Interview with Sophie Dumas, Operational Controller at MIGSO-PCUBED
Behind every decision lies data, but above all, the ability to make sense of it. In this edition of Stories of Women: Turning Data into Decisions, Sophie Dumas, Operational Controller at MIGSO-PCUBED, shares her career journey, her vision of operational finance, and how she helps teams transform data into meaningful insights that drive performance and action.
In your opinion, what value does operational finance bring to delivery and project teams?
Operational controlling helps provide a better understanding of business activities, anticipate financial and operational risks, and identify opportunities to improve project performance.
My role is to make information reliable and accessible so that delivery teams and managers can make informed decisions. I also provide Delivery Managers with tools that allow them to visualize the information they need to manage their activities on a daily basis.
Beyond the numbers, the objective is to provide insights and help teams turn data into concrete actions. That is actually what I enjoy most about my job: knowing that my analyses are genuinely useful to the teams.
Can you tell us about your background and what led you to operational controlling?
During my studies, I was initially drawn to accounting. Then, through various internships, I discovered operational management controlling and realized that it suited me better. I enjoyed the diversity of the role, the opportunity to gain a broad view of the business, and the chance to interact with all functions across the company.
Analyses can vary greatly depending on the challenges the business is facing and its current priorities, which is also what makes the role so stimulating. For all these reasons, I chose to pursue a career in operational controlling.
Today, what I particularly enjoy is starting from the numbers to understand what is happening on the ground and helping teams steer their activities more effectively.
Your role requires you to navigate between numbers, business priorities and the expectations of various stakeholders. How do you remain authentic while making an impact in such a complex environment?
I place a great deal of importance on human relationships. Every day, I interact with people who have different priorities and different ways of interpreting financial data. My first instinct is, therefore, to understand the question they are trying to answer and the challenges they are facing.
From there, I adapt both my analysis and the way I communicate it. A Business Manager may need a high level of operational detail, whereas senior management is often looking for a more strategic and concise overview.
For me, influence is not about having all the answers. It is about being able to provide useful and reliable insights that support decision-making. I try to clearly explain what we know, what remains uncertain, and the potential consequences of different options.
When a topic is complex, I prefer to ask questions, verify the facts, and come back with a solid analysis rather than provide a preemptive answer.
I also want teams to see me as someone who helps them manage their business, beyond my control function. By combining listening skills, rigor, closeness and adaptability, we can build lasting trust and make a meaningful contribution to decision-making.
What are the biggest challenges in your role today?
The first challenge is data reliability. We use several tools and sources of information, and before commenting on a result, it is essential to understand how it was built.
The second challenge is pace. Teams need quick answers, while some topics require in-depth analysis.
There is also a challenge I pay particular attention to: making reporting as simple and as time-efficient as possible for operational teams, especially Business Managers, so they can focus on business development rather than administrative tasks. Our tools should support decision-making, not become an additional burden.
Finally, faced with the vast amount of data available today, it is crucial to identify what truly matters, explain variances, and provide teams with a clear vision that enables them to take action.
Has there been a pivotal moment in your career that shaped the way you work?
I do not think of one specific event, but rather of the periods when the workload intensifies, particularly when my scope of responsibility expands while deadlines remain unchanged.
These are demanding moments, but they are also when I have learned and grown the most. They require reassessing priorities, reorganizing work and finding new ways of operating in order to maintain quality while meeting deadlines.
These experiences have also encouraged me to modernize my tools and automate repetitive tasks. Tools such as AI can help save time on certain activities and open the door to new ways of solving problems.
The time gained allows me to focus more on analysis and interactions with teams, which is where I believe I can bring the most value.
Is there a woman who has particularly inspired you throughout your career?
I think of two directors with whom I regularly have the opportunity to work.
What has impressed me most about them is their humility, despite the importance of their responsibilities. They manage to be highly professional and driven while remaining genuinely human and approachable in their interactions.
This way of working is truly inspiring to me.
More broadly, what I take away from the women at MP is that there is no single way to be credible or influential. You can be driven, approachable, discreet or highly assertive, and still build a place for yourself that reflects who you are.
To me, what matters most is staying true to yourself while developing your own way of contributing and driving things forward.
