<p>Payments can look pretty simple from the outside. Someone buys an item, the seller gets paid and the money appears in their Vinted Wallet. But behind the scenes, there’s a lot more going on.</p><p>Gediminas Jasvilis is a Lead Backend Engineer at Vinted Pay, and that complexity is exactly what makes working in payments interesting. He joined Vinted around three years ago, when the payments engineering team had around 30 engineers. Today, there are almost 100.</p><p>His journey is an example of Vinted’s evolving career framework for Backend Engineers. At Level 4 (IC4), engineers can now take one of two paths: Senior Engineer II, centered on deep technical expertise, or Lead Engineer, which combines technical depth with broader leadership and influence.</p><p>So, what does that difference actually look like? And how do you know which path might suit you?</p><h2>Building Vinted Pay from the ground up</h2><p>Vinted Pay is the newest part of the Vinted Group. As a licensed electronic money institution (EMI), it’s being built as Vinted’s own payment service provider, working alongside the external payment providers Vinted also uses. When members sell on Vinted, money held in their Vinted Wallet can be spent on the platform or withdrawn to their bank account.</p><p>Gediminas describes joining Vinted Pay as getting the chance to build something almost from scratch, but with the scale of an established company behind it.</p>

<p>The scale has changed considerably. As well as the team of engineers growing rapidly, Vinted now supports millions of users as it continues migrating members from legacy payment service providers to Vinted Pay.</p><p>That growth brings new challenges. Vinted Pay needs resilient systems that can reliably serve millions of members, while migration between payment providers needs to cause as little disruption as possible. Members can continue trading across multiple payment providers during the process, with no downtime.</p><p>There’s regulatory complexity, too. Expanding payment services across countries means working with different licences, regulators, requirements and processes – many of which need to be built from the ground up.</p>

<h2>The tech behind Vinted Pay</h2><p>Vinted Pay also has its own technical identity. A lot of its early backend was written in Ruby because it allowed the team to move quickly. But as the platform grew, the team realised scaling would require significantly more computing resources. Their response? Rewrite the ledger service in Go – in just two to three months.</p><p>Today, Go is Vinted Pay’s main backend language, with its services running on AWS. Gediminas says engineering leadership gives teams significant freedom to choose technologies and drive ideas from the bottom up – something that can be rare in larger businesses.</p>

<p>But greater scale also means greater responsibility. In the early days, the team could build without live users on the platform. Now, engineering decisions have an immediate impact on millions of people – so testing is key.</p><h2>Two ways to grow at Level 4</h2><p>As Vinted Engineering has grown, its career framework has evolved, too. The updated framework recognises that senior engineers can have a significant impact in different ways.&nbsp;</p><p>Senior Engineer is the Level 3 (IC3) role. At IC4, there are now two distinct paths: Senior Engineer II and Lead Engineer. Level 4 is a challenging step up from Level 3, with new responsibilities and expectations – and it won’t be the right path for everyone. But for anyone who wants to progress, there are opportunities to do it in different ways.</p>

<h2>Senior Engineer II: building expertise</h2><p>This is the specialist route. Think of a T-shaped engineer with a stronger vertical bar: someone who develops deep expertise in a particular technology, service or complex area of the platform. They become a subject-matter expert and play a key role in executing some of the team’s most important technical initiatives.</p><p>For an engineer who enjoys focused time, independently solving complex technical problems and becoming the go-to person in a particular area, this path could be a good fit.</p><h2>Lead Engineer: multiplying technical impact</h2><p>There’s still plenty of technical depth with a Lead Engineer role, but the horizontal bar of that T becomes more pronounced. Lead Engineers scope complex problems, coordinate teams around solving them, unblock colleagues and work across disciplines such as Product, Design, Finance and Data. They also take a leading role in system design and help others build high-quality, well-tested software.<br>For Gediminas, choosing this route felt less like a dramatic career change and more like putting a name to the way he was already working.</p><p>“Personally, this felt like a natural choice, as this was the track where I felt I was already operating – mentoring, coordinating, leading by example.”</p><p>The role calls for strong people skills, but Gediminas is clear that this doesn’t come at the expense of engineering expertise.</p>

<h2>Which engineering path is right for you?</h2><p>There’s never one right way to progress. Gediminas suggests thinking about the kind of work that suits your style. If you enjoy long stretches of focused work, independently solving difficult technical problems and building specialist expertise, Senior Engineer II might suit you.</p><p>If you enjoy being pulled into problems, mentoring others and taking on larger projects that depend on teamwork, then Lead Engineer could be a better fit.</p><p>And for engineers early on in their careers, his advice is simple: be proactive, take initiative and offer to help. When you spot a problem, suggest a solution – or even solve it. And whatever you build, make sure it works, can be maintained and keeps getting better.</p><p>Because career progression isn't only about writing more complex code. Sometimes, the next step is becoming exceptionally good at solving a particular kind of problem. In other cases, it’s helping an entire team solve problems better. At Vinted, there’s room for both.</p><h2>Ready for your next engineering challenge?</h2><p>Vinted Pay is continuing to grow, with engineers tackling the challenges that come with building and scaling payment infrastructure for millions of members.<br>If that sounds like your kind of work, explore our<a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?q=&amp;unit%5B0%5D=Payments&amp;page=1&amp;departments%5B0%5D=Engineering?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> open roles.</a></p>

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 Behind the Build: Engineering at Vinted Pay

<p>Traditionally, anti-money laundering roles sit in banking and financial services. At Vinted, we have a dedicated AML &amp; Risk Operations team within the Vinted Pay business unit – &nbsp;our in-house payment service provider licensed for all EU countries and regulated by the Bank of Lithuania (BoL) and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).</p><p>Within the team, our people are constantly working to keep Vinted members' Balances safe and accessible. From user onboarding to detecting and reporting suspicious activity, they cover many interconnecting processes throughout the customer journey.</p><p>Join us as we sit down with Team Leads, Akvilė Visockytė and Mantas Mockus, to discuss their roles within Vinted's Electronic Money Institution landscape, and why their work is so important to creating a safe environment for Vinted members.</p><h2>Why anti-money laundering roles at Vinted break tradition</h2><p><i>"The AML &amp; Risk Ops team is the engine room because it quietly keeps Vinted Pay running safely by detecting threats, making critical decisions, and preventing problems for Vinted and our members."&nbsp;</i> – Mantas</p><p>Akvilė and Mantas' team is a crucial function that ensures Vinted Pay is used by the right people, for the right purposes, and in the right way. Its main function is to detect and prevent financial crime - this includes money laundering, fraud-related activities, sanction breaches, and terrorist financing – all while keeping Vinted Pay running safely and seamlessly.</p>

<p>What makes it different to traditional banking is the sheer scale of its operations. In a marketplace where millions of low-value transactions take place every day, a customer's journey starts on the marketplace rather than on the payments platform itself. The team needs to account for additional risk factors, like item listings, and build a user profile from a diverse set of puzzle pieces. With a different money flow, bad actors have to be creative as they attempt to exploit Vinted for their benefit.</p><h2>Solving complex puzzles by viewing customer behaviour</h2><p>From detecting individuals selling counterfeit goods and preventing innocent buyers from losing money to fake items, to detecting unusual patterns that might indicate money mules, the AML &amp; Risk Operations team's dynamic work covers many different scenarios.</p><p>By using information from customers' behaviour on our platform, such as what items they buy or sell, and who's buying from them, the team is able to build a profile and see whether it matches any suspicions they might have. Not only do they need to check where and from whom money goes, but also the story behind it and whether it makes sense.</p><p>For example, a newly registered user with no history suddenly uploads 5 high-value luxury items. They receive instant purchases from different countries, and request an immediate payout, but no standard automated transaction limits are breached. <i>Are they a legitimate first-time luxury seller, or a highly sophisticated money-laundering mule?</i></p><p>Another scenario: a fraud ring uses 50 low-value accounts to send and receive small payments that stay below daily AML alert thresholds. Individually, the accounts look low risk. Together, the behaviour suggests coordinated structuring. <i>Are there any behavioral, transactional, and network signals that can be correlated to expose the wider network?</i></p><p>Or, if a member is flagged during screening because their name partially matches a sanctioned individual, their documents are valid, the transaction value is moderate, and we don't want to create any unnecessary customer friction. <i>How can we determine if this is a false positive, or a true sanctions risk</i></p><p>With every day comes different items and unusual listings. The team must take action or make decisions accordingly to ensure they meet all requirements and keep our members safe and happy.</p><h2>Managing financial crime prevention across different jurisdictions</h2><p>One of the main challenges of operating within a global Electronic Money Institution is managing financial crime prevention across different countries.</p><p>Akvilė believes working across jurisdictions provides a wider view of regulations and their influence on AML operations. Learning new approaches and broadening her understanding of the financial crimes our platform might face supports her professional growth and helps her understand how regulations are applied in different markets.</p><p>For Mantas, operating in different markets with multiple layers of complexity is a balancing act. On one hand, they need to be compliant across regulatory requirements and risk levels. On the other, they must keep the process aligned, efficient, and consistent.</p><p>In contrast to a more traditional culture of "box-ticking" or rigid corporate bureaucracy, Akvilė and Mantas are directly co-creating and influencing process changes and AML culture at Vinted. A lot of thought and care goes into building the process and applying the necessary regulations.</p><h2>The collaborative and cross-functional nature of working in a C2C marketplace</h2><p>Across Vinted, we have a shared goal: make our platform a safe environment for people to buy and sell as easily as possible. Different teams work together towards this goal, and prepare for every outcome when new regulatory rules emerge.</p><p>Within the team, the collaborative culture is just as strong. With a solid support system, people are encouraged to ask questions, take ownership, and trust their own decisions from day one.</p><p><i>"We strive for an open, collaborative environment where people aren't afraid to ask questions or make mistakes while learning"</i> – Akvilė</p><p>Mentoring goes both ways. For juniors, mentorship offers a safe space to ask questions and learn from more experienced colleagues. For seniors, it's a chance to develop management skills like training and effective communication.<br>Since we're growing quickly, new joiners are onboarded in groups and form close bonds thanks to a shared starting experience. Akvilė describes the team as a welcoming, friendly group with all kinds of backgrounds and experiences in AML and beyond. They connect through virtual chats about their days (and pets) and team-building events, where they relax and spend time together. When you feel comfortable with your team and know your colleagues have your back, it's much easier to say when you're overwhelmed and need support.</p><h2>Current roles within the team</h2><p>Akvilė and Mantas are looking to expand their team in line with our growth, hiring both Analysts and Specialists.</p><ul><li><strong>Analysts</strong> are responsible for initial and ongoing customer base screening reviews, resolution of potential matches against global sanctions, alerts generated for politically exposed individuals who hold prominent public positions (PEPs), and adverse media lists.</li><li><strong>Specialists</strong> (which Analysts can also grow into) cover a broader range of tasks, from customer verification to deep-dive checks for high-risk customers (EDD), and reporting suspicious activity.</li></ul><p>Interested, but unsure if your experience matches up? Don't discount the idea. If you're curious to learn, pay sharp attention to detail, and have a genuine interest in AML, we would love to hear from you – even if you don't come from a traditional banking background.</p>

<p>Vinted Pay is a growing platform with its share of challenges, but that comes with a great opportunity to be part of something at the very beginning, when everything is moving forward and upward. Building processes from scratch, finding the gaps, and growing as a team has its own chaos, but that's part of what makes it exciting. It's an opportunity to grow, both as a professional and as a person. There are so many opportunities ahead; we don't even know how big we are going to get.</p><p>Interested in making an impact in our growing AML &amp; Risk Operations team? View our open job descriptions and apply <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?departments%5B0%5D=Payments%20Operations&amp;page=1&amp;q=&amp;gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here</a>.&nbsp;</p>

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Complex puzzles and illicit patterns: Anti-Money Laundering and Risk Operations at Vinted Pay

<p>The idea of leaving everything you know behind and starting fresh in a totally new country can be a daunting one.</p><p>Leandro Quibem Magnabosco recently took the leap – upping sticks from Amsterdam to Vilnius to take on an exciting career challenge as our Group Security Lead at Vinted.</p><p>From finding your feet in a new workplace to settling into everyday life in a new culture, moving abroad for work can come with its fair share of challenges. That’s why we have a dedicated relocation programme to make the transition as smooth as possible for people joining us from overseas.</p><p>Who better to share their experience of relocating to Lithuania than someone who’s just done it? We caught up with Leandro to find out more about his recent move to Vilnius, our capital. From taking on new strategic challenges in a different culture, to navigating an unknown city and language barriers, we found out what it’s really like to start a new chapter with Vinted.</p><h2>Deciding to make the leap</h2><p>So, why Lithuania? For Leandro, the decision to move to Vilnius came down to three things:</p><ul><li><strong>A rare working culture</strong>: Leandro was drawn to our down-to-earth approach to work, and our mission to make a tangible impact on the world. It was a culture he could see himself being part of.</li><li><strong>A strategic challenge</strong>: Group security is the solid foundation that enables our growth. Taking on this role was an irresistible opportunity for Leandro to tackle a complex challenge and do what he loves on a massive scale.</li><li><strong>An unexpected city:</strong> Although Vilnius wasn’t initially on Leandro’s relocation radar, the more he discovered about Lithuania’s capital, the thriving tech scene in particular, the more he was drawn to it.</li></ul><h2>The biggest surprises of relocating to Vinted</h2><p>Having led security for some of the world’s biggest retail platforms before Vinted, Leandro thought he knew what massive scale looked like. When he arrived, he was surprised to discover the hidden complexity under the hood of our operations.</p><p>Many people think of us as a marketplace used by millions of users, but we’re also a payments company and a logistics company. For Leandro, securing that intersection of services is a fascinating challenge that requires a very close, intimate understanding of the business.</p><p>Leandro was also pleased to discover that the workplace culture that first attracted him to Vinted is more than just words; it's reflected in the way we work every day.</p><p><i>"Beyond the architecture, what really stands out is the engineering DNA. There is a deep pragmatism and a true mentality of excellence here."</i></p><p>Our engineers are empowered to make the right architectural decisions, even if it takes more work or a longer route. Seeing that commitment firsthand during his initial 30 days here has given him a massive appreciation for what it takes to build and secure a platform at this level.</p><h2>Setting the security vision as a new leader</h2><p>As a new leader, Leandro’s priority was shaping a security vision that aligned with Vinted’s Sustainable Speed approach. Moving too fast on the engineering side can often leave organisations open to increased security risks. Our slower, more measured approach is designed to avoid creating technical debt and security bugs, which inevitably slow you down in the long run.</p><p>To foster our culture of ownership and co-creation, group security is embedded into our operations from the beginning, rather than acting as a gatekeeper right before a release.</p><p>The way Leandro sees it, his team co-creates the guardrails and paved roads that make the secure way the easiest way. That mutual respect is exactly how we balance high developer velocity with the uncompromising safety of our platform.</p>

<h2>A future of exciting, unsolved challenges</h2><p>Group security’s 12–18 month roadmap is focused on two major engineering challenges:</p><ul><li><strong>Zero Trust at a unicorn scale: </strong>As Vinted expands its global footprint across our marketplace, payments, and logistics ecosystems, the traditional concept of a trusted network perimeter is no longer enough. The team is architecting an environment where every request, user, and microservice is continuously authenticated and authorised, in a way that remains entirely seamless to our operations.</li><li><strong>Transforming security into Security as a Service (XaaS): </strong>The team is working cross-functionally with the marketplace, payments, and logistics teams to make security an integrated, scalable service that enables teams to build securely without adding unnecessary friction.</li></ul><p>Autonomy is exceptionally high, anchored in our "Take Ownership" value.</p><p><i>"We don’t micromanage the ‘How’. If an engineer identifies a vulnerability or a bottleneck, they aren’t just expected to report it; they have the mandate to architect and build the tool that solves it. If a proposed solution aligns with our philosophy of 'Sustainable Speed', meaning it secures the platform without breaking developer velocity, they have the runway to build it from day one."</i></p>

<h2>How the LATAM experience helped Leandro navigate the security landscape at Vinted</h2><p>Brazil, where Leandro is originally from, is known for having a high-pressure, sophisticated fintech and anti-fraud ecosystem. Leandro found his cultural background and expertise to be a perfect match with the security landscape at Vinted:</p><p><i>"The Brazilian fintech and retail landscape is an absolute crucible for security leaders. What you are up against isn't a lone hacker in a basement; you are fighting highly organised, well-funded operations that treat fraud as a highly scalable service. Surviving in that environment completely rewires your mental model. It teaches you that static, reactive security is a losing battle. You have to operate in real-time, analysing the entire behavioural chain of an actor rather than just building a wall around a login page."</i></p><p>When you combine that level of organisation with hyper-adopted instant payment ecosystems (like Pix), the lifecycle of a threat, from the initial social engineering hook to a cashed-out account, happens in seconds.</p><p>As a massive customer-to-customer marketplace integrated with a payments and logistics engine, Vinted enables millions of users to constantly interact. Leandro’s background helps him anticipate how organised actors attempt to weaponise human trust through social engineering. This allows his team to build real-time, behavioural defences that protect our community from highly motivated threats, without adding friction to the seamless experience our genuine users expect.</p><h2>Relocation reality check: The first month in Vilnius</h2><p>Coming from the other side of the world, Leandro admittedly didn’t know much about Lithuania until recently:</p><p><i>"My very first surprise was realising just how incredibly advanced this country is. It’s a highly developed, true first-world nation on par with anything you’ll find in Western Europe, complete with a booming tech ecosystem."</i></p><p>Braced for a major transition, Leandro found the relocation experience much easier than expected. He enjoys the walkability of our capital and feels safe enough to stroll anywhere at any hour without a second thought. He has also been making the most of the country’s natural landscape, from pristine lakes to dense, wild forests. Being able to step outside and be so close to nature has been a massive bonus to his overall quality of life.</p><h2>A cultural match made in heaven</h2><p>The best, most unexpected part of Leandro’s move has been the social dynamic. On paper, a Brazilian moving to the Baltics sounds like a massive culture shock, but it actually works perfectly. Lithuanians are inherently reserved; they rarely make the first move. Brazilians, on the other hand, are actively social and naturally equipped to initiate contact. Because he is happy to take that first step and start the conversation, the supposed cultural barrier simply disappears.</p>

<h2>How Vinted supported the relocation process</h2><p>Let’s be honest, when you’re starting a new job, the last thing you want to do is fight with migration paperwork. We provide a dedicated agency that handles all the heavy lifting, from navigating the complex migration forms to helping new movers secure housing. Removing the bureaucracy meant Leandro could step into his new leadership role and focus fully on his team and the business.</p><p>But what truly made those first few weeks feel so smooth for Leandro was the combination of the people and the environment. His colleagues were highly supportive and friendly, which made onboarding very easy. And with Vilnius being so easy to navigate on foot, he didn't have to spend his first month just figuring out how to live here.</p><p><i>"What impressed me most was that Vinted applied that same pragmatic, frictionless culture to the relocation process itself."</i></p><h2>Addressing language barriers in a new country</h2><p>Despite not speaking any Lithuanian, Leandro, who speaks Portuguese, Italian, Spanish, and English, hasn’t found the language barrier an issue:</p><p><i>"In my first 30 days, doing all the heavy lifting of moving, getting the internet installed, shopping for furniture and electronics, coordinating deliveries, going to the supermarket, has been virtually frictionless and I know zero Lithuanian."</i></p><p>Most people under 50 speak English very well, and on the rare occasion you do hit a barrier, having modern AI and translation apps on your phone instantly bridges the gap.</p><p><i>"The language barrier should not hold anyone back from making the leap."</i></p><h2>Life in Lithuania: A summary</h2><p>Leandro sums up his experience of recently moving to Lithuania in three words: “Introspective. Surprising. Purposeful”.</p><p>Introspection comes from a calmer pace of life, surprise from stepping into a city (with an amazing local food and restaurant scene) that completely shattered his expectations.</p><p>The notion of purpose comes from the professional side:</p><p><i>"In my first 30 days at Vinted, I’ve had that rare satisfaction of knowing I am doing work that genuinely matters, at a massive scale, while feeling completely supported by the leadership, specialists, and engineers around me. It has been a perfect mix of personal discovery and deep career fulfillment."</i></p><h2>Join us in Lithuania</h2><p>Has Leandro’s experience got you thinking about a career move? Leandro has some direct advice: put yourself in the pipeline first.</p><p>Many of you will look at a job post in Lithuania and start worrying about housing, visas, and cold weather before even having a conversation with the team. Instead of self-rejecting, treat the interview process as a two-way street to learn about the tech, meet the people, and test the waters. You don't have to figure out your entire life strategy today. Just take the first step, talk to the team, and let the adventure unfold naturally.</p><p>Find out more about our relocation programme and packages <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/relocate-to-lithuania?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here.</a></p>

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A new career abroad: The realities of relocation with Vinted

<p>Many Backend Engineers reach a crossroads at some point in their career when thinking about future progression. Some specialise further, some go down the people management route, and others follow the technical leadership track. While equally valued, the three paths carry different kinds of responsibility and impact. Finding the right one for you can make all the difference.</p><p>That’s exactly what Paulina Overaitė, Staff Engineer, Trust &amp; Safety, did after joining us in 2019. In just 6 years of working here, she progressed from Junior Backend Engineer to a technical leadership role. We sat down with her to find out more about her journey: from finding her feet to winning awards – sometimes as the only woman in the room.</p><h3>Paulina's career timeline at Vinted</h3>

<h2>The day-to-day life of a Staff Engineer</h2><p>A self-described mix of the Architect and Right Hand <a href="https://staffeng.com/guides/staff-archetypes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">staff engineer archetypes</a>, Paulina’s daily work involves designing scalable system architecture, mentoring other engineers, helping teams untangle complex technical challenges, and setting the Trust &amp; Safety domain’s technology vision to ensure our platforms are future-proof.</p><p>To put it simply, think of a sports team. If the Director of Engineering is the General Manager, who is responsible for building the team and setting the overall strategy, the Staff Engineer is more like the Head Coach. They focus on the playbook, technical design, and how everyone actually plays together, working alongside the Lead Engineer, who is like the team captain.</p><p>Some weeks are heavily focused on deep-dive technical design, while others are almost entirely dominated by organisational alignment. Paulina’s impact comes less from writing code herself and more from empowering others – stepping in only when technical guidance is needed. What matters most is that our teams are set up for success and pulling in the same direction.</p><p>Another important focus is balancing rapid delivery with long-term architectural integrity. While AI coding assistants have accelerated software development, reviewing code for quality, maintainability, and architectural alignment remains a deeply human, cognitively demanding task. Tied to this is the challenge of finding the right level of involvement. As a Staff Engineer, you are a technical authority, but you must avoid micromanaging every decision, or you’ll create a bottleneck and stifle team growth. The real art is learning how to step back and trust teams to make their own choices, while having the intuition to know exactly when to step in and guide them on critical issues.&nbsp;</p><h2>Career growth through experimentation</h2><p>Paulina’s career progression at Vinted hasn’t always been linear. She has experimented with different roles and projects, guided by the realisation that the real "north star" of a career isn’t gained by climbing the career ladder, but by finding the best fit for where you are in life.</p><p>She explored the people management pathway when she was a Backend Engineer, and became an Engineering Manager for our Engineering Academy participants. But it was while she was covering for a Staff Engineer during their holiday that she realised the technical leadership pathway was a better fit for her skills, passions, and long-term aspirations: &nbsp;</p>

<p>Some Backend Engineers at Vinted choose to go down a specialist path and work on highly-specific, technical challenges. Others, like Paulina, decide to focus on a more holistic view of how our different systems and platforms intertwine – working across teams to solve company-wide problems. Becoming a Staff Engineer wasn’t a dramatic turning point, but a natural progression for someone who felt drawn to engineering projects that lived outside her team’s scope.</p><p>"<i>I wanted to solve systemic issues – things that technically weren't my "direct responsibility" but still caused friction and pain points for us at the end of the day.</i>"</p><p>The biggest shift for Paulina came from the transition from Lead Backend Engineer to Staff Engineer, when all of a sudden, she didn't have a single home team anymore. This meant losing the familiar structure of daily standups, sprint planning, and the typical agile or scrum ceremonies. Without the immediate dopamine hit of closing Jira tasks or shipping features, it can be harder to recognise your immediate impact. Day-to-day coding gets delegated, and other engineers lead specific projects. Paulina discovered that her new role was about multiplying impact through others rather than driving the execution herself.</p><h2>Tips for career progression</h2><p>Having gone from Junior Backend Engineer to Staff Engineer in just 6 years, we asked Paulina if she worked on any skills or formed any habits that helped her progress to senior levels. For her, it’s all about "proactive ownership" of both your own career and your team’s success. In practice, this came down to four "rules" she started following early on:</p><p><strong>1. Be strategic and proactive with your growth. </strong>Don't wait until the end of the quarter to think about your impact. Focus on tasks that align with the path you want to pursue – not just when it's time to write your self-evaluation.</p><p><strong>2. Your team’s success is your success. </strong>Don’t chase individual projects at the cost of your team. If your team fails, any individual "star" work doesn't matter. Real seniority is about making sure the whole ship succeeds.</p><p><strong>3. Keep a record of your work. </strong>Not everyone will remember every smart design decision, helpful comment, or project milestone you achieved. Keep a running list of your accomplishments and invest real effort into branding yourself during quarterly and yearly reviews.</p><p><strong>4. Apply common sense over checklists. </strong>Look at what your team actually needs right now and tackle those blockers – whether that means calling out a risky timeline, sharing feedback, or raising your hand to ask for help when a task is slipping.<br>This mentality has also helped Paulina approach promotions. Rather than aggressive negotiations, which don’t come naturally to her, she broaches the topic through transparency – while always aligning her expectations with organisational restraints and business realities.&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Diversity as an organisational superpower</h2><p>In 2023, Paulina was a mentor for Women Go Tech. In 2024, she won Build Stuff’s prestigious "Woman in Software" award for her visionary leadership at Vinted while enhancing the Trust &amp; Safety domain. Winning the award helped Paulina feel seen and appreciated. Since then, she has made a point of giving others the same kind of genuine, positive recognition to help them move forward.</p><p>We all carry a mix of what society considers "masculine" and "feminine" qualities. Early in her career, Paulina was often the only woman in the room. At times, she felt like only the more “masculine” parts of her identity were worth sharing, while believing the more “feminine” parts should be kept hidden – glossing over her dance classes and instead bringing up her weekend of snowboarding, for example. Part of this hesitation came from the awareness that, in some working environments, women’s soft skills can be dismissed as “too emotional”, while men displaying the same qualities are more likely to get praised for their emotional intelligence. Joining Vinted gave Paulina the opportunity to do things differently. Challenging the status quo and showing up as your authentic self can be scary, but this authenticity often encourages others around you to do the same. Paulina believes this mindset has been a key part of her success.&nbsp;</p><p>With AI increasingly handling raw coding tasks, working in tech is no longer just about writing code. The most complex challenges are human and organisational: team structures, communication bottlenecks, and balancing cost versus effectiveness. It requires a mixture of skills that go far beyond just being good at maths or writing syntax. Paulina remembers working with an Agile Coach who had a degree in psychology. Her ability to look at our teams from an outsider's perspective, diagnose communication breakdowns, and figure out why a team was struggling was incredibly impactful.</p><p>Having career switchers or people with non-traditional backgrounds in the room is a huge superpower for engineering organisations. After all, sometimes it’s incredibly difficult to debug what’s not working when the bug isn't in the code!</p><h2>Want to be part of Vinted’s long-term technical direction?</h2><p>Technical leadership at Vinted is grounded in clarity, care, and ambition done right. If you’re ready to align high-level technical vision with business strategy, we could be just the place for you.<br>Explore open <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?page=1&amp;q=staff&amp;gh_src=fw02s0s2teu" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Staff Engineer roles</a> at Vinted.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

Paulina-Overaite

From Junior to Staff Engineer: Scaling beyond a single team

<p>At many companies, engineering stays behind a screen. You develop features and maintain systems, but rarely get to see the real-life results of your work.</p><p>But we do things differently at <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/vintedgo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted Go</a>, a new part of the <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/about-vinted" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted Group</a>, dedicated to developing a better approach to shipping. Whether it’s scaling our pick-up and drop-off network or streamlining warehouse logistics, we believe that to build systems for the real world, you need to step into it.</p><p>That’s why our Engineers spend time in the field, testing products in practice and learning directly from the people who use them. It leads to better decisions, stronger solutions, and work that feels more meaningful. Here, engineering has a physical footprint. The code we write moves parcels, supports drivers and helps shape how millions of people send and receive items.</p><p>So <strong>join us as we sit down with Judita (Web Engineer), Liudas (Backend Engineer)</strong>, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Viktorija (QA Engineer)</strong>, to discover how the projects they work on create change you can see.&nbsp;</p><h2>Testing a UI on the streets of Paris with Judita</h2><p>For Web Engineer, Judita, working at Vinted Go means bridging the gap between a digital UI and physical parcel lockers. She describes it as “a place you can literally touch your work”, where Engineers aren’t just “pushing code” but building meaningful products shaped by genuine user experiences.</p>

<p>And that connection to reality goes beyond the office. Recently, Judita travelled to Paris for a drive-along with one of our delivery drivers, to understand how the lockers she works on perform under day-to-day operations. She described the experience as eye-opening, saying it provides a vital reality check for Engineers: “As Engineers, we often assume a user will interact with a feature in a specific way, but seeing a human interpret it differently in a real-world environment is invaluable.”</p><p>Judita notes how it’s one thing to view a feature test in a sandbox environment, but it’s “another thing entirely to watch a driver use a feature you built and see the genuine excitement in their eyes because your work just made their day easier.”</p><p>Experiencing that first-hand changed how Judita approached her project. It helped her focus on the core driver flow and spot friction points that wouldn’t show up in testing. “After spending two months on the details of a major feature, I’d spent so much time worrying about complex 'edge cases' and fail scenarios that I’d lost sight of the core driver flow…watching a driver use the interface in a busy, high-pressure environment, I saw immediate UI/UX friction points that weren't obvious on a monitor.”</p><p>For Judita, the most fulfilling part of on-the-ground testing is the immediacy. Instead of taking notes to fix later, you’re solving problems in the moment, alongside the people using the platform.</p>

<h2>Writing the logic behind robotic movement with Liudas</h2><p>Working at Vinted Go means solving puzzles that don’t stay on a screen. For Backend Engineer, Liudas, that takes shape in the warehouse, where his code directly controls robots and keeps parcels moving through the system at scale. “Moving a single robot in a warehouse is easy in isolation. The complexity comes when we combine operational flows, state management, infrastructure reliability, scale, and people.”</p><p>That complexity is at the heart of his role. From defining how robots move and what they carry, to keeping systems aligned and machines running reliably, all while giving key stakeholders a clear insight into performance, Liudas’ backend code sits at the centre of a sophisticated physical and digital operation.</p><p>At this high volume, even small changes can have an immediate effect. A few lines of code can shift how key processes run, with feedback arriving almost as soon as something is released. Witnessing it all in motion brings a different kind of clarity:</p>

<p>For Engineers who thrive on speed, scale, and constant problem-solving, the job is very rewarding: “At Vinted Go, there’s always something new waiting just beyond what we’re currently working on. We’re constantly adjusting, testing, and building new ideas. There’s no chance of getting bored.”</p><h2>Taking quality assurance international with Viktorija</h2><p>At Vinted Go, when a product launches in a new market, testing travels with it. Recently, QA Engineer, Viktorija, travelled to New York City to support the US launch of our Parcel Shops. For her, working at Vinted Go means more than testing software from a desk – it’s about seeing how the product performs in “real shops, with real people.”</p><p>That’s because performing Quality Assurance on a physical-digital solution in a new country introduces more variables than a test environment can account for. You’re not just validating how the system should behave, but how it holds up in day-to-day use.</p><p>Plus, in a new market, there’s less familiarity with the user base. User behaviour and expectations can differ from those in the markets you’re accustomed to, making preparation even more important. Being on the ground helps close that gap. It adds context you can’t get from your desk and reveals details that only appear in live environments:</p>

<p>And it’s this experience that makes the position so fulfilling to Viktorija: “Once you see with your own eyes how much people are impacted by something you work on every day, the work stops feeling abstract. It becomes something tangible – something that genuinely makes people’s jobs easier.”</p><h2>Build code you can see in the real world</h2><p>Across Web, Backend, and Quality Assurance, one thing stays the same at Vinted Go: Engineers stay close to what they build.</p><p>Whether it’s riding along with delivery drivers in Paris, watching robots move parcels in the warehouse, or launching a product in New York City, the work doesn’t stop at release. It continues in live conditions, with real users.</p><p>That creates a stronger sense of ownership. On our teams, you’re not just maintaining features behind the scenes; you’re creating tools that power lockers, warehouses, and delivery experiences used by millions of members every day.</p><p>As Viktorija puts it: “at Vinted Go, there’s never a dull day. We’re constantly working on something new, something bigger, and sometimes on ideas that might have seemed impossible just a year ago – but now we’re implementing them. It’s a great place for engineers who want to see the impact of their work.”</p><p>So, if you want your code to do more than just render on a screen, Vinted Go might be your next big move.</p><p><a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?unit%5B0%5D=Vinted%20Go&amp;page=1&amp;departments%5B0%5D=Engineering&amp;gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Explore our open Engineering roles</a> and help shape how shipping works in the real world.</p>

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Inside Engineering at Vinted Go: building beyond the screen

<p>‘Decision Scientist’ isn’t a title you’ll hear often, but it’s an important role at Vinted. In this post, we’ll take a look at what Decision Scientists do, and why it’s a position where your work can make a real impact.</p><p>So, what is Decision Science at Vinted? The team’s goal is to guide Vinted’s decisions using the scientific method – and they don’t hesitate to use intuition when speed matters.</p><p>There are four key parts to their process:</p><ol><li>Influence</li><li>Decisions</li><li>Intuition</li><li>The Scientific Method</li></ol>

<h2><strong>Shaping decisions, not confirming them</strong></h2><p>Decision Scientists aren’t there to support a choice that’s already been made. They get involved earlier, when things are just taking shape, and there’s still space to create precise hypotheses and iterative roadmaps to test them.</p><p>That means asking the right questions, challenging assumptions, and setting the right metrics.</p><h3>You’re moving away from Decision Science if the focus is on:</h3><ul><li>Trying to build confidence in a decision that’s already been made</li><li>Looking for supporting evidence to match a gut feeling</li><li>Reaching a conclusion before exploring the data.</li></ul>

<h2>1. Influencing decisions from the start</h2><p>The first step is working with stakeholders to identify the jobs to be done, so it’s clear what needs to be decided and what will actually move things along.</p><p>That means:</p><ul><li>Co-creating with Product Managers, Engineers, and Designers to reach the best outcomes for Vinted</li><li>Building a strong understanding of product, engineering, and design realities</li><li>Understanding team goals and the constraints around them</li><li>Turning those goals into clear, testable questions and metrics</li><li>Communicating clearly and persuasively, without relying on formal authority.</li></ul>

<h3>What this looks like in practice</h3><p>Take something like using AI to auto-fill listing details from item photos. When uploading an item and selecting the brand, size, or fabric – speed matters for sellers, while accuracy shapes how easily buyers can find what they’re looking for. Improving one may affect the other.</p><p>That means, the task’s not just about efficiency, but how that change plays out across the entire experience, from listing through to purchase.</p><p>This leads to more specific questions:</p><ul><li><i>Does auto-fill actually reduce time to publish, or do people spend longer correcting it?&nbsp;</i></li><li><i>Does it improve search relevance, or make items harder to find?&nbsp;</i></li><li><i>And if details are wrong, what does that mean for trust, complaints, or returns?</i></li></ul><p>This is where Decision Scientists add value. They help teams explore those trade-offs, define what success really looks like, and develop tests that reflect how people actually use the product.</p>

<h2>2. Staying close to the decisions that matter</h2><p>Decision Scientists stay close to the decisions that inform how Vinted evolves. If there’s a chance that data or structured thinking can improve a decision, it’s worth engaging.</p><p>That can mean reframing a target that doesn’t quite reflect reality yet, or working with a team to test the thinking behind a direction before it moves forward. The role isn’t just about supporting decisions, but guiding them at the right moment.</p><p>This relies on two things working together. One is recognising where input can genuinely change an outcome. The other is building the trust that makes that input useful, so it’s heard and acted on.</p><p>At the same time, there’s a clear sense of focus. If a piece of work doesn’t lead to a decision, it’s a moment to reflect on why:</p><ul><li><i>Was the question the right one to begin with?</i></li><li><i>Did we define the problem and scope correctly?</i></li><li><i>Did we collaborate well with stakeholders to understand the need and challenge?</i></li></ul><p><strong>Example: </strong>If a team asks for a dashboard with 20 metrics, the first question is: what decisions will these metrics inform? That often leads to a smaller, sharper set of metrics, along with clear decision rules – helping teams move faster with less effort.<br>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>3. Knowing when intuition should guide the way</h2><p>When we talk about intuition, we don’t mean guessing. It’s about using the evidence and patterns we’ve learned along the way to work faster, with confidence. Or, as Jevgenij puts it, “<i>...using accumulated evidence and patterns to safely cut corners.</i>”</p><p>Over time, Decision Scientists build a strong sense of how things tend to play out. Often, they’ve:</p><ul><li>Seen similar experiments before</li><li>Worked on similar features or markets</li><li>And understand how certain patterns show up in the data.&nbsp;</li></ul><p>That means they don’t always need to analyse everything from scratch.</p><p>Sometimes, that looks like recognising early that an idea is unlikely to have a big impact. For example, if several similar experiments on a screen have shown limited results, it can be enough to say: this opportunity is likely smaller than it seems, so it may be worth focusing elsewhere.</p><p>That kind of call lets teams move ahead without waiting for a full deep dive every time.</p><p>This allows Decision Scientists to:</p><ul><li>Move faster when timing matters</li><li>Avoid work that won’t change the outcome</li><li>And save their time and attention for the problems that require deeper analysis.</li></ul><p>At the same time, the use of intuition is never hidden or assumed. It’s important to be clear about where experience is being used, and why it’s safe to do so in that moment.</p>

<h2>4. Using the scientific method with intent</h2><p>When it comes to engaging with the scientific method, this can take different forms, from forecasting how something might perform to designing experiments that test a specific idea. What matters is being deliberate about how we approach it.</p><p>That means:</p><ul><li>Being clear on what we expect to happen, and why</li><li>Making assumptions visible, whether they relate to user behaviour, data quality, or how things connect</li><li>Deciding what needs to be tested, and what can wait.</li></ul><p>This is where strong technical skills come in. Experiments, statistics, and modelling all play a part, but always in service of helping teams make better decisions.</p><h3>What this looks like in practice</h3><p>For example, a country filter is a common request from buyers when they’re browsing items. At first glance, it seems like an easy feature to build. But instead of jumping straight into it, the focus shifts to understanding what problem it’s really solving.</p><p>The starting point is a clear hypothesis: making it easier to find local items should help people find what they want faster and improve conversion.</p><p>From there, the assumptions behind it need to be made explicit. Is this about faster delivery, lower costs, or more relevant content? Or is it actually about something else, like language?</p><p>Rather than testing everything at once, we concentrate on what matters most. For example, if people are actually trying to find items listed in their own language, then a country filter might not be the right solution at all.</p><p>That can change how the idea is tested. Instead of building a full feature, it might be enough to adjust how local items are shown and see if that delivers the same result.</p><p>This approach goes beyond surface-level answers. It shows us what’s actually driving behaviour, and ensures decisions reflect how people really use the product, not just what they ask for.</p>

<h2>Turning insight into impact</h2><p>Overall, Decision Scientists are part of how decisions get made at Vinted.</p><p>They help teams navigate uncertainty, make trade-offs, and allow us to grow with clarity. The results of their work show up in our platform and in the experience of millions of members.</p><p>It’s a role where you can see the connection between what you work on and what changes as a result.</p><h3>Want to see what you can do at scale?</h3><p>If you enjoy working through complex problems, thinking about impact, and helping teams progress with confidence, this is a role where you can make a real difference.</p><p>Explore our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?departments%5B0%5D=Data%20Science%20%26%20Analytics&amp;page=1&amp;q=decision&amp;gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">open roles </a>now.</p>

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What it means to be a Decision Scientist at Vinted

<p>Lithuania is where Vinted's story began, and it remains a place for bold ideas and new chapters. Today, more than 1,600 people shape our work in Vilnius and Kaunas, including many (100+ many!) who've relocated from dozens of countries across the globe to join our mission to make second-hand the first choice, everywhere.</p><p>And as our company grows, so do the possibilities. Along with the <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/marketplace" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted platform</a> millions know and love, we've recently launched <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/vintedgo" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted Go</a> and <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/vintedpay" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted Pay,</a> and there's always something exciting on the horizon. Whether you're drawn by the chance to work on meaningful projects, be part of a supportive and diverse team, or simply experience daily life in a new country, Vinted is a place to explore your potential.</p><p>Wondering what it's like to truly settle in and call Lithuania home? We talked to colleagues who've made the move to learn what brought them here, how they navigated their first steps, and their best tips for anyone considering their own move to Lithuania.</p><h2>What brought you to Lithuania?</h2><p>Every person's journey is unique: some arrived for a new adventure, to take their careers in a new direction, or were simply drawn by the sense of possibility in Vilnius and Kaunas. As one person shared, “I came for Vinted! But it was the people and the mild, lush summers that made me stay”.</p><p>In Lithuania, you'll meet talented folks from all over, making it easy to connect with others who share similar stories and fresh perspectives.</p>

<h2 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr">“Finding your people” at Vinted</h2><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Settling into a new place is about more than just where you work – it's about community. Many of those we spoke to said the Internationals at Vinted group helped turn colleagues into friends. Regular meetups, cultural nights, and celebrations mean you can share experiences, get advice, and build connections from day one. As someone told us, “99% of my friendships in Lithuania stem from this community... they made it feel like home for me: holidays, birthdays, professional struggles – we were there for one another.”</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Our colleagues highlight how open and welcoming the group is. Whether you're looking for tips on navigating daily life or just want to join in on a tradition from back home, there's always a place for you.</span></p><h2 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr">Life in Lithuania</h2><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Many of the team members we chatted to were surprised by how quickly Lithuania starts to feel like home. The relaxed rhythm of the cities, the welcoming culture at Vinted, and the ease of settling into new routines are some of the things people appreciate most. As one person put it, “(it's such a cosy place), that even the most central parts of Lithuania feel local”. Others highlighted “beautiful parks within 10–30 minutes' walk from almost anywhere you live”.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Forest walks, lakeside weekends, and a vibrant art and music scene are part of daily life. The tech culture is thriving, public transport and daily essentials are high-tech and accessible, and English is widely spoken (though several people advised learning some Lithuanian basics to make deeper connections). At Vinted, we collaborate in English too, which helps everyone work together more smoothly, and there's always someone to help if you need it.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">The seasons are distinct, too, with “proper winters – snow and crisp air – as well as mild, vibrant summers.” For many, it's that combination of natural beauty, friendly communities and everyday convenience that makes Lithuania feel like the right place to settle down and Vinted a place to grow.</span></p>

<p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">If you’re thinking about relocating to Lithuania, here's what our Vinted community recommends:</span></p>

Advice for anyone considering a move

<h2>Ready for a new adventure?</h2><p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">We know that moving to a new country is a big step. But from workation and flexible policies, to tips on settling in, and a culture built on trust and openness, we’re with you every step of the way – before you arrive, through your first weeks, and as you settle in for the long term.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Whether it's navigating everyday life, making friends, or simply achieving the right work-life balance, you'll have the backing of a community and a company that believes in you.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">If you're considering your next big step, explore our&nbsp;</span><span style="-webkit-text-decoration-skip:none;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration-skip-ink:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Relocation page</span><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> and see the roles we're hiring for. The opportunity you've been looking for – and a new adventure – could be waiting for you in Lithuania.</span></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><a href="https://careers.vinted.com/relocate-to-lithuania" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Relocating with Vinted -&gt;</span></a></p>

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Finding your place: Relocating to Lithuania with Vinted

<p>Scale changes everything – not just in systems, but in how we lead. Moving from an Engineering Manager to a Director of Engineering isn’t a simple step up the ladder; it’s a chance to expand your reach and evolve your mindset. It’s the shift from leading teams that deliver key outcomes to enabling entire domains of leaders to guide a platform that connects millions and keeps growing fast. All while driving our mission: making second-hand the first choice worldwide.</p><p>In this interview,&nbsp;<strong>Karolis Žilinskas,&nbsp;Director of Engineering</strong>, shares how he made that leap: what inspired him, how he prepared, and the lessons he’s learned about leadership, strategy, and sustainable evolution along the way.</p><h2>When an idea becomes a leadership journey</h2><p>The shift to Director didn’t come from chasing titles, but from following an idea that refused to fade. “I had an idea about building an identity platform: how it could work, how it would fit within our organisational design, and how it could strengthen our overall security posture…I began exploring it, talking to people across the company, and shaping how it could become a key enabler for Vinted.”</p><p>That journey of exploration soon became something bigger than a side project. As the idea evolved, Karolis realised that to make it real, to drive it at a company-wide level, he needed to take on a broader role. Stepping into the Director position became a natural progression, allowing him to turn that vision into reality and bring multiple teams together behind it.</p><h3>Defining the moment &nbsp;</h3><p>The recognition that he was ready to lead came gradually. “The realisation came when I started to clearly understand what my manager was doing – not just observing, but imagining how I’d approach things differently and what I’d improve. I began taking on stretch tasks that mirrored those responsibilities to test myself. Once I was comfortable operating at that level and still felt hungry for more, I knew it was time to take the next step.”</p><p>But readiness was about more than confidence; it required preparation. Karolis invested time in learning from mentors and peers whose leadership styles he admired. The combination of curiosity, feedback, and self-awareness made the transition smoother and helped him enter the Director role with clarity and purpose.</p><h2>The shift in scope</h2><p>At Vinted, the role of a Director of Engineering is defined less by control and more by context. “As an Engineering Manager, I focused on my team…their development, focus, and delivery. As a Director, the scale multiplies. My attention goes to the health of an entire domain, collaboration between teams, and whether our processes and practices are setting up everyone for long-term success.” &nbsp;</p><p>His work now involves shaping how Vinted plans, decides, and executes across engineering as a whole. Instead of optimising locally, he looks at how systems enable others to deliver, learn, and succeed sustainably.</p><h2>Leadership built on care and clarity</h2><p>Karolis’s leadership philosophy is straightforward: results matter, but they depend on a healthy, motivated team. He focuses on creating an environment where people are clear on priorities, supported in their work, and confident to make decisions.</p>

<h2>Turning strategy into action</h2><p>One of Karolis’s proudest achievements reflects how strategic leadership works at Vinted: turning alignment into real results. “The topic of centralised bot management had been discussed many times, but it never quite moved forward. Different domains saw it differently. I worked to align those perspectives…to define the shared problem, the risks, and the opportunity.” &nbsp;</p><p>What started as a recurring discussion became a company-wide initiative. Karolis and his team secured support to create a dedicated group for managing automation risks, a shift that now strengthens the resilience and scalability of Vinted’s platform. It’s a clear example of how deliberate planning and persistence can turn a difficult problem into meaningful, lasting change.</p><h2>Challenges worth having</h2><p>Leading at scale means knowing when to let go of what’s working. That, Karolis admits, is one of the hardest parts. In a rapidly expanding company, systems have to evolve constantly, and what was reliable last year might limit progress the next. It’s a continuous balance between maintaining stability and having the courage to rethink.</p><p>He leans on collaboration when change feels tough. “What’s helped me most is staying deeply connected to the work that excites me…in my case, security. When you genuinely care about the problem space, the hard parts of leadership become easier to navigate because you’re driven by purpose, not just responsibility.”</p><p>He’s also quick to point out that being in charge doesn’t mean doing it alone. “At the Director level, you simply can’t do it on your own. I’ve learned to actively lean on my domain leadership team, my Director peers, and senior colleagues. Knowing when to ask for help – and creating a culture where that’s normal – has been one of the biggest enablers of success.”</p><h2>Empowering others to lead with impact</h2><p>Mentorship has become a natural part of Karolis’ work. “I bring Engineering Managers into decision-making as early as possible. The best way to learn is to see how complex decisions are made…especially the hard ones. I also try to show that I don’t have all the answers. Transparency builds trust and confidence.”&nbsp;</p><p>That openness runs deeper than one-to-one guidance. Karolis helped shape peer-learning sessions within the domain leadership group, creating space for managers to discuss the real hurdles and share how they approach them. Together, they often tackle live topics such as balancing priorities or leading through uncertainty, which helps build collective ownership.</p><p>This investment in others is something Karolis sees as essential for keeping Vinted’s culture strong. “A company scales sustainably only if its leaders keep developing leaders. That’s where the real leverage happens.”</p><h2>Advice for future Directors</h2><p>Karolis’s advice for ambitious Engineering Managers is both practical and encouraging. He believes stepping into a Director role is more than a promotion; it’s an opportunity to expand how you make your mark and evolve how you lead.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Balance, he adds, is essential. “Strong support structures, at work and at home, matter more than people think. You can’t lead effectively in isolation. And physical health is just as important; it’s not about pushing harder to do more, but making sure your energy levels can sustain the pace. Consistency and longevity come from looking after both your mind and body.”</p><h2>Reflection and what’s next</h2><p>Looking back, Karolis is most proud of how his thinking has evolved. Earlier in his career, he was focused on execution: solving problems directly and keeping delivery moving. Now, he approaches obstacles with a strategic lens, considering how today’s decisions will shape the business years from now.</p><p>His goal now is simple: keep evolving. “It’s easy to settle once things feel comfortable, but progress for me, like for Vinted…never stops. Every few months, I look for new opportunities that stretch me and the systems I help shape.”</p><h2>Make your next step count</h2><p>Leadership at Vinted is grounded in clarity, care, and ambition done right.&nbsp;If you’re ready to level up from managing a team to shaping an organisation&nbsp;– and want to see the difference your work makes for millions of members&nbsp;– this could be the next chapter in your story.</p><p>Explore open <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;departments%5B0%5D=Engineering&amp;page=1&amp;q=Manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Engineering Manager roles</a>.</p>

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The journey from Engineering Manager to Director: Leading at Vinted

<p>Taking on an Engineering Manager role isn’t about leaving coding behind, it’s about building on what you already know and discovering a new way to make an impact. Vinted is a great place to do that. With millions of members across more than 20 markets, it’s where technology meets scale and purpose. Many of our leaders started exactly where you might be now: writing backend code, solving technical puzzles, and wondering what comes next.</p><p>Two of them, Audronė Šopauskaitė and Rugilė Lukoševičiūtė, made that move into management after finding a new kind of problem‑solving – helping people and teams grow. In this post, they share how their journey developed, what shaped them most, and the mindset that drove their success.</p><h2>Starting out</h2><p>Rugilė and Audronė started their careers outside tech, but curiosity led them into engineering. For Rugilė, it began in civil engineering and architecture. “I worked as an Architect for four years but realised problem‑solving excited me more than design,” she said. “I began coding in my free time, building small apps to practise. After months of learning, I applied for a Backend Developer role and got hired. That’s how my path in IT began.”</p><p>Audronė’s journey took a similar turn. After studying history, she planned to become a professor but soon realised that path wasn’t for her. Curious about new challenges, she started learning to code at home and quickly got hooked, describing it as “feeling like solving puzzles all day”. That experimental mindset led her to join a programme that helped people switch careers into tech, which is where her engineering path began.</p>

<p>Working in Backend Engineering at Vinted gave both a strong sense of structure, teamwork, and ownership. “Since engineering and problem‑solving tasks were already my bread and butter, it didn’t seem too far away from being an Engineering Manager!”</p><h2>Taking the leap&nbsp;</h2><p>For Rugilė, the move into management came from a desire to work more closely with people. But stepping up to lead the same team she once worked in wasn’t easy. “The biggest adjustment was gaining trust,” she adds. “It’s strange at first when you go from teammate to manager.” Over time, she also learned how to find a better rhythm – something that now helps her lead with more confidence and balance.</p><p>Audronė’s transition unfolded gradually. She describes the main obstacle as shifting her sense of progress. “I had to move from the joy of coding to making sure projects run smoothly,” she explains. “At first it felt like I was doing nothing, just talking, but eventually I saw my contribution through the team’s success.”</p><h2>What Engineering Managers do at Vinted</h2><p>At Vinted, Engineering Managers balance human leadership and technical understanding, keeping projects aligned, supporting progress, and connecting technical context to wider company goals.“We do an important job: &nbsp;translating technical decisions into business language and vice versa, shaping our teams’ vision and supporting people’s development and well‑being.” - Rugilė </p><p>“The biggest difference at Vinted,” she adds, “is that we don’t expect Engineering Managers to have been programmers. What matters is interest in technology and the ability to make informed decisions. They are both a technical partner and a people lead.”</p>

<p>Roles differ across teams, and that’s by design. “The shape of the job shifts to fit each opportunity… In one team, I focused on long‑term goals; in another, on communication and dependencies.” - Rugilė. Her current mission centres on Trust and Safety. “We earn members’ trust through fair and transparent restrictions. We remove potentially harmful content while keeping processes open and accountable.”</p><h2>Challenges that shape growth</h2><p>For Audronė, the biggest change was shifting how she approached technical decisions. Having been a Backend Engineer throughout her career, it was an adjustment to move into a more advisory role rather than being the one making or executing those decisions. “A lot of Engineering Managers struggle with this, and I was no exception… but I got in the swing of things pretty quickly.”</p><p>For Rugilė, a major hurdle was managing her calendar – moving from one meeting a day to a schedule packed with them was a big difference. It took time to find space for everything, balance work with personal life, and make room for meaningful focus.</p><p>They both agree that leadership broadens your perspective, from building trust to changing how you make decisions and manage your time; the learning never stops.</p>

Tips for backend engineers aiming for leadership

<h2>Ready to lead at Vinted?</h2><p>Engineering Managers at Vinted don't just lead teams, they connect technical depth with human insight. Across Vinted’s Marketplace and our new payments and shipping companies, Vinted Go, and Vinted Pay, they shape how millions experience second-hand fashion online. &nbsp;</p><p>If you're driven by growth, wondering about leadership, and ready to support others while still staying close to the tech, this could be your next opportunity.</p><p>See our open <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;departments%5B0%5D=Engineering&amp;page=1&amp;q=Manager" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Engineering Manager roles</a></p>

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Becoming an Engineering Manager: A Backend Engineer's Guide at Vinted

<p>Millions of people rely on Vinted every day. Behind that scale is a platform built to handle massive amounts of data and constant change – powered by the engineers who keep it all running smoothly. Our Engineering Managers (EMs) lead those teams. They connect people, shape ideas into products and keep the technology strong as we expand to more than 20 markets.</p><p>We spoke with 3 Engineering Managers from across the Vinted Group about what the role really involves, how it differs between departments, and what they've learned about leading ambitious engineering work. Audronė Šopauskaitė, Rugilė Lukoševičiūtė, and Karolis Žilinskas each have different stories that show how technical skill and genuine care come together to build something that truly evolves with the company, and why Vinted is a place where talented engineers can become exceptional leaders.</p><h2>What being an Engineering Manager means at Vinted</h2><p>Some managers have a full Engineering, Product, Design &amp; Analytics (EPDA) team, but Audronė's is all Backend Engineers. Keeping close to the tech and working with a very technical team keeps her sharp.&nbsp;</p>

<p>There’s no single way to be an EM here. The details change from team to team, but the goal stays the same: help great engineers accomplish their potential and keep scalable systems moving forward.</p>

<p>Across the Vinted Group, managers spend less time in meetings about processes and more time helping people perform at a high level. They connect dots across product, delivery, and design, fostering real autonomy among their groups. It’s a role that mixes engineering context with leadership craft, and for ambitious engineers, it’s a chance to shape how millions experience the platform every day.</p>

The skills that make a difference – what our team thinks

<p>Good leadership at Vinted takes many forms, but the biggest misconception? That you need to be the strongest coder, or the only expert in the room. Many think that as an Engineering Manager, you’re the one making technical decisions that the team later has to implement, but that's not true! As an Engineering Manager, you enable others to own and deliver the tasks, making it more about the group, not just your own skills.</p><h2>Meeting new challenges, finding your stride</h2><p>Taking on leadership brings fresh complexity – different concerns, new problem spaces, and the challenge of defining success through others' progress. But here’s a little secret our Engineering Managers shared: When you're new to it, you might feel you have to own every issue. In reality, you rarely face obstacles alone. Peer support and asking for advice make a big difference.</p><p>Rugilė had the challenge of joining a group that was still finding its footing. At first, there were no clear ownership boundaries, which made things a bit uncertain, but then, through workshops, mapping responsibilities, and improving shared knowledge, real structure was built. The team became more aligned, and the results showed.</p>

<h2>Building a positive team culture</h2><p>Culture can make or break a team. One simple rule guides many of our leaders: "Would I want to return as an individual contributor to this department? If not, it's time to reflect and fix what's missing." &nbsp;</p><p>A meaningful, lasting culture is created when leaders lead by example. These Engineering Managers agree that Vinted treats them as partners, not layers of management. Everyone has a voice in shaping how things get done. When trust and communication flow openly, quality follows naturally.</p><p>Encouraging feedback, experimenting boldly, and celebrating learning wins – big or small – create a space where people can grow together.</p><h2>Advice for the next generation of Engineering Managers</h2>

<h2>Ready to lead at Vinted?</h2><p>Engineering Managers here have a real stake in the future of second-hand. If you want to combine technical expertise, leadership, and meaningful impact on a product used by millions, Vinted offers a place to shape your own path. Bring your ideas, growth mindset, and curiosity – we'll back you to take the next step.</p><p>Explore open <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;departments%5B0%5D=Engineering&amp;page=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Engineering roles -&gt;</a></p>

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Life as an Engineering Manager at Vinted

<p><span style="background-color:transparent;font-family:Inter,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Closing the gender gap in tech isn’t just about numbers—it’s about opening doors. At Vinted, we believe in driving systemic change by showing the next generation that a career in technology is within their reach. Our ‘Girls in Tech’ shadowing program is our first step in inspiring high school students to explore what’s possible. For these young women, the experience is about more than just code; it’s about demystifying the industry and building the confidence to lead.</span></span></p>

<h2>A Glimpse into Life at Vinted</h2><p>Working in tech can feel like a mystery from the outside. That’s why we partnered with <a href="https://www.lja.lt/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lithuanian Junior Achievement</a> to host 57 high school girls at our Vilnius HQ. The two-day event was a mix of hands-on learning and one-on-one mentorship. From testing their knowledge in a quick-fire quiz to exploring every corner of our office, the goal was to make tech feel tangible.</p><p>The heart of the program was the mentor-mentee matching. Our participants spent individual shadowing sessions with 31 of our female leaders—Engineering Directors, Engineers, Data Scientists, and more. They didn’t just watch; they saw how we collaborate, solve complex problems,&nbsp;sat in on real conversations, learning how decisions get made, and asking all the questions you don’t get to ask in a classroom.&nbsp;They experienced first-hand how to turn big ideas into a simple app used by millions.</p><p>We closed with a panel discussion about confidence—not the glossy version, but the everyday kind. Our mentors spoke openly about learning as they went, getting things wrong, being underestimated, pushing through discomfort, and choosing to show up anyway. By discussing self-doubt and ambition, they showed that confidence is a choice, not something you either “have” or “don’t have.” It’s something you build—through practice, support, and time.</p><h2>Biggest takeaways</h2><p>The clearest theme in the feedback: seeing real roles up close changed how students think about tech.</p><p>For some, it confirmed they’re on the right track. For others, it opened doors they didn’t know existed—like QA, Data Science, or Product and Engineering leadership. Many also said it helped them understand what an office environment is really like, and how much teamwork sits behind an app that feels simple on the surface.</p>

<p>By the end, almost everyone said they would consider a tech career. Highlights included the honesty of mentor conversations, the panel on confidence, and the sheer variety of paths within IT. One of the biggest surprises? How much complex thinking, collaboration, and iteration happens behind the scenes—long before anything reaches users.</p><p>A single day can’t solve a systemic challenge of enabling more girls to enter the tech field. But it can shift someone’s sense of what’s possible—and that matters.</p><h2>Why our leaders show up as mentors</h2><p>Many of our senior women leaders joined as mentors for reasons that were both personal and professional: they wanted to share the real story behind their careers (rarely linear), widen students’ view of what “tech” can mean, and make leadership feel more reachable.</p><p>For Vinted, the impact is also internal. Mentorship strengthens how we lead—through listening, clarity, and real care for people’s growth. It creates visibility for role models across levels, connects day-to-day work to a bigger purpose, and reminds us that investing in future talent starts long before someone applies for a job.</p>

<p>This is also why many Vinted people choose to mentor in other programs—through our internal learning initiatives and external partnerships. When you’ve learned something the hard way, sharing it can be one of the most meaningful ways to pay it forward.</p><h2>This is how we work at Vinted</h2><p>This project reflects what we try to practice every day: build things that are useful, invite different perspectives in early, and keep it real—especially about what growth actually looks like. We believe that being open about our challenges is the best way to build a community, and that we all have a responsibility to pull the next person up the ladder. We’re proud of the mentors who made time to lead by example, the students who showed up curious and brave, and the partners who helped us see the bigger picture.</p><p>If you’re someone who wants your work to mean something beyond your own inbox, you’ll find a lot of people here who feel the same.</p>

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Inside a Girls in Tech Shadowing Day at Vinted

Engineering

Vinted Pay

Payments Operations

People Stories

Vinted Group

Vinted Marketplace

Vinted Go

Data Science & Analytics

Inclusion

<p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Whether it's coffee, lunch, a weekend walk, or a meetup, saying yes to the little things is the quickest way to feel at home.</span></p>

Start saying "yes"

<p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Getting familiar with the neighbourhoods, public transport, and some Lithuanian basics early can make life a little more convenient.</span></p>

Brush up on practical details

<p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Investing in a pair of decent boots and some warm clothes can be more than enough.</span></p>

Don't stress about winter

<p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Everyone remembers being new, and help is always within reach.</span></p>

Don't hesitate to reach out

<p>T<span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">here's space for your story here.</span></p>

Most of all, be yourself

<p>“Discuss your goals with your current Engineering Manager. Find ways to contribute to their tasks or daily activities… it allows you to understand what the role is really like and whether it’s a good fit for you.” – Rugilė.<br>&nbsp;</p>

Start exploring early

<p>Here, there’s no shortage of Engineering Managers ready to share their knowledge and experience. Having a mentor can make the transition feel clearer and more achievable.<br>&nbsp;</p>

Find guidance

<p>“A great way to see if management suits you is to try it out through the Engineering Academy or by taking something off your manager’s shoulders. You can shape the role in a million different ways.” - Audronė.</p>

Experiment

<p>Don’t wait for a title to start acting like a leader. Get involved, support others, and opportunities will come sooner than you expect.</p>

Build your network

<p>“Clear communication and honesty are key for me. I’m always open about what I know and what I don’t. If you’re willing to listen, no challenge feels too big."</p>

Active listening and honesty

<p>Especially in domains like Trust &amp; Safety, challenges can evolve fast. “Priorities can shift fast, and we often need to deal with unexpected changes in our roadmap. Flexibility is essential…you can’t get bored here!”</p>

Adaptability

<p>“This role is unique, and every day can feel different. One thing I learned early is that you need to manage your energy levels well…a solid planner really helps.”</p>

Stay organised

<p>&nbsp;"No day is ever boring, and you learn the most when the unexpected happens."</p>

Openness to growth

<p>“A great way to see if management suits you is to join the Engineering Academy or take something off your manager’s shoulders. Trust me, they’ll thank you. You can shape the role in a million different ways, so curiosity and experimentation really help.”&nbsp;</p>

Audronė Šopauskaitė

<p>“There will never be a ‘perfect’ time to apply. You’ll always have doubts about what you don’t know yet. I’ve been a manager for more than three years now, and those thoughts never go away…they just change. Don’t overthink it. If you’re interested, go for it.”</p>

Rugilė Lukoševičiūtė

<p>“Build your support network early. Peers, mentors, and senior engineers who can both challenge and assist you.&nbsp;Don’t wait for a title to start acting like a leader. Take on broader problems, look beyond your own area, and you’ll show you’re ready for the next step.”</p>

Karolis Žilinskas

<p>57 Students<br>31 Mentors<br>4 Speakers</p>

Girls in Tech who joined the event

<p>Student Satisfaction Score - 9.5/10<br>Mentors' NPS - 100<br>Event NPS - 100</p>

Vinted blog