Career Spotlight - Valentina Costache - SPT Labtech

In the latest edition of the SPT Labtech - Career Spotlight we caught up with Valentina Costache, who has been a Finance Assistant at SPT Labtech since June 2022. We talked about working in accounts payable and managing our Global Sap Concur platform to process expenses, reading self-development books, walks with the family and travelling to see her extended family in Romania.

What is your role at SPT Labtech and when did you join the company?

I’m a Finance Assistant, joining SPT Labtech in June 2022. Day to day share responsibility for the Accounts Payable department as well as manage the Sap Concur platform to process expenses for employees.

What made you join SPT Labtech??

I was previously stuck in a position for 6 years I didn’t want to work in. The long commute to London from Cambridgeshire back and forth was taking its toll on spending quality time with my family and being present in the moment.

The opportunity came via a recruitment agency, at the time, and I didn’t have not much knowledge of what SPT Labtech did. I was blown away by the level of technology and influence they have in automated liquid handling, genomics, drug discovery, and their mission to make a real difference in human health.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Having more time in the evenings with a shorter commute and hybrid working setup means I get to spend more time with my family which means we like to get out for long walks in the countryside and bond as a family.

I really enjoy reading and in particular self development books and currently reading Atomic Habits. This also means the children have really enjoyed reading as they’ve grown up.

I also enjoy travelling, I’m from a town called Targovi?te, near Bucharest in Romania and we try visit family at least once a year. We have a family holiday booked to Barcelona, Spain in August which I’m really looking forward to.

What do you do at SPT Labtech?

My day is split into helping run the Account Payable side, with day to day finance and accounting tasks, managing invoices and making payments. The other half is managing our SAP Concur system to help approve and process all expenses payments. As you can imagine it can get busy towards the end of each month but the team all work extremely well together.

What excites you the most about working at SPT Labtech?

I genuinely enjoy learning. The company provides LinkedIn Learning licenses, allowing me to continuously develop my skills in Excel and various accounting software. I'm hoping to study for my AAT qualification in the near future.

What is the most valuable thing you have learnt since joining SPT Labtech and what’s it like working in the Finance Team?

Be yourself and stay positive! We have a diverse, inclusive team within Finance who all support each other. We've participated in some truly valuable team-building events. Our diverse and supportive Finance team embraces change positively. The management team trusts us to get the job done, offering constructive feedback and fostering an environment open to continuous improvement. I regularly tell my children how positive the team are as role models for SPT Labtech.

If you are looking for a change of career and are interested in joining SPT Labtech now or in the future, please email your CV to [email protected] . Even if there isn’t a role relevant to you advertised, we will keep your details on file and be in touch when something relevant comes up.