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May 13 2024

Meet Malgorzata Wylangowska, Customer Relations Manager and Service Management Branch Head at CSU Lisbon


Malgorzata Wylangowska started her NATO career in 2005, when she joined Poland's first NATO Unit, the Joint Force Training Centre (JFTC), in her home town of Bydgoszcz. Since then, her NATO profession has taken her to Belgium, Italy and finally Portugal, where she works at the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA).


With family military roots and an interest in working in a multinational environment, Wylangowska was thrilled when the JFTC was established in her hometown. Starting in a financial position, Wylangowska contributed to implementing new procedures and policy from scratch, at the new military base in collaboration with Poland.

Meet Malgorzata Wylangowska, Customer Relations Manager and Service Management Branch Head at CSU Lisbon

Since then, Wylangowska has directly supported the day-to-day functioning of NCIA and NATO in every role she has held. She has contributed to the great development and improvement of the NCIA's communications and information systems Support Units (CSU). It was during her role at CSU Brussels that Wylangowska was awarded the NATO Meritorious Service Medal for demonstrating exemplary creativity, perseverance and tenacity managing both logistics and finance activities.

We sat down with Wylangowska to find out more about her career thus far and the type of leader she strives to be.

What was your role that earned you the NATO Meritorious Service Medal?

For over four years, I served as the Resource Manager within NCIA CSU Brussels. I was responsible for managing both financial and logistical resources. On a daily basis, I supported the delivery of services to all customers located at NATO Headquarters, as well as remote locations. I conducted strict financial control of the funding allocated to CSU Brussels and monitored the execution of service level agreement funds to ensure all contracts renewals were in place and punctual for business continuity.

Despite being a small logistics team, we collectively achieved significant milestones such as the development of a headquarters inventory of CIS assets, asset replacement, warehouse reconstruction and providing critical IT deliveries to Ukraine following Russia's invasion. This role was a pivotal step in my career, allowing me to gain valuable experience, improve my interpersonal skills and collaborate with a fantastic professional CSU team and many others.

What is your current job at NCIA?

Currently, I fulfil the roles of both Service Management Branch Head and Customer Relations Manager within CSU Lisbon. Due to my dual position, I have a broad scope of duties related to resource management in support of exercises, plans and projects as well as developing customer relations and agreements. Since I began this post in November 2023, I have found it to be both a wonderful opportunity and a great challenge. I have quickly grown into this role and expanded my knowledge and experience in areas such as project and service management. And the best part of it all is that I have a very supportive team around me.

What are the main differences between working at CSU Brussels and CSU Lisbon?

CSU Brussels is located within NATO headquarters, at the centre of NATO's political and strategic operations. It provides crucial and direct support to NATO's primary operational base. In contrast, CSU Lisbon focuses on regional support, contributing to the security of the Alliance's maritime and southern flank. Each CSU provides specialized services based on the strategic needs of their locations and the specific missions they support. Understanding these differences is crucial for tailoring support strategies to meet specific needs while maintaining the overall objectives of NATO.

What is the most important skill you use in your daily work liaising with external customers?

Dealing effectively with external customers typically involves a set of core skills, the most important being good communication and problem-solving skills for providing excellent customer service. In my role, it is essential to build good relations with customers, which requires diplomacy and clear communication to understand their needs, assess their issues quickly and effectively, and find solutions that not only resolve the problem but also surpass their expectations. This work could never be achieved without the great support of the entire CSU team. I am just one of the team players contributing to the success of the whole unit.

As the Service Management Branch Head, what sort of manager do you strive to be?

Being a good manager is not an inherent skill but rather a continuous process of learning and practising. I strive to be a manager who promotes a supportive and collaborative environment where all team members feel empowered. I believe in leading by example, demonstrating integrity and providing clear direction while also allowing room for creativity and autonomy.

I have an open door policy for two-way communication. I show empathy and recognize the strengths of each individual, which is essential for building a cohesive and high-performing team. Furthermore, I aim to be versatile and open for feedback, continuously seeking opportunities for growth and development, both for myself and for those I lead.