Why Qualtrics? Mark Pavlics Talks Driving Growth & Improvement as a Global Operations Manager in Provo, UT

I love driving improvement, which for me can take many forms. It comes from identifying things that could be enhanced, or that don't exist yet but should, and taking them from ideation through implementation. It also comes from enabling those around me to succeed.

Qualtrics offers me the opportunity to gain this fulfillment in three ways: (i) I get to identify and own high-impact initiatives across the company; (ii) I get to do that as a leader of high-caliber teams comprised of great people; and (iii) I get to do all of that in support of an XM platform that enables our customers to drive broad improvements of their own.

What attracted you to Qualtrics in the first place and, in particular, join the team after you completed your MBA?

The people and the opportunity to have an impact.

From the start of the recruitment process through to today, I have constantly been impressed with the caliber of people we have at Qualtrics. They are intelligent, passionate about our mission, and genuinely good, fun people. And - I think most importantly - very willing to lean in and share their experience and expertise to help their colleagues and, in turn, help us do better as a company.

The opportunity to make an impact is also tremendous. Regardless of the stage at which you are in your career, there is a ton of opportunity to make a difference. Coming from almost a decade in the financial and legal worlds before business school, I was seeking a shift into tech to drive impact at pace and scale - and the pace of change at Qualtrics is refreshing and exciting!

Right, so you relocated to Utah. Mind telling us your story of moving here?

My wife and I have been fortunate to live in some amazing places - San Diego, CA, Queenstown, NZ, and Charlottesville, VA - so naturally, we were concerned that Utah wouldn't stack up. But having lived here for over a year now, we have been pleasantly surprised.

We live in downtown Salt Lake City and absolutely love it. SLC is diverse, has an impressive arts scene with at least a dozen music venues, a symphony orchestra, and theaters that pull big national productions, as well as some great restaurants and nightlife.

If you're into sports, the town is crazy about the Utah Jazz, and we also have professional soccer teams and the SLC Bees, the Angels' AAA baseball affiliate, whose games often sell out. And especially during the summer and fall, you'll find great outdoor events in the evenings and every weekend. I never imagined Utah would have so many beer fests!

Wherever you choose to live, you're likely to be only a short drive away from some great hiking. Even better, you'll only be 30-40 minutes from world-class skiing. I will neither confirm nor deny that I took some personal days last winter to hit the slopes, but if I had, I bet I could have gotten from my front door to actually skiing my first run in under an hour :-)

Any tips for someone who is considering a role at Qualtrics?

Think of your first role at Qualtrics as the starting point, not the destination. We are growing like crazy, which means new opportunities arise frequently, and leadership encourages us to explore different career paths and provides the resources we need for rapid professional development.

In addition to our regular interactions, my boss meets with me for an hour every week to talk through my current projects and have an ongoing career discussion. He and the other leaders I have worked with closely are great connectors and thought partners who are proactive about connecting me with individuals and opportunities that help me progress toward my career goals.

What's the name of the school you earned your MBA at?

The University of Virginia Darden School of Business

How did your time there prepare you to be successful in your career?

Darden has a strong curriculum for future general managers and operational leaders. In addition to the core "hard" disciplines, Darden's rigorous coursework in communication, change management, and team and people leadership have set me up for success.

Qualtrics is growing, and if you're ready to find your "why" at a place like this, you can explore our open opportunities at any time by visiting our career page. Looking to discover more reasons "Why Qualtrics"? You can find the whole series here.

Want to chat? You can get in touch by checking out Qualtrics Life on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

	Mark is an alumnus of the University of California, San Diego and the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. He started his career at Robbins Arroyo LLP. Mark is an avid soccer fan and coach - he even travels to watch the World Cup matches every four years!