Sara Tagliaboschi is a Hitachi Rail Project Manager for our projects in Italy and is based across our sites in Tuscany. In a recent interview, we were pleased to hear about the people skills that she deems essential to her role.

To Sara, the most important traits of a Project Manager are interpersonal skills and an ability understand a given customer’s needs. The relationship between a project manager and customer requires a lot of collaboration to ensure success.

Sara, where did your career begin? And how has it progressed?

My career in rail has spanned over 15 years, so I have long-standing experience in this fantastic industry. Before rail, I worked in the film production industry!

Tell us about your role with us.

I would say that there are three main activities within the role of Project Manager. The first two that are essential is a seasoned approach to customer care and a good working proximity.

Alongside that, I manage projects both from a financial and organizational point of view. As a given project passes from one phase to another, expectations can change as it evolves. We must offer the best solutions in a framework of optimization of the work of resources.

By building a good foundation for collaboration with a customer and keeping good lines of communication with all stakeholders that are involved in the project, I help to secure the best outcomes. I feel that necessary contributions from certain company functions can sometimes be overlooked in my field. I don’t take anybody’s work for granted!

You were promoted from Project Manager Assistant to Project Manager in 2021. How was the transition?

The promotion helped me to grow, which has been great. My experience as Project Manager Assistant gave me an overall understanding of all projects and business activities, which I have been able to apply to my current role.

My work to welcome our range of customers and help them with Factory Assessment Tests also introduced me to a huge number of key stakeholders.

What would you say is one of the most important transportation projects that you have worked on?

A project that started in 2008, which has practically kept my team busy for fifteen years. The ‘Asset’ project is hugely demanding and requires a lot of dedication. It is concerned with managing railway safety in stations, substations and tunnels. This project was purely maintenance focused through the final phases; it was a hugely complex process to complete.

This project involved railways across Italy in 11 regions: Lazio (Rome), Piedmont (Turin), Campania (Naples), Sicily (Palermo), Liguria (Genoa), Tuscany (Florence), Emilia Romagna (Bologna), Veneto (Verona), Lombardy (Milan), Puglia (Bari), Calabria (Reggio Calabria).

I am now involved in another project concerning the rehabilitation of the comms/SCADA of the rail line connecting the center of Rome to a suburban litoral area (Ostia). It is an honour to work on a project which will make an impact on connectivity in Rome, for locals and tourists.

After Hitachi Rail’s recent acquisition of Thales Ground Transportations business, how do you feel to be part of the business?

I am happy and confident; the transition does involve a lot of change in my life but above all it is a great opportunity.

If I am honest, I was a little concerned about joining a new business. But Hitachi’s warm welcome and excellent onboarding materials put my mind at ease.

It can be difficult when two businesses merge, but I believe in embracing new challenges. This is what I have always taught my children.

I have learned that anything is possible when you work hard, even in challenging situations. It is so important to me that I can manage both being a Project Manager and a mother. It is a relief to discover that this is more than possible with Hitachi Rail.