Have you ever felt like companies talk about “career growth” but don’t really mean it? We get it. At SOPHiA GENETICS, we believe that a company grows best when its people grow first. For us, people development is a commitment to creating an environment where every individual feels supported, valued, and empowered to reach their potential both professionally and personally.
To share what this looks like from the inside, we listened to Cecilia – Our Vice President, Strategic Finance, whose own career journey at SOPHiA GENETICS reflects just how much growth, curiosity, and trust are part of our culture.
Your career has evolved a lot since you first arrived. Can you tell us about your journey at SOPHiA GENETICS?
“I’ve been fortunate to experience a very rich career journey since I joined the company. I started in the Finance team at a time when the company had fewer than 150 employees and had just begun commercializing the solution. This gave me the opportunity to set up many of the foundations for the Finance function — for example, implementing our ERP system.
As the company grew, I was able to contribute to major and very exciting projects, with the IPO being the most impactful example. I also had the chance to spend two years in the Product and Medical department, working on broader corporate and cross-functional projects and focused on business insights. That experience was extremely enriching and gave me a much wider perspective on the business and its strategic challenges.
When I returned to Finance, I came back with that broader vision, which now allows me to contribute differently to the organization.”
Where was the biggest learning opportunity for you so far? Was it, for example, about the people you encountered or rather the projects you completed?
“My time in the Product and Medical department was probably the most transformational learning opportunity for me. Working closely with people from very different backgrounds was extremely enriching, it challenged me to approach problems differently, to adapt my communication style, and to understand the business from new perspectives.
This experience still serves me a lot in my current role. It helps me be a stronger business partner, because I can better connect with colleagues across functions, understand their priorities, and build solutions that create value not only for Finance but for the business as a whole.”
When you wanted to learn something new or take your career in a certain direction, how did SOPHiA GENETICS support you?
“One of the things I really value about SOPHiA GENETICS is that the company knows how to give people a real chance.
Being a fast-growing company and going through several important phases, from scale-up to IPO, and even navigating the post-Covid context, there has never been a lack of exciting projects.
What I appreciate most is that SOPHiA GENETICS is very open and supportive in allowing people to get involved in the projects that interest them.
This creates great opportunities to learn, grow, and develop new skills. I’ve personally benefited a lot from this flexibility and encouragement to step into new challenges."
If you had to sum up our approach to people development from your own perspective, what would you say?
“At SOPHiA GENETICS, opportunities to grow and take on new challenges are never lacking. It’s up to each of us to identify what interests us and to discuss it, because the company is very supportive and truly empowers people to step into these opportunities.
What I would also highlight is that you don’t have to wait for opportunities to come to you. From time to time, you need to speak up about how you’d like to grow and where you’d like to go, so the company can adapt and offer the right opportunities. It’s not only about what the company provides, your own initiative plays an important role too.”
We know that professional development doesn’t happen in isolation. The foundation for learning and growth is the feeling of safety, respect and being included, and we are proud of our diverse teams and the culture of trust we build together.
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