What do the career path and the day-in-the-life look like for a Director of Seller Recruitment at Mirakl?
We connected with Sabreena Khan to find out!
Interested in learning more about Mirakl and their job openings? Make sure to check out their company page on VentureFizz!
Where did you grow up? What did your parents do for work?
I grew up all around the world because my father worked for the United Nations Development Program as an Asphalt Engineer specializing in airports and infrastructure. Most of my childhood was spent in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where my parents had moved from California. Later I attended high school in the Gulf Island of Bahrain, went to Boston, MA, for college, worked and lived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Dubai UAE, Islamabad, Pakistan, and most recently, my forever home of NYC!
Where did you go to college? What did you study and what were some of your initial jobs out of school?
I went to Babson College in Wellesley, MA, where I double majored in International Business and Economics. Right after graduating, I worked for a Cambridge-based healthcare technology company called WorldCare.
What has attributed to your success thus far and has helped propel you to the position you have now?
I’ve always been open to exploring new opportunities within my career! This curiosity drives me to continually acquire new skills and explore innovative ventures, thus re-inventing myself and my career path. I started working at a groundbreaking healthcare company straight out of college and was exposed to some of the greatest entrepreneurial minds. That influenced my passion for the start-up world and my desire to be at revolutionary companies. Starting my career early on with agility as a core competency, I realized you could be an asset to any organization that moves quickly. This agility and sense of constantly challenging the status quo have helped me propel myself in my career.
Can you share the high-level responsibilities of your current position as a Director of Seller Recruitment at Mirakl?
My role at Mirakl falls within the realm of Client Success. I lead a hybrid business development and marketplace team, working closely with our Executive Vice Presidents of Client Success to help our clients build their seller base quickly and efficiently. As part of our Connect team's North American operation, I liaise with our team in Paris on strategic growth initiatives for our Connect Ecosystem.
I genuinely love being in the trenches with my team, our clients and sellers, and our Connect leadership, working on ways to ease our seller integrations through better processes and product development.
Any tips for someone considering a career in your field?
It is crucial in a Business Development or a Client Services role to understand your customer's business. You must have a solution-oriented mindset and listen to your customer's needs, pain points, business objectives, and team structure. Only then can you offer up solutions that are tailored to your customer.
What has differentiated / or separated Mirakl apart from previous companies/positions you’ve worked for in the past?
The people at Mirakl are some of the most talented and brilliant I've worked with in my career. I am constantly learning from those around me, and there is a level of collaboration I've not witnessed before joining. As for my team, the Seller Recruitment team, they are one of the most passionate groups of individuals I've had the privilege to mentor and lead.
Day in the Life
Coffee, tea, or nothing?
I love Coffee, and I grew up on tea, so both!
What are three things that motivate you in your role?
- My team
- Satisfying our clients
- Constant innovation
Every day is different, but can you outline what a typical day looks like for you?
A typical day for me starts early, at 6 a.m. I spend time with my birds Poppin and Pokey and then have breakfast with my sister.
My first work calls start around 8 a.m., several days a week, so I try to get into the office before or right after! Having a typical “NYC commute” can be the most stressful part of my day, but it is worth it when arriving at our beautiful office space right in the heart of Rockefeller Center.
The majority of my day is spent on zoom calls with my team, my global leadership team in Paris, and my colleagues in the Client Success team. I enjoy changing my background and scenery by sitting out on several of our rooftop patios- it keeps me moving =)
When it comes to lunchtime, I love working for a French company because we ensure we step away from our computers and do our best to connect with our colleagues. This break in the work day truly goes a long way to allow mindfulness and the brain to accept that eating is the sole focus!
My day usually ends around 5:30 p.m. Most nights, I like to wrap dinner up by 8:00 p.m.!
What’s one part of your day you look forward to the most?
Early morning, 5:45 a.m to be precise! My Indian Ringneck Parakeet and my Caique parrot are my natural alarm clocks. They ALWAYS wake me up at precisely the same time, and then it’s one hour of uninterrupted birdie time where I get to snuggle with them, teach them new tricks, play music for them, and just live in the moment!
Do you log back in at night or do you shut it down completely?
I’m a night person, and I love that quiet moment in the night where I can hear myself think. I also have the most clarity at this time of day, and some of my most creative solutions have been conjured up past midnight!
Any productivity hacks?
As I’ve grown in my career, the most valuable skills I’ve learned are prioritizing and delegating.
What are apps that you can’t live without?
My weather and health app!
What professional accomplishment are you proudest of?
Launching my own business, which was a retail boutique in Dubai.
Who do you admire or call upon for professional advice?
My sisters are my most trusted advisors when it comes to any professional guidance. We all come from very different professions, and collectively, our experiences have exposed us to varied and diverse career challenges. We have also worked in different markets around the world and have found ways to work effectively with people from different cultures.
