5 Questions to Alexander Weyland

Alexander Weyland has been Head of the Procurement Department at CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security since November 2018. He is also the Chairman of the Procurement Committee of all Helmholtz Centers and Research Alliances as well as an honorary member of the Procurement Chamber of Saarland, author of various specialist articles and procurement consultant. In this interview, he introduces himself and his department.

Dear Alexander, could you give us an insight into the responsibilities of the CISPA Procurement Department?

The Procurement Department is responsible for purchasing almost all of CISPA's requirements, which is a very complex task. As an institutional beneficiary, we have to spend almost all of our funds via public procurement. This means that all purchases must comply with public procurement law and ensure grant compliance. Our focus is on providing international researchers with everything they need for their work, while ensuring that the taxpayers' money is used correctly. We have been mastering this balancing act since CISPA was founded and it represents our department's greatest challenge.

In your eyes, what makes working at CISPA in the area of procurement so special and unique?

As part of the procurement team, I help to ensure that the growth of CISPA runs smoothly. The center’s continuous development and the growing teams with their different requirements pose particular challenges to our department. This unique constellation and the tasks that result from it make working at CISPA very exciting and rewarding for me. There's always something happening at our center!

How do you promote a culture of collaboration and communication?

We rely on constant professional dialogue and continuous training for all team members. Intensive exchange inside and outside our department as well as strong team cohesion are essential. This culture of collaboration helps us to successfully master the challenges of CISPA's growth.

How does your team deal with challenges within the team, but also with task-related challenges?

As the procurement department of a fast-growing Helmholtz Center, we are always at the center of attention, because every employee has different needs. We meet challenges by talking a lot about resilience and expectation management. This applies not only to our department, but to the entire center, in order to make our work professional and efficient.

Finally, what is your vision for the future of the Procurement Department at CISPA?

?My vision is to provide our team with excellent training so that we have the right purchasing response to all inquiries and requirements at CISPA. I am committed to offering my colleagues the best training opportunities every day. Our daily goal is to offer our CISPA colleagues support with their purchases and thus contribute to their professional success.

Would you like to join the CISPA-Team and make a contribution to our center’s growth? Check out our current job offers in procurement: https://jobs.cispa.de/scientific-support-job-offer/6274