Young Australians are compassionate global citizens who want to share in developing and implementing dynamic solutions to global poverty. However, the aid, development and humanitarian sector is small and very competitive as projects and programs are increasingly being delivered by local development practitioners residing in-country. It is consequently becoming harder to secure a first role and develop a rewarding career.
Come join colleagues in the sector to gain insights and gather tips and ideas from professionals working in the sector and in academia.
Speakers will address key aspects in career development including:
Degrees, Technical Skills and specific focus areas such as Gender studies - which to choose?
How to leverage volunteering and internships into a permanent role.
The value of building networks & finding mentors.
How to get a role in UN agencies or Multilateral agencies e.g., Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, or the Global Fund to fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria., etc.
Unconventional pathways to development roles.
Join our October networking forums to hear how you can secure your first role, decide if you should undertake advanced studies and how best to position yourself to secure promotions, access capacity-building opportunities and develop a rewarding career.
Cost: FREE for WIAD Members, $25 for Supporters, $10 for Non-Member Students, interns and unwaged.
NOTE: This event will also be ONLINE
Speakers
Karen James
Karen James (KJ) is the former CEO of Business for Development now absorbed as part of The Palladium Group. As a Director at Palladium, KJ is focused on the resource sector to catalyse sustainable development.
With a background in Systems Thinking and Engineering, KJ has a unique talent for unpacking complex issues with companies to determine strategic opportunities. Her work with clients has enabled them to define and bring to life their purpose, vision, and strategy, with a strong focus on execution. KJ’s strengths lie in the ability to facilitate dialogue with various stakeholders and broker partnerships between organisations to achieve shared value.
KJ started her career by providing technical solutions for the European and Asia Pacific markets. Over time this led her to work for the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CommBank), taking on responsibility for Corporate Financial Services' (CFS) strategy and operations. Given her personal commitment to changing the way businesses tackle sustainability, KJ founded CommBank's Women in Focus community, which supports women in the development of their businesses providing connections and access to the latest tools, practical guidance and insights to guide them on their business journey.
She also worked with the bank to develop and execute strategies for Community Business Finance and led the Vision & Leadership Program at CFS, which resulted in analysing The Hunger Project’s strategies for tackling complex issues with McKinsey and incorporating those learnings into the bank's own strategic approaches.
In 2015 Wiley International published KJ’s book On Purpose – a business book for people who want to steer their work back on course, with purpose leading the way – and started a consulting business. Key projects include building a new fintech business in Ireland; developing an Indigenous language revival platform for the Federal Government; and working as an advisor to the CEO of a finance company, working to change culture.
KJ achieved her Masters in Environmental Engineering at the University of Sydney and earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of Hartford where she studied Electrical Engineering.
Dr Michelle Imison
Michelle is an international development consultant whose areas of special interest include public health, gender, research and advocacy. She has previously worked in tuberculosis advocacy both domestically (for Results Australia) and globally (for the Stop TB Partnership in Geneva), in academia (public health) and government (for the Specialist Health Service, which provides strategic input on health to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade).
Michelle is a co-convenor for the Bangladesh Working Group of the Cross-Sector Development Partnerships Initiative (XSPI), Sydney City Leader for Women in Aid and Development (WiAD) and co-leads a professional networking group for development consultants based in Sydney. She has previously served on the Board of Oxfam Australia and as a grant-maker for a women’s education organisation (Graduate Women International).
Anika Fletcher
Anika Fletcher is a Social Development Specialist with the World Bank, based in Sydney. Her work has included supporting compliance with World Bank social risk management policies for infrastructure projects in Tonga, the North Pacific, and Nepal, supporting borrower capacity building, as well as initiatives to enhance the inclusion of indigenous groups in climate change initiatives. Anika holds advanced degrees in International Development, Law, and Commerce.