Her Story
About Jillian
Jillian Bober serves as a Buyer in procurement for SENSIT Technologies in Valparaiso, Indiana. Her career path hasn’t been traditional, but it has taught her to embrace change and keep learning. After years in the medical field, she made a complete career pivot, started in Accounts Payable, and worked her way into her current role as a Buyer. She’s curious, asks a lot of questions, and isn’t afraid to speak up or challenge the “why.”
Being a breast cancer survivor changed the way she looks at life. She’s learned to take chances, appreciate the little things, and not let fear make decisions for her. Outside of work, she’s a mom, wife, and softball coach. Her family, coaching, and helping others are a huge part of who she is. She believes in showing up, giving back, and always trying to leave things a little better than she found them.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Jillian
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being curious, persistent, and willing to ask questions. I want to understand not only what I’m buying, but why we need it, how it impacts the business, and how it contributes to the bigger picture. I’m not afraid to dig into a problem, challenge something that doesn’t make sense, or look for a better way to do things.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I’ve received is to never be afraid to advocate for yourself. Work hard, learn everything you can, and don’t wait for someone else to recognize your value. If you see an opportunity to improve something, speak up. If you don’t understand something, ask questions. And when an opportunity comes along that challenges you, don’t automatically assume you aren’t ready for it. Sometimes you grow into a role by being willing to take the chance.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Don’t be afraid to have a voice. As a buyer, you’re negotiating with suppliers, asking questions, solving problems, managing costs, and making decisions that can impact the entire organization. You don’t have to be the loudest person in the room, but you should be confident in what you bring to the table. Understand the business, build strong relationships, and don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” You don’t have to know everything to be successful—you have to be willing to learn, speak up, and keep moving forward. And never underestimate the value of being someone people can trust.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
As a buyer, I have an opportunity to contribute to that mission by building strong supplier relationships, finding reliable sources, managing costs, improving processes, and making sure the materials needed to create those products are available when they’re needed.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity, accountability, respect, and authenticity are extremely important to me. I believe in doing what I say I’m going to do, taking responsibility when something goes wrong, and treating people with respect regardless of their position.
I also value being genuine. I don’t believe you have to change your personality or pretend to be someone you’re not to be successful. You can be direct and still be respectful. You can ask tough questions and still build strong relationships. You can be confident without losing your humility.
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