I need challenges, otherwise I will get bored

• Title: Client Service Manager, Cash Management Client Services at SEB Global Services centre in Vilnius
• Education: Bachelor in Finance, ISM University of Economics and Management
• Personal interests: Travelling, meeting friends, reading

“My comfort zone is when I feel challenged. That’s when I feel motivated and I can grow,” says Živilė. She joined SEB for her first job after the university, then decided to try out the fintech world, but now she is back in SEB, working with large international finance companies such as hedge funds and investment banks and catering to their cash management needs.

Tell us about your journey in SEB

Some of my friends already worked at SEB and I had heard good things about SEB as a company. So, when I graduated from the university in 2015, I decided to apply and joined SEB Global Services centre in Vilnius in a temporary position. After three months my temporary contract expired, and the next day I received a call with an offer for a permanent position in the Finance department. Of course, I agreed, but after a few months I realised that this role wasn’t really for me. Then I met my previous manager, we had a chat, and he arranged an opportunity for me to transfer back to his department. Then after a while the decision was made to move Client Services function to Vilnius, and I was part of the team which was responsible for making that happen. I spent a few months in Helsinki, acquiring the knowledge and learning the processes.

In 2019, I felt that I needed a new challenge, so I left the bank and joined a fintech company. It was interesting, but then the pandemic started, and I caught myself thinking that I am not feeling fulfilled anymore. I still had many friends in SEB who I would meet, and in one of those occasions my friend suggested that I should return. I made a rash decision then and there that I will try to return. It happened quickly and after a week I was back in SEB, and I am still happy about it.

Tell us about your current responsibilities

Figuratively speaking, I am the glue that holds our customers together with bank’s internal units. My clients are financial institutions such as banks, hedge funds and insurance companies, and some of the largest SEB clients are in my portfolio. The responsibility is huge. My task is to make sure clients are happy with cash management services that my team delivers, but many customers have even bigger business with other parts of SEB, for instance, investment banking. I have to ensure that everything is in sync.

What motivates you and gives you energy?

I get bored easily with repetitive tasks, so I need challenges. In my current position no two days are the same. It keeps me motivated and gives me the feeling that I am learning and growing all the time.

What’s it like working in SEB?

I enjoy the SEB vibe. It’s the open and familiar relationships with managers, the different people… SEB is such a colorful organization! My path was quite straightforward: I studied finance, so I work in a bank. But I have colleagues with entirely different backgrounds – an opera singer, a construction engineer, etc. We have a great team and an excellent manager. To me, my manager is more like a friend than a boss. In theory, your manager should, perhaps, be someone more distant, more like an authority figure which you don’t have familiar ties with. But I think that I would feel much worse if I were to disappoint a friend than someone with whom I don’t have a close connection.

Your ambitions for the future?

I am less than a year in my current role, so I am not looking for a new position right now. But in the long run I will probably aim for a position with more internal focus. Perhaps, I could act as an intermediary between Client Services and other parts of the bank, coordinating processes, working on improvements etc. I know how to speak with both sides, and even now I am always looking for opportunities to improve our routines and challenge the existing processes.

What do you enjoy doing after work?

I enjoy going out and meeting friends, but I also like simple things like being home and reading a book. And of course, like any other person, I really enjoy travelling, and try squeeze in at least a few trips during the year.

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