Two years ago, Andreea Vlad joined Mega Image, Ahold Delhaize’s brand in Romania, as the company’s first Scrum Master. Today, there are four people working in this role, and Andreea is eager to see that number grow. “Retail is a fast-paced world that comes with constant change. Agile companies can adapt swiftly and continue to deliver value to customers. It’s fantastic to see the agile methodology being adopted in the organization and empowering our teams with a new way of working.”
Andreea didn't dream of becoming a Scrum Master when she was a child. In fact, she chose to study geography, making her current career even more of a surprise. Her love for nature and rocks started during family hikes in the mountains. This passion led her down the path of studying geography, although she didn’t have a concrete idea of where she wanted it to take her at the time.. She excelled in her studies, earning straight As. "I was a diligent student, and my visual memory made it easy for me to remember what I read and saw."
Andreea's first job related to her studies: she worked as an analyst for a company specializing in geographical data. She stayed in this role for nearly six years, but grew dissatisfied over time. “I was no longer finding fulfillment in my work and was looking for a new challenge. I found it in the agile methodology. My previous employer gave me the opportunity to take several Scrum courses. I was hooked – this was what I had been searching for! I fully embrace the idea that we should be moving away from the traditional practice of managers telling associates what to do. Agile methodology assumes that teams are self-managing, and that the best results are achieved when associates take ownership of their work.”
Andreea completed all of her Scrum training with great enthusiasm, but there was no option to work as a Scrum Master at her former company. Then she saw an advert for a Scrum Master vacancy at Mega Image. “I hesitated at first, wondering whether it was worth applying for the job. I had all the qualifications but I lacked practical experience. Regardless of my doubts, I decided to apply. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made because Mega Image offered me the job.”
Fostering self-organizing teams
Her new role marked the beginning of a rewarding journey. “It was obviously challenging at times. People had to adjust to a new way of working. These sorts of transitions never happen overnight and are often met with a bit of resistance. I was Scrum Master for two teams in the DigiTech department, which was made up of around 14 people. I coached them on agile principles and introduced new work approaches. Each coaching session had its own area of focus, with the aim of helping people to reorganize their work processes and eliminate impediments to improve efficiency. This involved setting clear priorities, and sometimes we found we needed to hire more staff to address capacity issues.”
As the agile methodology is designed to deliver value to customers, it aligns seamlessly with Mega Image’s strong focus on customer satisfaction. “The biggest goal of the DigiTech department is essentially to make life easier for shoppers and associates, so the agile principles really fit in perfectly here. As the teams saw the benefits of the agile way of working, its adoption in the organization grew. It was rewarding to see associates increasingly use the tools. Watching the teams grow, succeed, and deliver high-quality work gives me great satisfaction.”
Today, Andreea works with three other Scrum Masters and the whole DigiTech department has embraced the agile methodology. “My day is filled with stand-ups, backlog refinements, sprint reviews, and planning sessions – essentially, I’m in back-to-back meetings. It can be intense, especially with constant shifts between teams and changes in scope and topics. That said, I really enjoy the variety. I work closely with the other Scrum Masters, sharing advice and discussing challenges. Close collaboration means we can learn from each other and find solutions faster. The goal is to expand the approach across other departments until Mega Image is a fully agile organization.”
At the end of a busy day, Andreea disconnects from work in different ways. First she puts away her phone and laptop, and then either does a yoga session or goes for a stroll in the park. “Hiking is still my favorite hobby. The mountains that lie about two hours from Bucharest make for a perfect day trip. Me and my partner often head out early in the morning and hike for up to 10 hours. Those are the best days. I enjoy the scenery and amazing views, but I also pay attention to the ground. I’m fascinated by stones, which I collect during my hikes. I’m always looking for new types – different colors, minerals, shapes, and textures. I used to keep my stone collection at home, but it’s grown so big now that I have to store it at my parents' place outside the city, where there is more space. Whenever I catch up with my parents, I always ask them how my stones are doing.”
Name: Andreea Vlad (1995)
Started working at Mega Image: September 2022
Studied: MA Geographic Information Science and Cartography, University of Bucharest (2019)
Living with: My boyfriend, George
Hobbies: Hiking or any other activity that gives me an adrenaline rush
Wake me up in the middle of the night for: You can wake me up for anything. I’m a light sleeper so I’m awake most of the time anyway
Favorite holiday destination: In Romania, I love the Vrancea region, but outside of the country, I would always choose Tuscany, Italy for a holiday. One day I hope to visit Iceland – that’s high on my list
Life-changing event: The moment I learned about the agile way of working. Discovering this methodology opened up a whole new career for me, and the change couldn’t have come at a better time. Because of it, I was able to leave a job that was no longer making me happy. My shift to a Scrum Master role wasn’t just a career change; it brought a lot of joy and energy back into my life.
Biggest source of inspiration: Facing your fears. By challenging yourself and taking on what scares you, you become more courageous and open to exploring all the world has to offer
Best advice I’ve ever received: “Never stop learning and growing as a person”
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