Five years, three roles: Essi Vaara’s growth story at Accountor
In early October 2019, Essi Vaara began her career at Accountor’s Lahti office. She had been looking for an employer that would not only offer opportunities for growth, but also support continuous learning. Looking back at her Accountor career, Essi sees a journey filled with diverse roles and opportunities for professional development.
Essi’s first role was as an assistant in back-office accounting. The position provided her with a solid foundation in financial management, and she quickly learned the company’s billing practices and processes. “My appetite for learning grew as I worked,” Essi recalls, and she soon advanced to become a back-office accountant. This role offered deeper insights into financial management and strengthened her expertise further.
The next step in her career path was as a service manager for the back-office accounting team. In this role, Essi was responsible for ensuring the team’s operations ran smoothly, efficiently, and were properly resourced. The service manager position gave her new perspectives, particularly in leadership and collaboration with various stakeholders. “This was a big leap that taught me a lot about people management and process development,” she says.
Today, Essi works as an Operations Manager. She oversees operational management within a matrix organization, is responsible for the billing model, and identifies opportunities for process automation. Her responsibilities have expanded and diversified over the years. For Essi, the most rewarding part of her work is continuously finding new and better ways to improve operations.
Her journey has also included an important personal milestone: Essi took a little over a year of parental leave. Returning to work went smoothly, and her career progressed naturally despite the break. “Parental leave didn’t feel like a career interruption. I quickly got back into the rhythm of work because I was able to return part-time at first. My manager’s support during this transition was invaluable,” she shares.
Essi describes her career as a journey of growth and development, with its share of challenges. “There have been growing pains, but every challenge has helped me move forward. The support and help I’ve received from my colleagues have been a significant part of this journey. Thank you to everyone who has been along for the ride!” she says.
Essi’s thirst for learning and curiosity remain undiminished, and she is excited to see what the future holds. She reminds us that by boldly seizing opportunities, we can discover career paths that motivate and inspire us every day. “Every day is a new opportunity,” Essi concludes.
