Vlad Petcu
Deputy General Administrative Director (COO-Equivalent)
Experience
Virtual Campus Coordinator
UNITA
I serve in a leadership role within UNITA – Universitas Montium, a pan-European university alliance bringing together over 250,000 students from 6 countries, where I actively contribute to building a truly integrated digital university ecosystem at European scale.
Within UNITA, my focus is on designing and enabling innovative, cross-border digital services that allow students, faculty, and staff from multiple countries to access seamless, unified online experiences—from academic and administrative services to collaboration, mobility, and shared infrastructure. This work goes far beyond coordination: it involves aligning institutions with different legal frameworks, governance models, and digital maturity levels into a single, interoperable system.
The result is a unique European initiative, where hundreds of thousands of students benefit from modern, integrated, and user-centric digital services, enabling them to study, collaborate, and move across universities as if they were part of one institution. Through this role, I help transform UNITA from a consortium of universities into a functioning digital European university, setting a new benchmark for innovation, scale, and impact in higher education across Europe.
Deputy General Administrative Director (COO-Equivalent)
West University of Timisoara
- Manage day-to-day operations across IT, administrative services, and facilities serving tens of thousands of users
- Own P&L for EUR 10-15M annual budget with full accountability for resource allocation and cost control
- Drive KPI-based performance management system tracking service delivery and operational metrics
- Led enterprise-wide digital transformation achieving 40%+ efficiency improvements
Project Manager
West University of Timisoara
Submitting the grant to the financing authority Budget managed: 5.000.000 EUR Coordinating the project team (consisting of 20 local members and more than 150 nationally-wide spread members) Financial reporting KPIs reporting
Project Manager
Adecco
I led end-to-end the implementation of a complex, strategic national project, managing a total budget of €2.7 million, from the initial drafting of the funding application through to full execution, reporting, and achievement of all committed outcomes.
I designed and built the project management and implementation structure at national level, coordinating a core team of 14 permanent members and overseeing the work of over 100 external experts and contributors. My role combined strategic leadership, operational coordination, and governance, ensuring alignment between project objectives, funding requirements, and delivery capacity.
A key dimension of the project was the development of a strong business-to-business ecosystem. Starting from a non-existent portfolio, I successfully positioned the project as a flagship initiative for Adecco’s promotion activities, becoming a reference point within the organization during that period. Through structured outreach and partnership building, I led the conclusion of approximately 150 cooperation contracts with companies and public institutions in Romania and Hungary, creating a sustainable cross-border network of partners.
Beyond operational delivery, the project achieved high strategic visibility and recognition. Upon completion, it was acknowledged as a success story at both national and European level, particularly for the quality, relevance, and long-term impact of the interventions designed to support students’ professional development and employability pathways.
Industries Experience
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Experienced in Education (10 years) and Professional Services (3 years).
Business Areas Experience
The graph below provides a cumulative view of the freelancer's experience across multiple business areas, calculated from completed and active engagements. It highlights the areas where the freelancer has most frequently contributed to planning, execution, and delivery of business outcomes.
Experienced in Operations (11.5 years), Finance (10 years), Information Technology (8.5 years), Strategy (8 years), Project Management (4.5 years), and Research and Development (1.5 years).
Summary
Proven COO-level executive with 10+ years driving operational excellence, digital transformation, and organizational scale. Successfully led operations spanning IT infrastructure, administrative services, and strategic programs while managing EUR 10-15M annual operating budgets and delivering EUR 50M+ in 2025. Expert in building scalable operating models, optimizing cross-functional processes, and leading enterprise-wide transformation initiatives. Currently manage operations serving tens of thousands of users while coordinating international platforms across 6 countries (250,000+ end users).
Skills
- Operational Leadership: P&l Management, Multi-departmental Oversight, Resource Allocation, Performance Optimization
- Digital Transformation: Enterprise-wide Digitalization, Process Automation, Change Management, Technology Enablement
- Organizational Scale: Teams 150+ Members, Multi-site Operations, Service Delivery Excellence, Scalable Infrastructure
- Process Excellence: Operational Efficiency, Standardization, Quality Systems, Continuous Improvement
- Financial Governance: Budget Planning And Execution, Cost Optimization, Financial Controls, Audit And Compliance
Languages
Education
West University of Timisoara
Doctor of Philosophy, Management · Management · Timișoara, Romania
Certifications & licenses
Project Management Professional (PMP)
CCIAT
Profile
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