Meet Virag | Roche

I joined the company as a fresh graduate, and I feel fortunate to have been working with supportive line managers since the beginning. They both have seen the potential in me and paved the way for my development.

I started my career with Roche in 2017 as an HR Associate and later transferred to the Event Management Team. I currently work as an Event Management Advisor and support four projects, out of which three are global leadership development programs. My daily responsibilities vary according to the project plans, spanning logistics-related tasks, pre-work management, invoices, and communication with stakeholders and participants. I've been on a progressive career path since joining the company, and my work has brought me in closer contact with my customers. Now I'm involved in decision-making, future planning, and problem-solving at a deeper level. It's challenging, and I strive to learn and develop. Especially my analytical, communications, and people skills have been finely honed over the years. I've tried my hand at additional projects as well, and the one closest to my heart is the Peer4Peer Program, where I serve as a coordinator. The program's mission is to help our new joiners familiarize themselves with the Roche culture.

Our impact
One of the programs I support is called NJIA, which means 'path' in Tanzanian. It's a global leadership program focusing on one of the biggest health crises in the third-world: cervical cancer. The high death rate of women in Tanzania has devastating consequences for families and society at large. Roche leaders travel to India and Tanzania for a week and work together with local health professionals on a sustainable project to improve local health care. The program has tangible results that are visible through the lives of people. It warms my heart to see how many more women receive screening tests or treatment because of the program. Last year, I attended the NJIA opening ceremony in Basel, where I had the opportunity to meet and speak with senior leaders and learn from these brilliant minds. It's an honor to be a part of this project and see the impact we make.

The Place to Work

Roche is a truly multinational company that gives us freedom and trust, which I believe are crucial to flourishing as an employee. We have the opportunity to develop and grow at our own pace and receive constant support from our leaders. When you go the extra mile, you're guaranteed to find hidden gems in the form of new colleagues or exciting projects. The benefits we receive cover a broad spectrum and provide tremendous value, in my opinion. There're excellent training opportunities, free language courses, home-office days, and medical insurance, to highlight a few. Roche continues to hire new employees despite the pandemic, showing the level of job security we have here.

Our culture

The social aspect of my work is very important to me and I'm thankful to have a great team. We strive to stay engaged and socially active outside of work by organizing virtual team lunches, brainstorming sessions, movie and podcast discussions. They motivate and inspire me, and we build each other up. The growth mindset shines through everything we do, and difficulties & challenges are viewed as learning opportunities. I receive regular feedback from my peers and leaders which is a key component to my development. Due to the complexity of what we do, my team collaborates closely with other teams and departments. I’m frequently recognized for my contributions and the value I create. In addition, my program manager has established 'Thank You Thursdays' to express her appreciation for our efforts and accomplishments.