Technology Controlling

Timo came to LEONI in Tech Controlling right after his finance-focused degree. He manages budgets, costs, targets, and coordinates risks.

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My story at LEONI

My name is Timo, I am 24 and I studied Business Administration with a focus on finance and strategy at Würzburg Technical University. During my degree course, I also completed a semester in the U.S. and a practical semester with an automotive supplier in controlling. I have been working as an expert in Technology Controlling at LEONI since July 2021.

This is my job

Generally speaking, my jobs within the technology area are quantitative support through budget/actual evaluations, coordinating internal cost allocation and hourly rates, calculating target costs, validating investment applications and managing all risks and opportunities in my second role as risk coordinator.

My daily routine

Start of the day

At LEONI, I work from home 2-3 days a week, so I don't have the usual journey to work every day. This means that although my home is almost an hour away from Kitzingen, LEONI is still an attractive employer for me. I usually get up at around 6:15 a.m. When I work from home, I open my laptop at around 6:30 a.m., on office days at about 7:30 a.m. I don't have to worry if it’s earlier or later on some days: we work using a combination of flextime and trust-based working time, and so I don't have to be at my desk at 8:00 sharp. I like to organize my time productively: on office days I enjoy listening to podcasts or book summaries, which helps me to get ready for the workday.

Once I’ve arrived at the office, I first set up my workplace, I try to plan my day's work as efficiently as possible and reply to unread emails. I like to use the quiet time in the early morning to tackle large tasks.

Morning

In Technology Controlling, we have a fixed day twice a week on site in Kitzingen, a good opportunity for us as a team to get together. Here we discuss how far we have gotten with our tasks, what tasks are upcoming and topics of a general nature. On the other days I like to use the mornings to work through miscellaneous tasks on my ever-growing to-do list. It is difficult to be specific here: very few tasks are actually like any previous one.

Lunch break

Depending on the schedule, we usually go to the company canteen between 12 noon and 1:00 p.m., where we all switch off for a bit and also talk about personal matters, a nice time out in the working day.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, I usually have meetings with the responsible management of series development where I present up-to-date figures, provide information about news and where I am being brought up to date. Afternoons are best for this: in our international organization I also coordinate regularly with our sites in the U.S., China, and other countries. For example, the time difference between us and our Mexican colleagues is up to 9 hours. Here in Controlling we are responsible for everything relating to figures, data, and facts, so we often get a call through MS Teams with ad hoc inquiries.

Evening

Usually, my work finishes after about 9 hours, including a break of between 30 and 45 minutes and occasional additional work. On Fridays I like to start my weekend early. The overtime I have accrued makes this possible. Exercise is very important to me as a recreational activity: on office days, I try to get my training done straight after work. The gym is very handy here as it is only a 200-meter walk from LEONI. When I work from home, I have a bigger time window for leisure activities even though my average working day is 8 hours long. I go to soccer practice two to three times a week, spend the afternoon with friends or take my motorbike for a spin: all no problem. If I end up working late one evening, I don't mind too much: thanks to flextime and trust-based working time I can start a bit later the next day and reduce the overtime I have accrued.

My highlight

It is difficult to pick out just one moment: every day I face varied and exciting tasks that advance, challenge, and fulfill me. But I have a very positive fundamental feeling, perhaps I could use that instead of the “moment” referred to in the question: It is always nice to see how the work my team does improves the organization in a tangible way!

My view of LEONI as an employer

After I finished my degree program, I was drawn to LEONI because I have a keen interest in the entire automotive sector given that it is considered one of Germany’s most important industries and plays a crucial role especially in southern Germany. The daily interaction with the global players and the sector’s major brands especially appeals to me. At LEONI, I particularly appreciate the inter-cultural collaboration, such modern working conditions as flextime, mobile working, and open workspaces as well as the confidence and responsibility that I enjoyed from the beginning despite my young age.

My job at LEONI excites me because I can have a direct impact on the performance of the international technology segment, be it in series production or in project management. Despite the often abstract work with numbers, I always experience a ‘meaningful feeling’, especially so when the success of a project becomes measurable and findings can be quantified. As an employee in the Technology department, I am part of the innovations of tomorrow that we are devising for our customers, which fills me with pride.

LEONI as an employer is characterized by its impressive potential, its power of innovation and its resilience, features that are palpable not only in the sector but also in the collaboration and the tasks of everyday working life.

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