There is no doubt that academia is driven by ideas, but it also relies on strong operations and effective resource management.

Before transitioning fully into academic work, I worked in policy and government for several years. I initially felt I was moving between two different worlds. Over time, I realized that many of my skills, particularly in project management, were directly transferable and deeply relevant for the organizational life of academic institutions.

I enjoy contributing to the management of academic projects, especially when it involves coordinating across university departments (both horizontally and vertically) as well as with external partners. These collaborations are essential to the effective functioning of academic institutions and to ensuring their work has visibility and impact.

I enjoy contributing to projects and organisational initiatives through a range of practical skills and collaborative approaches. These include:

• Project & Budget Management (strategic planning and execution, funder reporting and compliance, coordination of internal and external audits)
• Communication & Engagement (distilling scholarly work into real-world impact, stakeholder engagement and partnership development, and cross-cultural communication)
•  Institutional coordination (tracking and implementing outcomes of collegial decision-making, facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration across departments, managing timelines, workplans, and team coordination)