Ahmed Ibrahim on Navigating Remote Work in Egypt and Becoming Translation Proxy Deputy Team Leader
March 31, 2023
In this article, we introduce our Star of the Month, Ahmed Ibrahim, a Translation Proxy Deputy Team Leader at OTGS. He shares his experience working remotely and the skills and qualifications needed for his job. Ahmed talks about his journey from a PHP developer to his current position, where he works closely with his team to provide support and ensure a smooth translation process for partners and their clients.
Can you tell us a little about yourself?
Sure. I’m from Alexandria, Egypt. I have my parents, my sister, and my wife, and we’re expecting our first child in the next three months. In my free time, I like traveling, reading, watching movies, and spending time with my friends and family.
What were you doing before joining OTGS?
Before joining OTGS, I was working as a PHP developer for local companies here in Cairo, Egypt.
How did you hear about the company? When did you join?
I heard about the company from my friend Ahmed Mohammed, who is also an OTGS employee. I joined the company on April 8, 2015.
Can you describe your job?
When I joined the company, I was working with the WPML support team. My role was to help WPML clients and debug any issues reported, which I would escalate to the WPML dev team. Then, when our company started our Translation Proxy (TP) applications, I became the first supporter in the team. I used my knowledge of WPML to help our TP clients send and receive translations from our translation service partners, and I fixed any issues related to WPML or TP.
Later, I started to learn Ruby on Rails to understand our TP applications better and to be able to debug and propose fixes for any reported issues. Now, I’m the TP deputy team leader, which means I organize all the tasks related to the TP team and ensure that our Translation Service partners and their clients receive good support. Additionally, I’m working on enhancing our TP applications and eliminating any possible issues to make the translation process smooth and easy for our clients.
What qualifications are needed to do your job well?
To do my job well, you need to know our WPML plugin very well and understand every option provided. Additionally, you should have a background in PHP and Ruby on Rails coding.
Which teams or team members do you work closely with?
Every day, I work closely with our Project Manager Eduard and my colleagues Ahmed Mamdouh, Channa, and Benjamin.
What’s a typical day like?
I always start my day with a cup of coffee and have a meeting with my team to discuss our progress and any blockers we’re experiencing. Then, I prioritize any support requests from our clients before moving on to development tasks.
What led you to choose remote work?
There are a limited number of software companies located in Alexandria, so I had to move to Cairo to find a good company. After joining OTGS, I can live near my family while working for a great company.
In your experience, what are the best things and most challenging things about working remotely?
The best thing about working remotely is the flexibility it provides. I can work from anywhere, so I can travel to another city and still be able to do the same work. The most challenging part is separating my personal life and my work. It’s important to let people around me understand the nature of my work and give me the space I need to focus on my daily tasks.
What helps you feel connected to others when working remotely?
We do a lot of calls during the week, and we have a lot of channels that help us to chat and work closely.
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