ServiceOffice & Admin
Juliana Neiva
Director of Purchasing & Cost Management | The Dinex Group
Experience
2010 - 2015
Financial Regulation Manager
Petra Energy Oil & GasNew York, NY
Education
2013
MBA in Business Economics
FGV Business School Sao PauloSao Paulo, BRAZIL
2008
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration And Management
UNIPE - University Of Joao PessoaJoao Pessoa, BRAZIL
Advice from Juliana Neiva
Quotes about career path, skills, and teamwork from an industry leader.
My time as an assistant buyer at Major Food Group was the most impactful time of my career.
I was exposed to multiple concepts, casual and fine dining, a variety of professionals with different backgrounds and so much space for creativity. It was the place that made me fall in love with hospitality.
I’m inspired by the creativity and talent of the chefs and hospitality leaders around me.
This is a business that is fully sustained in passion. Nobody opens a restaurant just to make money (like you can see in other businesses). People are working 12 hours a day in a hot kitchen because they love what they do. It’s hard to translate that same passion in other jobs, so for me, being able to support a business that is rooted in passion and love is the most inspiring fact that keeps me moving.
The very first piece of advice that I received at my first job in hospitality was, “Always have a plan B.” Back then it sounded like a very simple and obvious idea, but it actually helped me a lot in my career in the supporting areas of hospitality (operations, finance, procurement), mostly because restaurants are very dynamic and if something goes wrong, having a plan B can keep the business running even under the toughest circumstances.
When hiring for Office & Admin roles, you have candidates with different industry backgrounds.
I always ask: “Is this person used to a dynamic environment?” Even the most process-driven candidates (who I love) need to understand the flexibility that comes with a business that creates its products every day. What I look for the most are candidates who understand that “we’re in this together," even for office positions, we’re working to support the performance of those on the frontline.
Opening a 300-seat fine-dining restaurant in Midtown New York and making it a success was one of my biggest accomplishments in life.
Leading a team of talented chefs and managers, and designing all the systems and processes along with a team of extremely dedicated office professionals was an experience that I could never accomplish alone.
I’ve learned not to use to-do lists, but to manage my time by creating daily activity tables in Excel of the subjects that I need to tackle.
For example, from 9-10am I’ll work on P&L review, from 10-10:30 I’ll respond to emails, from 10:30-12 (noon) I’ll work on marketing initiatives, and so on. That way I’m not just passively solving problems, but I’m putting energy and effort into proactively avoiding future issues. To-do lists are endless and can often result in a feeling of never accomplishing anything. I like to dedicate a significant amount of time to the subjects that I’m responsible for so I can connect with the team and give my mind a creative space to think outside-of-the box for solutions.
Roles in Service
Check out the newest job opportunities in your area and level up your career.
