Joshua Smith - Project Manager, CrossFitter and Team Player!
My name is Joshua Smith and I am originally from Münster. I am 27 years young and have been working as a project manager at S&P Computersysteme GmbH in Stuttgart since the beginning of June 2019. After almost two years in my position as a project manager at S&P, I can look back on a variety of exciting, but also challenging tasks and projects.
I first came into contact with logistics through my dual Bachelor's degree with a focus on marketing and logistics. In this context, I was able to acquire a sound knowledge of logistics processes and procedures early on and also put this into practice. At my previous employer, I had the opportunity to lead the introduction of a warehouse management system (WMS) in the company's own warehouse and thus gain my first practical experience as a project manager at an early stage. Motivated by the new tasks I got to know in this position, I also wanted to further expand my technical IT knowledge. So I made the decision to switch to the logistics software provider side - in short, my journey as a project manager at S&P began.
A versatile and exciting field of activity
The day can start with a glass of Overnight Oats. After I have checked and answered my emails in my inbox, I move on to the other items on my to-do list. Whether it's an upcoming customer phone call, a joint appointment with a colleague or writing a specification - "No day is like the other!" or more precisely: the areas of responsibility in my job as a project manager are very diverse. However, my main focus is on project planning, implementation and support. I spend a large part of the day working out concrete project plans and defining and coordinating the individual steps in the customer's project. The creation of project sketches, visits to the customer's premises, various coordination meetings or even the occasional research are also things that keep me busy in my day-to-day work. What I never miss out on, however, is the shared exchange with my colleagues, but above all with my project team "Bolt". True to the motto: "With transparency we create efficiency!" we regularly discuss the individual projects to be managed in short stand-up meetings and determine the next task packages. For every "classic" customer project is usually about discussing the contents with the customer, coordinating the requirements and specifications phase as well as the implementation phase and, with the go-live, the hyper-care phase to ensure ongoing operation. However, every customer project is different and therefore brings with it very different problems and challenges that need to be solved in the project.
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Due to the diversity and multitude of tasks, a project manager must, in my opinion, have one thing in particular: a high degree of planning and organisational skills, strong communication skills and a hands-on mentality. In addition, a project manager should keep a cool and clear head even in stressful situations.
S&P ComputersystemeGmbH as an employer
The special thing about S&P as an employer for me is the collaborative corporate culture and pleasant working atmosphere. Everyone can contribute to the company at any time and take on responsibility - right from the start. Because S&P is constantly growing, the opportunities are also growing. In my opinion, one thing has never been lost: an extreme cohesion among colleagues. For me, the change to S&P was a change from a corporate structure to an extended family. The support and backing, even outside the project team, are incredible! On my journey at S&P so far, I have already experienced my own personal highlight: in addition to the successful completion of my first "own" project, I also had the opportunity to design and implement an "intelligent" order picking strategy together with a client. For me as a project manager, this was a new but very enjoyable experience!
#Letstalkaboutyourhobby - Joshua at CrossFit.
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Overall, I would say that I am not only a project manager with heart and soul, but also a passionate CrossFitter. So in my free time I take every opportunity to keep myself physically and mentally fit alongside my job, but also to recharge my batteries. I like a challenge - both in my job and in my free time. In addition to my professional goals, I also like to push my personal boundaries. Always active in sports, I decided to start CrossFit shortly after moving to Stuttgart. Training in the box (CrossFit Assault Stuttgart) requires a maximum of concentration for me every time: it is a constant battle against myself - sometimes physically, sometimes mentally, sometimes in training or also at competitions. When things aren't going so well, the community gives me the support I need to keep going. "Respect all, fear none" is not only the motto of our CrossFit box. This virtue, you could say in conclusion, is also my attitude towards the entire S&P team and the customers.
