Following four-and-a-half fantastic years with Navistar’s Communications team, I was presented with an exciting career opportunity. The TRATON GROUP, Navistar’s parent company, offered me an opportunity to become Lead of Governance, Risk and Compliance Communications (GRC). The catch? I would be required to relocate across the Atlantic to Germany for a year-and-a-half.  

A view from Jana`s new office. She is sitting in front of her PC, working. In the Background one can see a beatuful view of Munich.
Here I am in my new office at TRATON, enjoying the sunny view over beautiful Munich while working.

As a born and bred Midwesterner, moving to Europe was not a decision I made lightly. The Chicagoland area, where I live, is also home to my friends, family, and husband – all of whom I’ve had to leave behind. But there were many positive aspects to consider, namely the chance to develop my career and expand my cultural horizons. Encouraged by my nearest and dearest, I decided to accept TRATON’s offer and started my new position at the beginning of April. 

At Navistar, I served as communications business partner for the Operations and Production and Logistics teams, reporting through the Communications department. At TRATON, I’m directly part of the Group GRC function, where I’m responsible for strategic communications to all stakeholders across GRC-related topics – including compliance, governance, investigations, risk management and data protection. Currently, I’m immersed in several key projects that support complying with applicable laws and regulations, respecting ethical principles, and acting sustainably and with integrity across TRATON’s business operations. 

As part of my role, I also lead a GRC communications ‘core collaboration team’, which is a team comprised of representatives from each TRATON brand. We’re responsible for the joint alignment, development and execution of specific GRC communication topics across each company, with the goal to ensure these topics are communicated and cascaded in a consistent manner to all relevant stakeholders.   

The GRC team is very international. I feel privileged to be part of a group that has so many diverse perspectives based on countries they’ve lived and worked in. I work with colleagues who have lived in almost every continent, including Africa, Asia, North America, South America and across Europe. It’s also nice to work at the TRATON headquarters, where I’ve been able to meet colleagues in person that I previously worked with digitally over MS Teams while at Navistar. 

I work in the office most days where I make myself a coffee before sitting down and diving into my projects. I really like the coffee here; it tastes different to what I’m used to at home. 

Jana and a friend stand in front of the New Town Hall in Munich, smiling at the camera. It is a sunny day, and other tourists and the magnificent building of the town hall are visible in the background.
Exploring the sights of Munich in front of the New Town Hall

Since joining TRATON, I’ve been really impressed at how welcoming everyone has been. Even though most of my colleagues are native or fluent German speakers, I really appreciate how they’ll transition to English when I’m around so that I can understand or participate in the conversation. I find people to be very cognizant of being inclusive in that way. By doing so, they really embrace the Company spirit of being part of something bigger. 

Naturally, there have been several cultural differences I’ve had to adjust to. Germans can be much more direct than we are in the US. In America, we usually begin conversations or meetings with a bit of small talk, whereas here, people get straight to the point and quickly move on to the next topic. Even though this directness might seem rude to American ears, it’s not intended to be impolite or hurtful – it’s simply part of the culture. 

Jana and a friend stand in front of a beer garden sign, smiling at the camera. In the background, people and beer garden decorations are visible.
Me and my friend enjoying a day at the beer garden.

When I first arrived here, I was a bit nervous about making friends, especially since I don't speak German. However, I’m happy to say that everyone has been incredibly welcoming to me. I feel very fortunate to have a wonderful group of expats, as well as a lovely circle of German friends, whom I can go out and socialize with.  

With my husband still in the Chicagoland area, we try to talk every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes. The seven-hour time difference can be challenging – when I'm working, he's usually sleeping, and when I finish for the day, he's usually working. I also try to talk with my parents and my sister a few times a week and stay connected with my friends via video calls. 

Walking is a big hobby of mine, and Munich in the summer is fabulous for that. The number of parks and places to stroll around has been wonderful for me. Venturing south of the city, there are many small towns with beautiful lakes and mountains. I’ve also had the opportunity to visit Sweden, Austria and Switzerland, and I look forward to traveling even more soon. 

Greetings from Munich, 

Jana