Procurement can often be a challenging task which demands the highest level of accuracy, and even the smallest mistake can have the most serious consequences. But Dilijan’s new procurement specialist, Arevik Dilanyan, 27, is taking her reporting duties in her stride and working closely with CNF’s team in Armenia to improve the quality of Dilijan’s procurement and reporting.
From her office desk in Dilijan National Park Administration, Arevik enjoys spectacular views of the park’s surrounding forests and the rocky, purple-grey mountain sides in the distance. “Ever since I was a child, I loved doing maths” she tells me, “and so studying economics and working in accounting or procurement just seemed like a natural choice. It’s my dream job, and I wouldn’t change anything.”
A native of Dilijan, Arevik – whose name means ‘like the Sun’ in Armenian – studied economics in Yerevan’s Haybusak University, before graduating in 2014. “It was one of the best periods of my life” she says, “and I made so many lasting friendships there.” She returned to her family home in Dilijan hoping to find a job in the local area, and registered with a local government agency which matches job-seekers to available positions.
A few months later, Dilijan National Park began its search for a procurement specialist, and approached the employment bureau in Dilijan for candidates. Three candidates were selected for a three-month paid internship at the National Park Administration, at which Arevik excelled. In June 2015, she was finally offered the role of procurement specialist by the park administration.
But Arevik still to face challenges before starting her ‘dream job’. Before being able to start her new job at the National Park, Arevik required an official certification from the Armenian Ministry of Finance, which involved having to sit an exam.
“In a competitive work environment, people can get very jealous of each other” she tells me. “There were two girls taking the exam at the same time as me, but rather than being friendly and encouraging, when they realized that I would probably be able to pass the exam without problems, they became very hostile.”
“One of the girls refused to talk to me at all, while the other did everything she could to stop me from passing the exam by asking me incessant questions – totally unrelated to the subject – during the exam!”
In spite of this, Arevik passed with high marks and was soon back in Dilijan, where her pro-active approach to tackling the task of financial reporting attracted the attention of CNF staff in Yerevan. “In Dilijan, the management team really has a strong desire to work towards results” says Vardan Grigoryan, a CNF consultant for budget planning and procurement, who has worked closely with Dilijan National Park. “Even if a staff member lacks knowledge in a particular area, they can always make the effort to find out what they need to know – you just need the will!”
With support from CNF, Arevik has worked hard with the chief accountant’s team to inputting the park’s baseline data into Armsoft, a type of accounting software which facilitates the generation of accurate financial reports. CNF staff in Yerevan also use Armsoft, which means that they can check Dilijan’s financial data thoroughly and offer specific advice and guidance, thereby improving the quality and accuracy of the financial reports that Dilijan National Park sends to the Ministry of Nature Protection.
Apart from making a name for herself with CNF staff, Arevik has also made a huge impression on the team in Dilijan. “Arevik is very popular and hard working” says the head of Dilijan’s Special Group, Vladimir Poghosyan. “While most people leave at 5 or 6pm, Arevik is often working until 8 or 9pm.”
“She’s clever, friendly and always smiling……like the sun!”
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