I’m more on the stern side, with a strong character, says David, when describing himself. He takes particular care to follow the rules, and looks that everyone else does too – no exceptions. “I ask a lot of my team, but I also help them to help themselves,” he says with a calm voice.
David is well-known among his colleagues for his open and direct nature. He’s just as honest at work as he is about his own character. “My nature can be both a help and a hindrance,” he says. It certainly hasn’t been an obstacle to his development: From his role as a shoe store manager, the 33-year-old joined Zalando Lahr in 2017 as Team Lead. One and a half years later, he became Department Head. He’s now Operations Manager in the Inbound department, a position he’s held for around a year. As he’s risen up the ranks, his responsibilities have grown too. As Team Lead, David was predominantly a functional supervisor, responsible for deploying members of his team. The role of Department Head saw him move more and more toward colleague development, with an eye on processes and key performance indicators. “Now I’m also in charge of all three shifts in Inbound, Receive and Stow, among other things,” says David. “I need to make sure everything is going to plan and look much further ahead, both financially and strategically, than I did before.”
David says that he’s worked a lot on his personal development. He’s learned to scrutinize himself every day. “That was the key to progressing so far.” Among the things he’s changed are his mindset and his communication. “It is so important to actively seek out feedback, even if it’s sometimes painful!”
Did you know that 137 Zalandos have developed internally into specialists and managers at Zalando's logistics site in Lahr in 2022? Are you looking for a job with opportunities for further development? Then Zalando is the right place for you. Take a look at our current job openings here.
