Advancing from Software Developer to Project Manager

What can career development look like at Systematic? Stefan Teleu started working here as a Software Developer, but now leads a team of 21 people as a Project Manager for one of Systematic’s Defence products.

Back in 2016, Systematic’s Romanian office comprised only a handful of people. One of them was Stefan Teleu, a Software Developer. Since then, a lot has changed. Today, the office – the second-largest in Systematic – is buzzing with the energy of more than 130 employees, and Stefan is now Project Manager for a team of 21 people.

“We were a new team, and I was made Scrum Master, so I felt the need to become more involved in boosting morale and acting as a bridge between the team and our Project Manager. It seems I had a bit of a natural inclination towards leadership, and my manager saw this, so in 2020 he encouraged me to pursue a project and people manager role,” says Stefan.

For Stefanut, this was just the right move, and he has not looked back. Moreover, at Systematic there are many opportunities to explore where your passion lies.

“Advancing may require patience, but you can definitely seek out plenty of opportunities to learn. For example, developers can pursue the architect route, focus on stakeholder dialogue or become feature owners. Getting involved in employer branding projects or sharing your knowledge internally or externally are also great ways to reflect and learn. And it all helps you grow.”

An environment for career growth

For Stefan, the culture at the Romanian office is the best thing about Systematic, as it enables both exploration, advancement and stability:

“We have a healthy mix of cooperation, structure and start-up culture. On the one hand, you have the mature processes and strategies, yet on the other you are free to explore new ideas, and everybody knows each other and you have a real impact on what is happening. This allows you to keep developing as you learn, grow and explore new opportunities.”