Alex Moon

My Career Journey 

I graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from the University of Westminster in London. I had many jobs early on in my career — payroll, office manager, civil servant, sales executive for an industry magazine — to name a few. I really believe that these experiences helped me become more of a well-rounded individual.

I started at Ansys in February 2019 within Sales Administration. By January 2020, I had been promoted to lead what is now the Sales and Order Operations (SOOS) team in the United Kingdom. 

How I’d Explain My Job to a Kindergartener

Think about Ansys like a supermarket. Our team works on the cash registers, inputting all the Ansys products the customer has purchased. Sometimes the conveyor belt moves pretty fast!

What I Actually Do

The SOOS team is in the middle of a huge network within Ansys that helps our customers and sales teams be successful. If I had to boil it down, I'd say we're responsible for ensuring we stick to policy from quote to order, issuing paperwork, and quoting renewals. But we're so much more than that. During the lifecycle of a sale, we have sight of the end-to-end process, we work in an advisory capacity with sales from the moment a deal is initiated, and we're responsible for a lot of moving parts. If we take our eye off the ball, things can unravel pretty quickly. Thankfully, I lead a fantastic team and the level of trust we have for each other is unlike anything I've seen anywhere else. We're just a team that really cares about the work we do, and we also care about each other. And those two things combined make us all feel supported, and we can come to work and do our best.

Why I Choose Ansys 

From my very first interview, Ansys felt like a place where there was opportunity and a chance to make a difference. I could see beyond the position I was applying for, and I knew that I had something that I could offer.

I’ve stayed with Ansys because those opportunities have just kept on coming. And now more than ever, Ansys is best placed to make a difference. We are partnering with customers who are literally changing our future, and it feels like a really exciting thing to be a part of.

Our ONE Ansys Culture

Every single day, I speak to somebody in a different country. My manager is in Paris, France, colleagues I work with closely are in the U.S., Canada, Germany, Poland, Belgium, Sweden, and that isn’t an exhaustive list. It's such a privilege to share and collaborate with people from all over the globe, and at the same time share the same core values and all be working toward similar goals.

A Sense of Belonging

Ansys is a place where I feel comfortable to let people see me for who I am, which isn’t as easy as it sounds for everyone. I can be myself at work and feel open and honest about my life outside of work. That’s partly a result of the amazing people who work here. I want to play a part in making sure everybody feels like they can bring their full selves to work, and never be afraid or have to edit who they are.

Getting Involved

I first found out about the Ansys Pride Alliance employee resource group (ERG) through a post on Yammer. I was excited to know that there was a community of LGBTQ+ employees with similar backgrounds and values to me, and a place for me to be myself at work. This is important to me because it connects me to like-minded colleagues and gives me the opportunity to show my allyship to others in the community. It's vital as Ansys grows that we create and maintain a safe space for those who may otherwise feel marginalized.

I’m now a co-lead for this ERG where I’m responsible for coordinating and supporting members in planning exciting events and opportunities for our LGBTQ+ community and our allies. I also work with our executive sponsor Renee DeMay, and other global leaders of our ERGs to align on topics that have a wider impact. For example, last year I joined the other ERG leaders on a panel to talk about the impact of the COVID pandemic on work/life balance and mental health. I’m so proud of the growth we’ve seen in the past couple years. When I joined, we had about 30 members, and now we've grown to around 140 members on Yammer, with a core leadership team of five. 

My Best Advice 

Learn about who you are, your working style, and then learn about others to get the best out of your working relationships. We don't get anywhere when we make assumptions about people, so ask questions and keep an inquisitive mind.

Grab opportunities, even if you're not always sure at the beginning. Go even further and actively seek opportunities — talk to people, find out what they're working on and ask to be a part of it.

What You Might Not Know 

I’m a pop music enthusiast. 

I love running a good 5k. This year, I’m trying to push myself a little further.

I previously volunteered with the Samaritans, a charity in the UK that provides emotional support for anybody who is in distress, or needs to talk about how they are feeling.