Peter Ucovich and Sean Kolbusch share their unique career paths that led them to the Verizon Sourcing team.
If you consider yourself a problem-solver, collaborator, and risk-taker, then you may want to think about a career in Sourcing. As a trusted advisor to our business stakeholders, Sourcing drives growth, innovation and delivers value to the bottom line. The dynamic categories we support offer exposure to a variety of business leaders and career opportunities.
Led by military veteran Krista Page, our Sourcing team can lead through any crisis, including a pandemic!
“If you want to be in a company that has an impact on the future of how we work, live, and play — and if you want to have a true impact on the business — this is the place to be. The exciting thing about sourcing is that you get an enterprise-wide view. We get the opportunity to see what’s going on across the entire business.”
Hear from Sourcing leaders Sean Kolbusch and Peter Ucovich who share their very distinct journeys to Verizon.
From Finance intern to Sourcing leader.
From the Quinnipiac University campus to Verizon Finance intern to Sourcing guru, Sean Kolbusch has benefited from exposure to many roles on the V Team that have propelled his career growth.
Joining Verizon 13 years ago, Sean’s internship exposed him to various roles and groups that he didn’t even know existed, including Global Real Estate. Upon his graduation, he joined our transaction team and then rotated to roles in Sourcing and Wireless National Distribution. “The experiences, relationships, and perspectives gained in these rotations were instrumental in my leadership development and preparation for my current role as a Sourcing director,” he shared.
In his current role, Sean’s team is responsible for delivering category strategies that deliver value across the enterprise. This group helps Verizon meet its business objectives by managing third parties through the Sourcing process. This includes responsibilities for category management, stakeholder and supplier relationship management, competitive bidding (RFx), contract negotiation, and continuous process improvements.
For Sean, the most rewarding part of his job comes down to the people. “Indirect Sourcing allows you to engage a rich, diverse pool of talent both internally and externally,” he shared. “We are constantly engaged with a variety of departments and suppliers tackling challenges that will unlock growth and enhance our customer experiences.”
“For me, it has always been about mindset. Every experience, good and bad, small and big, are learnings that add up and define how you respond to the next challenge. Leading with empathy and holding myself accountable has shaped me the most.”
A Sourcing start-up mindset to partnership while leading through a pandemic.
Peter Ucovich began his career as a consultant, managing negotiations and acquisitions. Little did he know, he was working in sourcing and procurement before he even knew what it was.
As he progressed in his career, working in technology and start-ups, Peter realized that his skillset around negotiating, as well as understanding and making deals tied in well with the strategic sourcing field. “Sourcing and procurement found me. It was my skills and training that led me to this career field,” Peter said.
Peter joined Verizon in the midst of a pandemic. Although it was challenging, Peter saw it as an opportunity to learn how we work differently. During this time, Peter’s team truly had to run toward a crisis. At the peak of the pandemic, Peter and his team worked in tandem with the Supply Chain team to ensure that customer needs were met in a timely manner.
In his current role, he oversees indirect sourcing for the entire organization. Peter’s team strives toward a goal of unlocking value and innovation for the company and stakeholders.
“It’s an exciting position where you’ll be challenged to think strategically about the larger picture,” Peter shared. “It’s extremely dynamic and invigorating. When you wake up in the morning to start your day, no day is like the last one.”
Are you ready to become a Sourcing superstar?
For anyone considering a Sourcing role at Verizon, Sean and Peter offer their words of wisdom:
1. Be willing to collaborate.
This career path is all about problem-solving and collaborating, providing the opportunity to create connections within cross-functional teams and partnerships. It’s all about maintaining a balance between meeting objectives, costs, and support.
“Being at the forefront of third-party engagements allows me to have a voice in how we operate and how we represent our company,” Sean said. “We can see and shape innovations before they become a reality.”
2. Maintain your curiosity.
As Peter puts it, “If you’re inquisitive, you’ll do well in sourcing.” It’s a great field for those who are willing to ask questions to get to the fundamentals of the business and make informed decisions. In this role, you’ll want to bring all of your critical thinking to the table to stay engaged with the markets and trends that can support or impact the business.
3. Drive continuous improvement.
Those who excel in this role are willing to challenge the status quo. In addition to driving improvements, acting as an influencer is also a key component to success.
In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to influence senior leaders across the company, from SVPs to EVPs. You should be able to bring data and facts together to tell a concise and compelling story that motivates people to align with your recommendations and strategies.
