What do the career path and the day-in-the-life look like for a Technical Implementation Manager at Nayya?
We connected with Clifton Alexander to find out!
Interested in learning more about Nayya and their job openings? Make sure to check out their company page on VentureFizz!
Where did you grow up? What did your parents do for work?
I grew up in Union, New Jersey. My father worked as a technical project manager for Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover Group. My mom was the VP/President of the Urban League of Union County, a non-profit focused on providing opportunities to members of the Union County community who are in need.
Where did you go to college? What did you study and what were some of your initial jobs out of school?
I started my college journey at Rutgers University and graduated from Kean University. I studied Finance and started my career in Finance at Northwestern Mutual. While working there, I became a full-stack developer and started my pivot from Finance to Tech.
What has attributed to your success thus far and has helped propel you to the position you have now?
I attribute much of my success to asking the right questions and listening. In many of my roles, becoming a subject matter expert has allowed me to stand out. Listening and asking questions positioned me to understand the organization more holistically and work more effectively with my team members.
Can you share the high-level responsibilities of your current position as a Technical Implementation Manager at Nayya?
My day-to-day consists of working with our partners in the HR Tech space to enable them to build integrations to our platform. Sometimes this involves new product scoping discussions with our Product and Engineering teams.
Any tips for someone considering a career in your field?
- Active listening is extremely important
- Don’t be afraid to speak up or ask questions
- Build relationships with people from different areas of the organization
- Be hungry for knowledge of your industry, technology, client base, etc.
- Have fun! I believe one of the best parts about working at startups is that there should always be a culture of “Work Hard, Play Hard” and if either is not there, you should feel empowered to impact the culture in a positive way
Day in the Life
Coffee, tea, or nothing?
I am not a huge caffeine person, I typically start my day with water
What time do you start working?
I typically start my day around 9:00 AM
What are three things that motivate you in your role?
- Innovation - If we are not innovating, what are we really doing here?
- Impact - I always need to know that the things I am doing are making a positive impact on people, the industry, the company, etc.
- Learning - I love to learn and always need to feel like I am learning new things and growing in any role that I am in
Every day is different, but can you outline what a typical day looks like for you?
Once I wake up, I try to always make my bed before I start my day
My phone check comes next (messages, meetings, weather, commute, etc.)
I typically try to do a quick workout + post-workout protein and AG1 (This one does not always happen 😂)
Next, I’ll shower and head into the office (I like to read a book on my commute)
Once I am in the office I will map out my day. I will typically try to fill any free space on my calendar with placeholders to do non-client-facing work
During lunch, I make my best effort to sit with someone and talk about non-work-related things
At the end of the day, I will go through my checklist and ensure that I have completed all the things I planned for that day
If it’s Monday, as the captain, I will get the Nayya Volleyball team together and ensure we’re in the best position to win the game #SpikeToTheFinish
Once I make it home I will either wind down or focus on any work for the business that I own
What time do you typically wrap up the work day?
Depending on the day, I typically wrap up around 5:30 PM, but I make it a practice to finish everything on my agenda, where possible, before finally logging off.
Do you log back in at night or do you shut it down completely?
I like to do most of my admin work when I am at home. While in the office, I tend to focus on more collaborative work.
Any productivity hacks?
- Build/adopt an organization system and stick with it
- Keep quality notes you can come back to
- Say no to things where you can!
What are the 3 apps that you can’t live without?
- Notion
- Google Maps
What professional accomplishment are you proudest of?
My proudest professional accomplishment is my team winning the WorkMarket company hackathon while I was working at ADP. This was a moment where I realized how effectively I could lead a cross-functional team toward a specific goal. That validation gave me a ton of confidence in my career moving forward.
Who do you admire or call upon for professional advice?
My older sister is a member of my personal board of directors and I know I can always go to her for blunt and constructive advice.
Biggest guilty pleasure song and/or artist?
Baby, I’m Yours - Breakbot
Most used Emoji:
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