests as I’m a huge enthusiast of mushroom foraging.

Interesting facts about you.

I am usually barefoot in the office.

What is your favorite place in the world? Why?

The first place that comes to mind is Playa Norte in Isla Mujeres (close to Cancun, Mexico), but any place is good as long as it is with my family.

What advice can you give to women considering a career in the telematics sector? What do you wish you had known?

For women considering a career in telematics, go for it. It is interesting and exciting, and I wish I had known more about it when I first started. But it was and still is an exciting journey in learning more about it.