<p><a href="https://careers.vinted.com/vintedpay?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Vinted Pay</strong></a><strong> </strong>is a big step for our community with an ambitious mission: <strong>building an in-house payment platform that makes buying and selling across borders feel even easier, safer, and more supported. </strong>We approach this as a new part of Vinted – a chance to shape something important from the ground up, with the backing of a team that believes in moving fast but getting things right.</p><p>Our upcoming payment system not only connects buyers and sellers, but does it with stability, speed, and the ability to adapt fast as we grow – qualities at the heart of Vinted engineering. So, join us as we explore <strong>how we scale testing at Vinted Pay and what it really takes to deliver reliability for millions </strong>with the help of our Lead Test Automation Engineer.</p><h3>Meet Viktorija</h3><p>My name's Viktorija, and I've been with Vinted for almost 3 years. As Lead Test Automation Engineer, I spend my days working with talented teams on testing strategy, building frameworks, and digging into the details that help us deliver for our members every single day. <strong>For engineers, Vinted Pay is a chance to experiment, collaborate and shape something from a blank page</strong> – while knowing your work makes a genuine impact.</p>

<h3>Solving technical puzzles at scale</h3><p>From the start, Vinted Pay has meant taking on fresh challenges. We needed to deliver all the payment features our members use – like card payments, Vinted Balance withdrawals, and verification – while also preparing to migrate millions of members from our previous providers to the new platform. From there, our focus turned to scaling even further: supporting additional users, introducing multiple currencies, and handling large transaction volumes, all without any disruption to the Vinted experience.</p><p>For this, "just running the usual tests" wasn't enough. Each step raised new questions: Would this experience scale for everyone who uses Vinted? Would it hold up under pressure? Could our systems recover quickly if something unexpected happened? To answer these, <strong>we developed a layered approach using API contract test automation, chaos and performance testing.</strong> More on this next!</p><h3>A team effort, every step of the way</h3><p>At Vinted Pay, testing is a team sport. Our architecture is built around microservices – so <strong>we work closely with SRE, Security, Backend, and Frontend Engineers </strong>to ensure everything integrates seamlessly and performs as it should. The frameworks and tools we create often reach far beyond their original scope, supporting more engineering teams than we anticipated, which means more ownership and faster feedback for everyone involved.</p>

<p>Teams collaborate closely – coordinating releases across services, building shared tools, and contributing ideas to sharpen our methods. When we're working on something unfamiliar or tricky, support from other engineers means there's usually someone who's seen a similar challenge before – or is keen to help find a fresh solution.</p><h3>Learning as we build</h3><p>Testing at scale means we learn as we go – spotting potential bottlenecks early, making more confident decisions, and building resilience into every part of the process.</p><p>Sometimes our work brings unexpected insights: we've used our test results to choose tools, compare programming languages, and refine how we work with data. The main thing that keeps coming up is simple: don't just assume something will work. Take the time to check and use the results to improve. <strong>At Vinted, we don't rely on assumptions; we build on evidence.</strong></p><h3>What you'll find at Vinted Pay</h3><p>If you're looking for an environment that values hands-on technical growth, open problem-solving, and building something meaningful for our community, Vinted Pay could be the place for you. <strong>Here, you'll work with tools like Ruby, JavaScript, TypeScript, k6, Chaos Toolkit, CI/CD pipelines, GO, Kubernetes, AWS, Elasticsearch, Temporal, Grafana, Kibana, Datadog, Clean-Swift, Kotlin, Appium, ES6+, SCSS, HTML5, Playwright, and Postman </strong>– with the room to shape our engineering approach alongside skilled colleagues, all while making an impact beyond the code.</p><h3>Your next step?</h3><p>Vinted Pay is growing, and so are the possibilities. We're still early in the journey, but every challenge brings us closer to a payments system that’s ready for the future of second-hand. Want to help us build it? We'd be glad to <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>hear from you.</strong></a></p>

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Scaling Testing at Vinted Pay: How we Build Reliability for Millions

<p>At Vinted, behind every seamless transaction, there's a team of Site Reliability Engineers (SREs) keeping everything running smoothly for millions of members in over 20+ markets. By <strong>building, scaling and securing the infrastructure behind our pre-loved marketplace</strong>, they ensure Vinted stays reliable and ready for our members to discover their next great find. From orchestrating deployments to solving unique technical challenges, SREs play a key role in our platform's success.</p><p>In this post, you'll get a glimpse into SRE at Vinted – explore our tech, see how we solve problems at scale, and find out what it's like to be part of the team.</p><h3>What SRE Means at Vinted</h3><p>SRE at Vinted isn't just about keeping the lights on or maintaining servers. Here, it's about innovation – creating scalable solutions and giving developers what they need to deliver quickly, confidently and securely. <strong>We go beyond off-the-shelf systems, often designing and operating our own tools and infrastructure in our data centres, </strong>which means our SREs are at the core of productivity and the experience our members enjoy.</p><p>Vinted’s Site Reliability Engineers shape their own path. You’ll work across a range of challenges – from coding and automation to refining infrastructure and resolving complex issues – often all in the same week. Our teams’ mission is to offer a truly reliable platform that can scale with our community, always allowing room for innovation and backed by a supportive team.</p><h3>Our technology toolkit</h3><p>If you love working at the cutting edge – this is the place for you. Our SRE teams work with:</p>

<p>We run most of our infrastructure in <strong>3 on-premise data centers</strong> with <strong>more than 7,000 physical servers </strong>– a scale where usual approaches don’t apply – giving you the chance to solve unique challenges, boost performance, and bring innovations to life that you won’t find anywhere else.</p><h3>Meeting complexity with creativity &nbsp;</h3><p>Not every problem has a standard solution. At Vinted, SREs take on large-scale engineering challenges – designing and implementing innovative solutions for complex systems at scale. Whether it’s optimising Kubernetes clusters running up to 90,000 CPU cores, or running Redis at a scale where you have to get inventive, for each of our SRE teams, creative problem-solving is central to the role.</p><p>Some days, that means troubleshooting elusive bugs that turn out to be buried deep in the Linux kernel. Other times, it’s reimagining how we deploy infrastructure or developing custom tools to route millions of members’ traffic efficiently. <strong>Our goal is always the same: reliability, performance, and creating a seamless experience for both our members and our developers.</strong></p><h3>A day in the life of a Vinted SRE</h3><p>Collaboration is the name of the game. <strong>SREs at Vinted bridge the gap between infrastructure, product development, and support </strong>– partnering with everyone from backend and data engineers to product managers and other SRE teams. On any given day, this might mean:</p><ul><li>Writing and deploying code that supports real Vinted users.</li><li>Helping teams adopt new best practices.</li><li>Automating repetitive work so developers can focus on new features.</li><li>Debugging a critical incident and finding solutions that keep Vinted running smoothly.</li><li>Building, benchmarking, and deploying next-gen platform improvements.<br>&nbsp;</li></ul>

<h3>On-call with confidence</h3><p>On-call at Vinted is designed to be sustainable and fair. Rotations are predictable and typically last a week (depending on the team). Most issues can be handled during the day, and clear runbooks make even the trickiest alerts straightforward for any engineer to follow. Each team member takes their turn, with plenty of support from colleagues whenever it’s needed. <strong>Our monitoring and alerting are continuously improved</strong> to streamline the on-call experience and ensure SREs always feel supported when incidents arise.</p><h3>What sets our team culture apart</h3><p>Walk into any SRE meeting – or hop on Slack – and you’ll spot a few things: trust, support, and a genuine passion for experimentation. Teams are invested in elevating each other, freely sharing what they know, and helping colleagues pick up new skills. We’ve cultivated <strong>a feedback-rich, blame-free environment,</strong> where learning from every experience is not just accepted, but encouraged.</p><p>There’s a deep respect for personal growth – engineers are supported to explore projects, attend conferences, and share ideas with the team. Whether you’ve recently joined the industry or you’re a seasoned expert, there’s always space to ask questions, contribute, and develop your craft.</p><h3>What makes a great SRE?</h3><p>There’s no single background or ideal checklist that defines our teams – our SREs come from all sorts of paths. But there are some things that unite us:</p>

<p>And don’t worry – nobody expects you to have all the answers on day one. If you’re keen to learn and ready to ask questions, you’ll find your home here.</p><h3>Ready to join us?</h3><p>If you want to work where your code, ideas, and curiosity can help millions shop (and live) a little more sustainably, we'd love to hear from you. Explore our current SRE opportunities and take the first step toward your next adventure at Vinted –&nbsp;<a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?page=1&amp;q=Site%20Reliability%20Engineer&amp;gh_src=4dae07a2teu" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> see open roles and apply here.</a><br>&nbsp;</p>

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Life as a Site Reliability Engineer at Vinted

<p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;text-align:justify;" dir="ltr"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">At Vinted, building the best platform for buying and selling second-hand starts with creating a great place to work. For us, that means fostering a space where you – no matter who you are, where you're from, or what makes you unique – can feel you belong.</span><br><br><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Our&nbsp;</span><i><span style="font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) progress report for 2024</span></i><span style="font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">highlights areas where we're making progress and where we can still go further. Here's a look at a few things shaping up daily life at Vinted, and what we're focusing on as we keep learning, growing, and celebrating our differences together through 2025.&nbsp;</span></p><h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><strong>One team, hundreds of stories</strong></h3><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;">Vinted brings together a truly global team – over 78 nationalities are represented, with colleagues from both EU and non-EU backgrounds. While 68% of colleagues are from our home base of Lithuania, nearly a third have roots in countries across the world, making Vinted a place where diverse cultures and experiences meet every day.</span></p>

<h3 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;"><strong>Making progress together</strong></span></h3><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;">Our people see diversity, equity, and inclusion as ongoing goals – not just a box to tick. We're making changes that show up in our policies, hiring, and day-to-day work. In 2024, nearly half of our organisation self-identified as women, and championing gender diversity remains a key focus for us. We're proud of the progress we've made across the organisation and within our leadership, and we're committed to building on that foundation to create even more opportunities for everyone at Vinted. Find out more on our&nbsp;</span><a style="text-decoration:none;" href="https://careers.vinted.com/deib" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><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;">Inclusion page</span></a></p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr">&nbsp;</p><h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><strong>Communities that connect and support</strong></h3><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;">Life at Vinted isn't just about work – it's also about connection. In 2024, over a fifth of our organisation was part of an employee-led community, spaces where you can find support, be yourself, and meet new friends. You'll find employee-led groups across Vinted for LGBTQ+ colleagues, people of colour, neurodivergent, international team members living in Lithuania, and more.</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;">Feedback from our communities has led to positive changes in the company, like introducing quiet spaces at events, adding gender-neutral bathrooms, and making policies more flexible to help everyone fit work around life’s needs.</span></p>

<h3 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;"><strong>Room to grow</strong></span></h3><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;">We want everyone to feel comfortable, heard, and valued. Over 80% of our teammates said their leaders support them well, and 85% feel they can be themselves at work (according to our Annual Belonging Survey, 2024).&nbsp;</span></p><p><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Our leadership toolkit, new learning opportunities, and regular DEI training programmes are designed to help everyone develop their skills and reach their goals. With that said, we know not everyone experiences inclusion or opportunity in the same way, and we’re always looking for new ways to improve.</span><br>&nbsp;</p>

<h3 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;"><strong>A commitment that's here to stay</strong></span></h3><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;">In today's context, while some companies might be stepping back from their DEI goals, we're stepping forward. Our focus isn't on trends – it's about our values and the kind of workplace we’d like Vinted to be. We want everyone to thrive here: to find community, to feel understood, and to have the opportunity to achieve their ambitions.</span><br>&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'd like to work in a place where you're welcome from day one and your ideas can&nbsp;shape our way of working, come and join us. Help us build a more inclusive future, one where you can do your best work and feel part of something bigger. We'd love to meet 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">&nbsp;</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr">Explore our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">open roles</a> and find your place at Vinted.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

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Belonging at Vinted: Insights from our 2024 DEI Report

<p>At Vinted, our mobile engineers are developing an app used by millions of people across 20+ countries. Whether it’s enabling seamless second-hand shopping or creating intuitive tools to manage listings and deliveries, mobile is at the heart of how members experience Vinted.</p><p>So what’s it like to work behind the screen of one of Europe’s most-loved apps? To find out, we sat down with two of our mobile engineering leaders: <strong>Sam Vesali, iOS Staff Engineer</strong>, and <strong>Andrius Semionovas, Android Staff Engineer</strong>. They shared what makes our mobile domain special, how our teams work, and what it takes to thrive in this environment.</p><h3>What’s Special About Mobile at Vinted?</h3><p><strong>Mobile is not a separate lane—it’s a central one. </strong>Our mobile engineers are not just implementers. They’re co-creators, collaborating closely with Product Managers, Designers, QAs, and Backend Engineers to build features that solve real-world problems for our members.<br>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Mobile teams contribute to all areas of Vinted’s business, from member experience to logistics. That means working at scale, building for <strong>multiple markets and millions of users</strong>, and constantly evolving our architecture to stay ahead.</p><p>We also maintain open communication across platforms. Android and iOS engineers regularly align to ensure <strong>feature parity and consistency</strong>, while still keeping pace with platform-specific innovations.</p><h3>Our Tech Stack &amp; How We Work</h3><p>We maintain a strong engineering culture that focuses on scalable architecture, modular codebases, and cross-platform consistency. Here's how we break it down:</p>

<figure class="table" style="height:100%;width:100%;"><table class="ck-table-resized" style="border-collapse:collapse;" border="1"><colgroup><col style="width:10.46%;"><col style="width:42.1%;"><col style="width:47.44%;"></colgroup><thead><tr><th style="padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;">&nbsp;</th><th style="padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">iOS</span></th><th style="padding:8px;text-align:left;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Android</span></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Language &nbsp;</strong></span><span style="color:#ECF9F9;font-size:14px;"><strong>.&nbsp;</strong></span></td><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Swift</span></td><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Kotlin (fully migrated since 2018)</span></td></tr><tr><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Architecture &nbsp;</strong></span><span style="color:#fafafa;font-size:14px;"><strong>.&nbsp;</strong></span></td><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Modular Clean Swift, contract / implementation layering</span></td><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">MVVM, modular pluggable system</span></td></tr><tr><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Tools</strong></span></td><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Tuist, Fastlane, GitHub Actions, Firebase Crashlytics</span></td><td style="background-color:#EDF9F9;padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Gradle, Jenkins, OpenAPI for shared contracts, Jetpack Compose</span></td></tr><tr><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;"><strong>Testing</strong></span></td><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Unit tests, snapshot, and integration tests</span></td><td style="padding:8px;vertical-align:top;"><span style="font-size:14px;">Unit tests, integration tests, static analysis, A/B testing</span></td></tr></tbody></table></figure>

<p>These tools and frameworks are just part of the story. Working at Vinted means solving technical challenges at scale—from modularising our architecture while avoiding tight coupling, to gradually adopting modern technologies like SwiftUI and Jetpack Compose. Across both platforms, engineers focus on secure, scalable, and privacy-first solutions that support independent team workflows and meet evolving business needs.</p><h3>Cross-Platform Collaboration</h3><p>Consistency matters, especially when millions rely on us daily. Our iOS and Android teams coordinate closely through shared specs, regular syncs, and aligned release strategies. From shared backend APIs to unified feature flags, both platforms deliver updates in tandem, ensuring every member has the same great experience, no matter their device.</p>

<h3>Day-to-Day in Mobile Engineering</h3><p>A typical day includes stand-ups, cross-team planning sessions, deep focus time for development, and collaborative reviews. Mobile engineers lead discussions on architecture, run experiments, and share feedback across various disciplines. Mentorship and pair programming are encouraged, especially for junior engineers joining through our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/engineering-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Engineering Academy</a>.<br>&nbsp;</p>

<p>The scale is energising. You ship something in the morning and see real-world impact by the evening. However, scaling brings complexity—tight architectural discipline, legacy code migration, and the challenge of meeting diverse market needs across devices and platforms.</p><h3>Advice for Future Mobile Engineers at Vinted</h3><p>We value engineers who see beyond their code — think holistically about user experience, technical debt, and collaboration.&nbsp;</p>

<p>From day one, our engineers are trusted and supported. You’ll learn fast, receive regular feedback, and grow into broader responsibilities—whether it’s leading architectural efforts, mentoring others, or shaping product direction. Your own career growth depends on you. The path can lead towards Staff or Principal roles, switching tracks entirely (e.g. from iOS to Backend), or challenging yourself with a technical leadership position! There's plenty of room to evolve.</p>

<h3>Ready to Build Mobile Products Used by Millions?</h3><p>If you love clean architecture, solving tough problems, and you're excited to make an impact by building high-quality mobile products with a passionate, experienced team—check out our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?departments%5B0%5D=Engineering%20Academy&amp;gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>open roles</strong></a> or apply to the <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/engineering-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Vinted Engineering Academy</strong></a><strong>.</strong></p>

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Engineering at Your Fingertips: Life in Mobile at Vinted

<p>At Vinted, sustainability isn't just a goal; it inspires all that we do. Our mission to make second-hand the first choice is the drive behind our daily work – thanks to dedicated people like Isabel Oliveira e Silva de Queiroz Nazare, our Senior Sustainability Manager. With a passion for the environment and second-hand fashion, Isabel helps us define our climate goals and their results, partnering with major players and working on projects that have real impact. Read on to discover how Isabel’s role reflects Vinted’s commitment to meaningful climate action and why she believes second-hand fashion can drive change in the industry.</p><h2>Meet Isabel</h2><p>My name is Isabel, and I am a Senior Sustainability Manager at Vinted. In my role, I help measure, understand and communicate the impact of buying second-hand over new. One of the most visible examples of this work is our <a href="https://press-center-static.vinted.com/Impact_Report_EN_2023_d4e3d4399e.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Impact Report</a>, where we collaborated with our research team, copywriters and designers to communicate the impact of the Vinted marketplace. By understanding the impact of buying second-hand, people can make more informed choices when purchasing their clothes and lifestyle items.</p><h2>Turning passion into purpose</h2><p>One of the aspects of sustainability I'm most passionate about is second-hand fashion and the environmental impact of the fashion industry. Since watching a video on this subject over 10 years ago, I've been very passionate about second-hand fashion and how it can be a tool for reducing the industry's environmental footprint. This fits perfectly with Vinted's mission to make second-hand the first choice, so in this case, my work and personal interests are perfectly aligned.</p><h2>Collaborating for a better future</h2><p>Last year, one of my favourite sustainability initiatives was our collaboration with the UK charity Oxfam. We partnered with them to create a second-hand fashion show during London Fashion Week.</p><h2>The challenge to keep things simple</h2><p>One of the biggest challenges when working on sustainability initiatives is that some of the language and science behind what we do can seem complex and inaccessible. When we talk about the impact of buying second-hand over new, we often face words that sound more suited to scientific journals than everyday communication for our customers. However, when you take the time to explore and explain these concepts, they are much simpler than they might seem at first glance.</p><h2>Learning for lasting change</h2><p>I think one of the keys to innovating and advancing our sustainability mission is ensuring everyone at Vinted is on board and understands our environmental impact and what it means. To do this, we've started offering Climate Fresk workshops across our offices, where everyone can learn the basics of climate change science and how it relates to Vinted.<br>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>How we measure our success</h2><p>We measure the success of Vinted’s sustainability efforts in a few ways:</p><ul><li>This year, we created an action plan to cut emissions in line with climate science. We track our progress against those targets to measure our success.</li><li>We include our Annual Corporate Carbon Footprint in our financial reporting to provide a transparent view of our impact.</li><li>We are continuously measuring the effect of our mission – making second-hand the first choice – by tracking the emissions avoided by members who buy second-hand on our platform (instead of new items).</li></ul><h2>Making sustainability a priority</h2><p>We ensure that sustainability is a priority for the company by having a solid <a href="https://press-center-static.vinted.com/Climate_Action_Plan_2024_1d8d622aa5.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Climate Action plan</a> which defines our goals for reducing our carbon footprint. For our members, we continue to make second-hand easy and affordable, so they are encouraged to choose second-hand over new.</p><h2>Fostering a sustainable culture</h2><p>Vinted fosters a culture of sustainability across different teams by enabling them to take action to reduce our carbon footprint or amplify our positive impact. In sustainability, we don't work as enforcers but as business partners for the rest of the company – we advise and support other departments to help them achieve Vinted's sustainability goals.</p><h2>Looking ahead</h2><p>My hope for Vinted's future sustainability initiatives is that they originate from everywhere in the business – that everyone has the knowledge, confidence, and support to come up with innovative solutions that will amplify our goals.</p><h2>Advice for aspiring Sustainability professionals</h2><p>Don't be afraid to get involved in sustainability, even if that's not what you've studied or worked on before. Sustainability can be tackled from different angles: data, research, operations, or even marketing. To get involved, you don't necessarily need to have studied climate science – think about how you can use your existing skills to support environmental goals.</p><h2>Making an impact</h2><p>Working on sustainability has made me even more aware of the importance of buying second-hand instead of new and the impact our personal choices can have on the planet.</p><p>The most exciting part of working at Vinted for someone passionate about sustainability is that you don't have to work in sustainability to have an impact. Everyone who works at Vinted has the opportunity to contribute to our mission of making second-hand first choice. This means that you can have a real impact on the fashion industry, no matter your team or role.</p><h2>Ready to make your mark?</h2><p>If you're passionate about sustainability and want to contribute to a growing company that's serious about making a difference, Vinted is the place for you. We're always looking for people who want to help drive our mission forward and contribute to a more sustainable future.</p><p>Learn more about our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">open positions</a> and apply today.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

The Drive for Change – Inside Vinted's Sustainability Strategy With Isabel

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<p>At Vinted, our team of Resource Analysts play a key role in keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes. Kotryna, who joined the team in June 2023, shares what it's like to work in this dynamic role – balancing data analysis, forecasting and teamwork to help our members access the help they need. Let's dive into her day-to-day responsibilities and discover what makes the job so unique.</p><h2>Meet Kotryna</h2><p>After earning her degree in information system engineering, Kotryna decided to dive into the realm of analytics. She kickstarted her career in the banking sector, working in transaction monitoring as an AML/CTF officer. While the role was rewarding, she was eager to find more opportunities for creativity.</p><p>Seeking a mix of data and communication, she found her perfect match in Resource Analysis: "Resource Analysts have a variety of responsibilities, and our work is not just defined by calculations and numbers. [We work] with our partner teams and Vinted's internal teams – as a person who prefers teamwork, these were the key points that caught my attention."</p><h2>Inside the role of a Resource Analyst</h2><p>As a Resource Analyst, Kotryna and her team help our Customer Support department to assist our members in a timely manner. "In one sentence, a Resource Analyst ensures that we have enough agents in the right place at the right time."</p><p>One of her key tasks involves preparing <strong>calculated and data-based forecasts</strong> to predict the number of support tickets from our members and, thus, the demand for agents, then planning staffing accordingly. According to Kotryna, accurately <strong>planned staffing</strong> and efficient scheduling are crucial when preparing for busy seasons, as training and preparing our agents takes time.</p><h2>Expecting the unexpected</h2><p>No matter how well a forecast is prepared, sometimes things go differently than planned, and an unexpected event may occur that causes a spike in support tickets. In those situations, Kotryna and her team work on <strong>backlog management</strong> so we can help our members as soon as possible.</p><p>Kotryna’s role also involves a lot of <strong>communication</strong> with the teams that handle support tickets for our members. "Once we've prepared the forecast and staffing plan, we share this with our partner teams – we work closely with them to make sure agents are in the right place at the right time, ready to help our members."</p><h2>Collaboration is key</h2><p>Kotryna credits Vinted's positive and supportive work culture for her success. "My team is a very friendly team! We care about each other, and there's always a helping hand when needed. We try to do everything in a timely manner so there'll be no stress or pressure from tight deadlines."</p><p>While they share core responsibilities, each team member shines in their own way. Some excel in project management and stakeholder collaboration, others are analytical wizards, and some are great at finding and implementing technical solutions.</p><p>Beyond her immediate team, Kotryna collaborates with other departments, particularly when beginning new projects that involve different parts of the platform. "As Vinted is always evolving, we have multiple projects, and we meet our colleagues from other departments during our kick-off meetings and while working on a project."<br>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Tools of the trade</h2><p>To do all this, Kotryna relies on a range of tools or, as she puts it, "Google Sheets, Excel and Looker are my holy trinity." These go-to resources help her to work efficiently and collaborate with her team.</p><p>But it’s not just the tools; it’s the processes behind them that really help to keep things accurate and reliable, “We have standardised procedures and templates in place, and we always do our data validation.” For Kotryna, the golden rule remains: "Measure thrice, check twice, cut once."</p><p>Regular meetings and team support sessions are also an asset and can help review if a forecast "makes sense".</p><h2>The best bits</h2><p>In addition to her daily tasks, Kotryna finds value in the perks of working at Vinted. "Vinted has really great benefits, such as volunteering days. I love that we can contribute to our community and use volunteering days to help those in need."</p><p>She also appreciates the learning budget Vinted gives each team member – "I was able to join a conference in Paris, and I use our Udemy business account to get as much field-related training as I can!"<br>For Kotryna, though, one of the most rewarding aspects is truly enjoying what you do for work every day, "One of the most exciting projects I recently worked on is the Electronics category! It is really exciting as I can see this feature myself while using Vinted!"</p><h2>Advice for aspiring Resource Analysts</h2><p>For anyone thinking about becoming a Resource Analyst, Kotryna's advice is simple: "Always ask the "stupid" questions, and if needed, ask the same question as many times as you need. This is one of the things I mention in the first meeting when we onboard new colleagues."</p><h2>Looking ahead</h2><p>When it comes to the future, Kotryna's goal is to develop her skills even further. "I'd like to become a data scientist and take on even more difficult calculations!"</p><p>Her journey at Vinted has only just begun, but with her passion for data analysis and teamwork, it's clear she has a bright future ahead.</p><h2>Final thoughts</h2><p>Kotryna's story is a great example of how our team members continue to learn and grow at Vinted. &nbsp;</p><p>Are you interested in joining a team like Kotryna's? Check out our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?page=1&amp;q=resource%20analyst" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">open roles </a>at Vinted and discover how you can make your mark.<br>&nbsp;</p>

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From Data to Decisions: Life as a Resource Analyst at Vinted

<p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Have you ever wondered how Vinted effectively manages the thousands of items uploaded to our platform? For our Ontologies team, it boils down to one crucial element: collaboration. Join us as we sit down with Product Designer Eidvilė Bagdonaitė and Taxonomists Laura Horan and Charlie Lapin to discover how they leverage their unique areas of expertise to co-create a better member experience for all.</span></span></p><h2 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">About the Ontologies team</span></span></h2><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Ontology is all about describing items&nbsp;</span></span><span style="background-color:#ffffff;color:#111111;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">–</span></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> from defining the category they fit into to details like their size and the materials they're made from. By exhaustively cataloguing each aspect of an item in our database, the Ontologies team helps Vinted members find&nbsp;</span><i><span style="font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">exactly</span></i><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> what they're looking for.&nbsp;</span></span><br><br>&nbsp;</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">In other words, the Ontologies team ensures items are discoverable throughout the member journey, including the moment a member uploads an item to Vinted and when they use filters to find the items they need while browsing our platform.&nbsp;</span><i><span style="font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">"We do this by making sure our platform includes the metadata terms that members use to describe these items."&nbsp;</span></i><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Eidvilė Bagdonaitė says.</span></span></p>

<h2>The Buyer domain</h2><p>As part of the Buyer domain, Laura, Charlie, and Eidvilė's work focuses on the initial stages of the buying and selling process. This covers everything from opening the app and listing an item for sale to searching for something to buy. The Buyer domain also includes the stage where members chat about an item or when they make an offer to buy something. The following steps – payment, shipping and feedback – are handled by another branch of the team.</p><h2><br>A unique structure</h2><p>Vinted’s Ontologies team is an Engineering Product team, which means Engineers, Data Analysts, Product Managers, and Product Designers all come together to achieve the same goal.</p><p>What makes our Ontology team unique at Vinted is that it also includes Taxonomists. As Laura puts it, "Charlie and I were the first taxonomists at Vinted and the first employees with this background and expertise. Our first order of business was to meet with an array of stakeholders across the matching domain to introduce our skillset and ways we might be able to support their work through improved data modelling."</p><p>As taxonomists working with colleagues from many different fields, the team finds it essential to clarify the language they use so they can keep their communication clear. After all, words that mean one thing to Product Designers may mean something else to Taxonomists.</p><p>There are many different paths to the role of Taxonomy, including a History, Librarian, Museum Curation or Knowledge Management background. The ideal taxonomist is someone who’s a logical thinker and enjoys creating order from chaos.</p><h2 style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:6pt;margin-top:18pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">How Taxonomy meets Product Design at Vinted</span></span></h2><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">While our taxonomy data model is the backbone of every item on Vinted, having extensive information is only helpful when we can display it to our members. That’s why we've learned it's vital to get Product Design involved as soon as possible, as it's a lot easier to work in tandem before a launch than it is to start the design process after.</span></span><br><br>&nbsp;</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0e101a;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">So, how do these different approaches come together in the Ontology team’s projects? Eidvilė states</span><i><span style="font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">, "One of the most straightforward ways we collaborate is by including member insights and perspectives into data structure decisions."&nbsp;</span></i><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">This can involve user testing or showcasing how different data structure options influence user flow. Whenever a new approach is suggested, the team discusses how it will change the way Vinted members learn about an item and how this could benefit them.</span><i><span style="font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> "By anchoring our communication around the user perspective, we're able to find common ground and collaborate towards member-centric experiences",</span></i><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> Laura Horan says.</span></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="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Furthermore, in some scenarios, to address the needs of sellers on Vinted, we may need to present information in a way that’s relevant to them but would require a different level of granularity to be user-friendly for buyers. As Eidvilė puts it,&nbsp;</span><i><span style="font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">“This nuanced understanding has empowered me to approach my design process with greater depth and to develop more solutions that meet the diverse needs of various member groups”.</span></i></span><br><br>&nbsp;</p><p style="line-height:1.38;margin-bottom:0pt;margin-top:0pt;" dir="ltr"><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0e101a;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">Another way the Ontology team collaborates is through the Kanban method. The team uses a virtual Kanban board to keep track of what everyone’s working on and facilitates meetings that foster collaboration and communication. Every day, the team has a 15-minute standup meeting where they update the status of their Kanban board tickets as a team. They also have weekly planning meetings, where they add new items to their Kanban board and host post-launch retrospectives for projects that go live. The Ontology team also uses Slack to discuss work topics and ask questions more freely&nbsp;</span></span><span style="background-color:#ffffff;color:#111111;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">–</span></span><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#0e101a;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;"> sometimes, these can be answered in a simple thread, but the team is always happy to jump on a quick call to explain the details, too. These methods help everyone to stay on the same page.</span></span></p>

<h2>Achieving results</h2><p><br>Although Taxonomy has some Member-facing results (e.g. creating a new category in our taxonomy "tree"), they tend to fall into the existing Product Design framework. "We're not reinventing the wheel when adding a new subcategory under Jackets or Skirts", Charlie says.</p><p>But their collaboration truly shines when the Ontology team works on a new concept. Charlie explains: "For example, in our current project we're working on...Taxonomy has a few options to choose from when building a data model, and we would have been stuck, but product design helped us settle on the best choice, and now we're actively working on implementing it for our members!"</p><p>Sometimes, the taxonomy design options are limited by the current systems or product designs in place. By collaborating with a Product Designer, the Ontology team can identify opportunities for product design improvements, which enables us to create better data models that enhance the member experience. Eidvilė elaborates: "Like Charlie, I've realised that taxonomy and product design go hand-in-hand. When we combine our skills – thinking how to organise information with a solid grasp of how members think and manage information, it can help create solutions that make a difference to the user experience."</p><h2>Find out more &nbsp;</h2><p><br>Are you a logical thinker who excels at bringing order to chaos? Consider joining our Ontology team and collaborating on projects that make a real impact on millions of members. See our open positions <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">here.</a><br>&nbsp;</p>

Taxonomy

Fostering Collaboration in Engineering Teams: How does taxonomy fit into product development? 

<p>Successfully rebuilding a career from scratch in a completely different field with no formal education or work experience is tough. But Tom Slaytor managed to defy all odds and successfully become a Backend Engineer, despite starting from a very different line of work. Read on to find out more about Tom’s remarkable journey into Vinted via our Engineering Academy, and discover how we at Vinted welcome and support our thriving career changers into our teams.</p><h2>Meet Tom Slaytor</h2><p><br>After working as a professional drummer for several years, followed by a role in sales, Tom Slaytor decided to pursue a new career path that ignited his passion. After developing an interest in engineering by chance, Tom stumbled upon an advert for the Vinted Engineering Academy and decided to apply (spoiler alert – he got the job). But switching careers is never easy – particularly without formal education or training. In his own words, let’s find out how Tom got on with this mammoth transition from professional drummer to Backend Engineer at Vinted, and hear the advice he’d give to people thinking of applying for the Engineering Academy. &nbsp;</p><h2>It all started with an app</h2><p><br>My work experience is pretty varied. After studying music at University, I worked as a professional drummer for several years. Following that, I had a job in sales within the finance sector.<br>A career in engineering was never a consideration. Until one day I had a sudden idea for a training app for drummers. Without having any technical knowledge of engineering, I asked a developer friend to help me create it. As I worked alongside him, I watched him work on the code. I was immediately drawn to it, and found myself quickly getting to grips with what he was doing. The problem-solving element was particularly appealing, but without any experience or training in the field, it never occurred to me that this could be something I could do for myself.<br>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Time for a change</h2><p><br>My job in sales came to an end, but I soon realised I didn’t want to pursue another role in this field. It didn’t spark my interest, so I began looking for another job that I felt more passionate about.<br>I had some time and savings to fall back on, which gave me the opportunity to pursue something else. I took on some freelance work in the meantime, and set myself a deadline to begin applying for jobs, or start getting into a different field within a year. This was the springboard that allowed me to take the idea of programming more seriously, and further develop my skills in that area. As time started running out, the more I realised I really didn’t want to go back into sales.<br>I always liked the idea of working for Vinted – it looked like a good company to join. But I didn’t feel like I had the skills, confidence, or experience to apply for a regular engineering role. I almost jumped out of my seat when I saw the advert for the <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/blog/engineering-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Engineering Academy</a>, which requires no experience to join. I applied straight away.</p><h2><br>Making the cut</h2><p><br>The selection process was pretty relaxed. We were asked to share examples of some projects we’ve previously worked on, but there was no strict specification. We just had to showcase the extent of our skills and experience.<br>After that, I had to do some tests and scenario-based questions designed to find out if I would be a good fit within the company’s values and culture, making sure that I had the right soft skills to thrive here.<br>The next stage in the whittling down process was technical. We had to complete a homework assignment in our own time. It was quite challenging, but interesting. I learned a lot from it, and I took it as a good sign that if I found the assignment interesting, I’d find the job interesting as well.<br>Finally, there was the interview with a couple of future team members. It wasn’t as daunting as I expected, and felt like a discussion. Half the questions were centred around my values and how I would react in certain situations or overcome challenges, and the other half were about the technical &nbsp;decisions and choices I made during the homework assignment.<br>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Finding my way</h2><p><br>After successfully making it through the selection process, I was hired. On my very first day at Vinted I learned that there’s a structured onboarding process for academy participants. This came in two parts: technical onboarding, which really focussed on the academy, and general company onboarding.<br>For the first week of technical onboarding, we joined a lot of workshops, and got to grips with the basics. It was all very structured, and we had the opportunity to learn more about how things work, the different workflows, and the programming languages used at Vinted that we were unfamiliar with.<br>After that was Vweek – company onboarding for all new joiners (not just academy participants). We were introduced to different departments and had the opportunity to get to know colleagues in different teams from all over the world. It was a great introduction to what the company is all about – it’s like a big community.</p><h2><br>Expectations vs. reality</h2><p><br>It sounds cheesy, but working at Vinted is even better that I thought it would be. I’m genuinely excited to wake up every morning and come to the office to work.<br>I was expecting loads of pressure to achieve more or do more in the Academy, but that’s not the case. We push ourselves because we want to. Even with lack of experience, in an unfamiliar system, with languages we’ve never used before, we’re never made to feel not good enough. Many of us haven’t worked in an environment like this before. It’s very comfortable and stress-free.<br>From the people you’re working with, to the projects we’re working on, managers’ expectations, and the way everybody within the company helps each other, the atmosphere is really positive. I’ve quickly bonded with people both inside and outside of the Academy. Everyone is really supportive and accepting of one another. The people and the company culture really make this a fantastic workplace to be in.</p><h2><br>Want to join the Engineering Academy? Here’s my advice</h2><p><br>Engineering skills are important. But they aren’t the be-all and end-all. To be successful in any company you have to feel like you belong, and that your values align.<br>Stay curious, and keep solving problems. Get ready to tackle new challenges. If that means having to learn a new language, or familiarise yourself with a new paradigm, just dive in and have a go, even if you’re unsure. Take it step-by-step, and eventually you’ll find the answer.<br>If you’re on the fence about applying, I’d say go for it, even if you’re not sure you’re ready. I wasn’t sure I was ready either, but here I am. What’s there to lose?<br>Are you looking for a new career challenge in engineering like Tom? Find out more about the <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/blog/engineering-academy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Vinted Engineering Academy</a>, or <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">apply here.&nbsp;</a><br>&nbsp;</p>

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From Drums to Development: Tom’s Journey to Backend Engineering

<h2>Turning a love of luxury into a career: life as an Authentication Expert</h2><p>Recently, we introduced a new service – <a href="https://company.vinted.com/newsroom/vinted-introduces-item-verification-service" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Item Verification</a>. It allows our members to have selected second-hand designer pieces on Vinted checked for authenticity by our team of experts. Following last year’s acquisition of the German pre-loved luxury platform Rebelle – our teams joined forces to bring Rebelle’s expertise in item verification to Vinted members.</p><p>Today, our trained teams have successfully verified many different designer pieces. And it’s all thanks to the knowledge of our experts, who bring together 5 decades of professional experience and accumulated knowledge about thousands of designer brands. That’s why today, we’d like to shed some light on the daily life of our Offline Authentication team.</p><p>We sat down with Julia Boldt, Manager of Offline Authentication at Vinted, to learn more about verifying designer items and the future of the team.<br>&nbsp;</p><h2>A typical day as an Offline Authentication Expert</h2><p>Every day, new items arrive for our team to check. Once our Admissions team has processed the items, we unbox them and remove any dustcovers so we can start verifying them.</p><p>Then, we meet with our colleagues to discuss the potential authenticity features of these items, sharing our insights with each other. Sometimes, we also do research to enhance our knowledge of new brands or updated verification details. After this, we inspect the object, checking many aspects – from an item’s quality, stitching, and craftsmanship to even its texture, scent and other details. Once an item successfully passes our verification process, it's forwarded to the buyer.</p><p>Thanks to our experienced team of experts, we can verify items spanning many categories, including handbags, shoes, clothing, accessories and all the popular sneaker brands you'll find on Vinted. We try to learn something new every day so we can soak up everything we can about the subject.</p><h2><br>The ideal candidate for this role</h2><p>A perfect fit would be someone with years of experience verifying items from every decade – perhaps you’ve worked at a luxury second-hand store or have been self-employed as a reseller.<br>Or, if you haven’t worked in a similar role yet, maybe you’ve bought and sold a lot of second-hand items from home. For example, there are sneakerheads out there with a wealth of knowledge on this topic who’d be a great match for this position!</p><p>Another option is someone who’s very passionate about fashion and has gained knowledge organically over the years but has yet to work in the industry. A degree in fashion design or management is nice to have, but it’s not essential for this role. It also helps if you have an interest in luxury goods.</p><p>Either way, a verification expert should have a good eye for detail and a feel for quality and materials. They should be comfortable making decisions and be proactive when it comes to researching new features.</p><p>It’s essential that our new colleague is a team player as well.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>Working autonomously and as a team</h2><p>Our role includes both, which I think is the perfect mix. We independently verify items but consistently share knowledge and discuss challenging cases with the people we work with. Senior colleagues play a crucial role in training our junior team members, and we actively engage with the team during our double-checking processes.</p><p>We also collaborate with the Customer Support team and the Admission and Shipping teams (who prepare incoming items for us). Whenever there’s an opportunity to co-create, we try to take advantage of it.</p><p>With our teams in Hamburg and the UK currently experiencing growth, it's an exciting time to join us.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><h2>Highlights (and challenges) of the role</h2><p>The most challenging part is, perhaps, that it's not a typical job – it isn't something you can study at a fashion school. It's about the experience and passion you have for this type of investigative work.</p><p>Plus, you’re required to make quick decisions and keep your eye on the details. So, staying up-to-date with the latest authentication trends and insights is crucial as brands constantly update their designs.</p><p>The best part of the job? We get to dive into fashion history and see stunning luxury pieces every day! What could be better?<br>Our dynamic training process</p><p>At the heart of our team’s approach is learning by doing – the more items we can handle, the better. We learn from our team members every day. And we’re developing new training programs to ensure we have the best onboarding processes so we’re ready when more juniors join our team in the future.</p><h2><br>Navigating the selection process</h2><p>First, there’s an introductory call with our Talent Acquisition Specialist. Then, candidates take part in an interview with myself and a senior staff member. After passing those steps, we'll invite the successful applicant to a trial day. For us, this is the most important part of the selection process, as it’s where we evaluate a candidate's knowledge and their potential starting level at Vinted.</p><h2>Career opportunities in the Offline Authentication team</h2><p>Our team has a lot of room for growth – there are junior, mid-level and senior Authentication positions. Beyond that, there is also a pathway to grow into a Team Lead, Manager or Director for the team. As you know, Vinted aims high, and so do we!</p><h2>Find out more</h2><p>We hope you enjoyed learning more about life in the Offline Authentication team. Would you thrive in a role like this? Apply to become <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?page=1&amp;q=brand%20expert&amp;gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">an Authentication Expert</a> at Vinted and join our team of luxury fashion specialists.<br>&nbsp;</p>

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Work with Luxury Fashion: Offline Authentication Expert

<p>Fakes or counterfeits – however you refer to them – they’re a challenge for most of the fashion industry (whether you’re shopping for new or second-hand items). At Vinted, we don’t allow the buying or selling of counterfeits, not just because it’s against the law but because it undermines the hard work of the original creators.</p><p>That’s why we have different types of anti-counterfeit measures in place to fight fakes on the platform and we’re constantly developing more.</p><p>However no technology is 100% foolproof, therefore, our Content Quality team and our community participate and take action too. Vinted members report suspect listings through our app. Then, our dedicated Content Quality team reviews those requests and takes appropriate steps.</p><p>So today, let’s shine a light on the people working tirelessly behind the scenes to help our members trade safely and securely with a glimpse into the day in the life of an Anti-Counterfeit Associate. But first, let’s learn a little more about the Content Quality team.&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Life in the Content Quality Team</strong></h2><p><strong>An evolving team</strong> - it’s an exciting time to be in Content Quality. With over 100 specialists to date, there’s a lot of room to grow in this dynamic team.</p><p><br><strong>We have shared goals</strong> - it’s the Content Quality team’s job to ensure only high-quality and trustworthy content makes it onto the Vinted platform. They do this by screening, monitoring and moderating risky content. It’s a vital role as our team must exercise their judgment to ensure that listings align with Vinted’s guidelines. &nbsp;<br>&nbsp;</p>

<h2>A typical day for an Anti-Counterfeit Associate<br>&nbsp;</h2><p><strong>Two types of tasks</strong> - Our Anti-Counterfeit Associates don’t communicate directly with our members – instead, they receive their work in two ways: Alerts are short tasks that require a quick decision, while Tickets are for situations that are in need of a more detailed analysis. These different types of tasks add variety to each day. However, it’s always best to work efficiently and accurately in order to reach key results.</p><p><strong>We stick to the plan</strong> - The team always knows what needs to be done in this role, as each day is well-planned, down to the hour. Alerts and Tickets guide our team on exactly what they need to do, so there’s no confusion about what to tackle next.</p><p><strong>Frequent breaks</strong> - In addition to a one-hour lunch break every day, our Content Quality team is also taking a 10-minute break every hour. This helps to keep the mind fresh and to keep accuracy up.</p><p><br><strong>Shift work provides flexibility </strong>- Anti-Counterfeit Associates work on a shift basis. That means you can choose what day works best for you 12 times a month, and our internal workload team will handle the rest. Sometimes, the Content Quality team works on the weekend, completing 4 weekend days a month.</p>

<h2>Becoming an Anti-Counterfeit Associate<br>&nbsp;</h2><p>Does this all sound like something that might suit you? The journey to becoming an Anti-Counterfeit Associate is pretty straightforward. First, browse <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;departments%5B0%5D=Community%20Support&amp;page=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">our open roles</a> and apply for one that interests you. <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/hiring-process?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The hiring process</a> involves an over-the-phone interview and an introductory meeting, followed by a homework task and a try-out day.</p><p><br>After that, our approach to training is pretty flexible – once you've made it past the hiring stage, you'll step into a 10-week program held in a hybrid setting. For the first month, we require our new team members to be in the office on certain days, but you can work from home for the rest of the training period. You'll even get the chance to try out the role for a day to ensure you like it before committing to anything.</p><p><br>So, if this sounds appealing to you, why not learn more about life in the Community Support department in <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/blog?categories%5B0%5D=community-support&amp;gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">our blog</a>? And don't forget to check out our <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?gh_src=4dae07a2teu&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;departments%5B0%5D=Community%20Support&amp;page=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">open job vacancies</a> while you're there.<br>&nbsp;</p>

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A Day in the Life of an Anti-Counterfeit Associate

<h2 class="p1" style="text-align:center;"><strong>Vinted continues its expansion: opening an office in Kaunas, where over 100 employees are now working</strong></h2><p class="p1">Vinted, Europe's largest peer-to-peer online marketplace for second-hand fashion, is expanding, and has recently opened an office in Kaunas, Lithuania, with over 100 employees now working there.&nbsp;</p><p class="p1">Vinted is currently <a href="https://careers.vinted.com/jobs?page=1&amp;location%5B0%5D=Kaunas%2C%20Lithuania" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">looking for developers (backend, web, software, mobile, data), engineers, data scientists and team leaders to join</a> their teams in the new Kaunas office.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p class="p1">The new office in Kaunas follows the same hybrid working model as the rest of Vinted’s locations, which recommends that employees come into the office a couple of times a week. They’re also allowed to work up to 90 days a year in other countries, 21 of which can be spent outside the EU.&nbsp;</p><p class="p1">"Because we’re a hybrid company, we’ve been able to employ people based in Kaunas prior to having an office space there, but the newly-opened location will better meet our current and future colleagues’ needs: providing them with modern and comfortable workspaces, plenty of areas to meet up and spend time together, and a sense of community."</p>

<p class="p1">"We’re currently looking for at least a couple of dozen more colleagues in Kaunas, so we’re delighted that more and more talented people in tech who are living in this city are able to get involved with Vinted's products and their development," says Ieva Kuniejūtė, Director of Tech Talent Acquisition at Vinted.</p><p class="p1">Vinted's new office is located in the Drobės Fabrikas business centre – a 20,000 m²&nbsp; modern renovated interwar architectural complex in the Šančiai district – which is also home to several other growing technology companies and start-ups. Vinted is currently leasing a 657 m² space in the newly-opened business complex, which can accommodate up to 100 employees at a time.</p>

<p class="p1">"We were impressed by the atmosphere here; the perfect blend of history and dynamic workspaces that will most definitely contribute to an exceptional employee experience. When we choose a new location, we try to think about how it will complement our employees' routine, and the experience it will provide. We believe that the new office in Kaunas will provide inspiration and additional capacity for our growing team in the city," says Ieva Užkurnienė, Workplace Experience Lead at Vinted.</p>

<p class="p1">The Drobės Fabrikas team has furnished the historic premises in an industrial style, with the companies and communities that will be housed there in mind.</p><p class="p1">“We wanted the premises to fit the mindset and needs of those who work there. So when renovating, our focus was on the efficient use of space.The&nbsp; Drobės Fabrikas premises are not only for business use, but can also be hired out for a wide range of gatherings and events. Our aim was to create a comfortable workspace where communities with shared principles of community, sustainability, and common good can come together. We know that these aspects are important to Vinted, so we’re happy that they've chosen our premises in Kaunas for their expansion and joined the other technology companies based here," - says Rima Čivaitė, Project Manager at Drobės Fabrikas.</p><p class="p1">Vinted currently employs more than 1,800 professionals across the Vinted Group a figure which has increased by more than 500 since 2022. In addition to Lithuania, the company also has offices in Berlin, Hamburg and Amsterdam. Vinted currently has more than 100 open positions for professionals in programming, data science, marketing and other fields in Lithuania alone.</p><p class="p1">Vinted brings together a community of more than 80 million registered members in 20 markets across Europe and North America.</p>

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Vinted expands to a new office in Kaunas

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