From university classrooms to a managerial position at Pivara Skopje.

Miroslava Manasieva shares her career story within our company and the challenges she faces in her daily work as Beer Production and Quality Control Manager.

1. Miroslava, you have been part of Pivara Skopje for almost 10 years. You joined the team responsible for the production of our beer brands straight from university. Looking back at your beginnings, what stands out the most from your first experiences at Pivara Skopje?

It is true, I joined Pivara Skopje directly from university. It was truly a great experience and a pleasure to start my career and continue to develop within this company. I began in the beer quality control team as a chemical engineer. My first memories from the early days are of a positive culture and strong dedication among employees, it feels good to be part of the Pivarci family. The team consisted of a combination of more experienced colleagues and those just starting to build their careers, and everyone shared their knowledge in their own way. This combination of different ages and experiences allowed me to quickly and efficiently integrate into the team, understand the processes in detail, and start contributing with all my knowledge to the development of the team itself. I truly have wonderful memories from my beginnings.

2. You worked on the introduction of Amstel to the market, the development of Skopsko Dark and Skopsko. From today’s perspective, we are talking about strong brands that are part of every celebration and every toast. How does it feel to see a finished product to which you have personally contributed?

Without a doubt, I can say that being part of a team that works tirelessly on introducing new beer products to our market is always a major challenge. Team collaboration, the team’s energy, and the challenges we faced while developing each recipe, defining the right processes, and achieving the desired parameters were truly demanding. Uncertainty prevailed and accompanied the entire process until the very end, namely the production of the first bottle of the desired brand. For me, this was a great experience, both professionally and personally. Those periods encouraged me to set challenges for myself and to keep moving forward.

3. Your career took on a different dimension in 2020. You moved to Heineken Croatia, where you worked for a certain period in Karlovac as Quality Manager. Tell us more about this career journey what did it bring you on a professional and personal level?

One of the things I truly value at Pivara Skopje is the opportunity for new career challenges and learning within our Group companies, Coca-Cola Hellenic and Heineken. Heineken Croatia was, above all, a wonderful experience, but also a challenge in every sense. On the one hand, it was a period when the world was heavily impacted by COVID-19, with travel and movement strictly controlled and limited. On the other hand, it was the first time I faced a managerial and responsible position with a completely new team, outside of Pivara Skopje.

At Heineken Croatia, I encountered a new environment, a new culture, new colleagues, and for me, entirely new beer brands. I managed to adapt to this new environment relatively quickly. What impressed me the most was their teamwork and the selfless support in daily activities. Of course, my previous experience also helped me build authority and trust, so the proposals I made regarding improvements and my approach to problem-solving were very positively received by my colleagues there. I can freely say that this developmental assignment brought me opportunities for personal growth as well as sincere friendships for life.

4. You have been Beer Production and Quality Control Manager at Pivara Skopje for a year now. A young female engineer with the opportunity and responsibility to lead a large team and ensure the quality of the best beer brands on the market. What does a typical workday look like for you, what challenges do you face, and what makes you happy at the end of the day?

Based on my experience so far, I would say that communication with the team is the most important factor for success. Therefore, the workday begins with a short meeting with my team members, during which we review ongoing processes and define daily priorities. This is a very important part to ensure that everyone on the team is coordinated and has a clear task and goal to focus on during the workday. The position itself is challenging, along with the responsibility it carries to always ensure a high-quality and timely product for our customers.

If I were to highlight what brings me the greatest satisfaction, it would certainly be my team and the enthusiasm with which we tackle all challenges on a daily basis.

5. Pivara Skopje is a company focused on the satisfaction of end customers and consumers. From your role within the company, what is your main driver of success?

I can say with certainty that for all of us, customer satisfaction is what matters most and is always our top priority. The key drivers of success are certainly the positive comments about the quality of our products or the innovations we have launched, coming from end consumers. That is where the motivation comes from to be even more dedicated to the production of our brands and the development of our beer portfolio.

6. You will soon be celebrating a jubilee at Pivara Skopje. In 10 years, you have changed three positions, had an interesting career transfer to Heineken Croatia, and recently assumed a high managerial position. What is your key to success and what drives you forward?

Drawing from my personal experience, I can say that success comes through dedication and continuous learning, adapting to change, and also through finding new ways to overcome challenges.

Simply put never stay in your comfort zone.

7. What does it mean to be in the shoes of a Pivarec?

This may be the hardest question to answer. Being part of the Pivarci is, above all, a RESPONSIBILITY:

To the employees who have been part of this company at any point in its history to preserve and continuously improve it.
To the customers with whom we build trust every day by offering the best products.
To our employees, with whom we achieve results together.
To ourselves to continuously grow and encourage change.