I’m a Project Controller with Starion in Germany, where I work with a really good team!
What’s your role?
I started my role as a Project Controller in October 2024, and I’m based in the Starion office in Darmstadt, Germany.
What’s a typical day in your working life like?
My day-to-day work is quite varied. I support multiple projects and service contracts focusing on financial control and reporting, and making sure everything runs smoothly from a financial perspective. A big part of my role involves working with data: preparing reports, analysing project performance and building tools. I also act as a central point of contact for several German projects, coordinating closely with service managers, the Finance team and management.
While I’m mostly office-based and don’t travel much, I’m involved with many projects so there’s always something new happening. Overall, it’s a mix of analytical work, problem-solving and collaboration – it keeps things interesting.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Honestly, the people! We have a really good team and there’s always a bit of humour in our day-to-day work, which makes a big difference. I also really enjoy working with service managers and helping them sort out different issues – it’s nice to feel that what I do actually makes their work easier.
On top of that, I like the technical side of my role: building reports, fixing spreadsheets and generally making things more organised and efficient. I’m more of an introvert, so I enjoy having time to focus on my tasks, but I can definitely switch into ‘speaking up mode’ when something needs to be said!
What has been your most memorable career highlight?
One of my biggest achievements so far has been developing and implementing several internal controlling tools that improved visibility across projects. These tools helped consolidate financial and operational data, making monthly reporting more efficient and supporting better decision-making.
I’ve also been actively involved in identifying and resolving data discrepancies between systems, working closely with finance and project teams to improve accuracy. Being trusted with additional responsibilities and having a real impact on how things are done has been very rewarding.
Do you have any tips for people trying to get jobs in your area of expertise?
My main advice would be to build a strong technical foundation, especially in Excel and data-related tools like SAP or Power BI. Once you are comfortable with the basics, your work becomes much faster and more efficient. Don’t be afraid to improve things; if you see a process that could work better, suggest changes. Even small improvements can make a big difference over time.
Also, be open to learning and get comfortable with multitasking. In this kind of role, you often handle multiple topics at once, so good organisation is key. Personally, I try to complete smaller tasks quickly as they come and go, which allows me to focus more on bigger priorities later.
How do you wind down?
After work, I always spend time with my dog Ziggy. We go on long walks, which is honestly the best way for me to reset after the day. I also really enjoy creative activities like painting, customising clothes or crochet when I want to fully switch off. On quieter evenings, I like to relax with fantasy books or anime.