After studying abroad in Shanghai, Pavlina knew she wanted a career that would keep taking her somewhere new. She found that opportunity in Kautex’s development program. Since then, she has lived and worked in Germany, Belgium, China and Japan and now leads one of Kautex’s most important electrification programs as a Senior Program Manager.

A GLOBAL MINDSET

Pavlina returned to the Czech Republic from studying abroad with a new perspective on what she wanted her future to look like. Living in other countries showed she experienced new cultures and saw the world from a different perspective. It was then that she realized she wanted a career that would push her beyond her comfort zone.

Back at Skoda Auto University, an advertisement for Kautex’s international development program caught her eye. The program promised the opportunity to rotate across functions, work internationally and continue learning.
The company name also was familiar.

“Textron rang a bell for me,” Pavlina said. “Bell Helicopter was located close to the airport in the Czech Republic, and anytime I was flying somewhere, I was passing by that Bell Helicopter sign.”
She applied.

My strength is adapting to change, Pavlina said. Every day is different, and I enjoy staying agile, coordinating cross-functional teams and finding solutions as new challenges come up.“

Pavlina, Senior Program Manager, Kautex

FINDING HER FOOTING THROUGH THE KDP PROGRAM

Pavlina joined Kautex in 2015 as part of the Kautex Development Program, a rotational program designed to give early-career employees exposure across different business functions. While her background was in marketing and management, working for Kautex, a Textron business that designs and manufactures fuel systems for global automakers, gave her a hands-on introduction to manufacturing. Her first rotation placed her in Advanced Manufacturing, where she led the relocation of a production line.

Each rotation introduced her to a different side of the business and helped her better understand how products move a concept to the customer. Along the way, she realized she enjoyed organizing teams, solving problems and leading projects.

“My strength is adapting to change,” Pavlina said. “Every day is different, and I enjoy staying agile, coordinating cross-functional teams and finding solutions as new challenges come up.”

GROWING THROUGH GLOBAL EXPERIENCES

When the chance came to lead launches for Toyota models in China, Pavlina said yes. She had been studying Mandarin and wanted to put it to use. She was curious about Asian markets. She was ready to go somewhere new.

Then the pandemic hit, and what was meant to be a temporary assignment turned into nearly two years away from home.

When travel resumed, she moved to Japan to lead the launch of a program for Mazda models with less than 12 months of development time.

Japan changed how she thought about work. She was struck by the way teams showed up together regardless of their role or title.

“Whether it is engineering, program management or sales, when there is a customer delivery need, everyone is responsible for contributing and supporting the build on the shop floor,” she said. “Every morning, the project manager gives a motivating speech to the sampling team at the board.”

The experience also changed how she leads.

“Especially while learning and understanding Asian cultures, I learned to be patient, to listen, and to respect different values,” Pavlina said. “Proper communication, accountability, and teamwork is key to success.”

LEADING KAUTEX’S ELECTRIFICATION PROGRAM

Pavlina now leads Kautex’s first high-volume program for its Pentatonic product line, lightweight, customizable solutions for battery electric and hybrid electric vehicles that seal and protect the vehicle battery and help regulate battery temperature.

“I switched from sitting at a computer into daily running shopfloor rounds,” she said. “My daily business is to learn new things, deal with ambiguity, lead teams in an exploring environment, and be very creative in finding the best suitable solution.”

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