Director at Uros Consulting
Play to your strengths, don’t try and do the job like your colleagues who are likely to be men. Your experience and approach is what makes you unique. On a more practical note, work hard and get a good numerate degree along with experience of making decisions without all of the data.
About Niki ...
Who am I?
"I need to be practical (my Explorer trait) and empathetic. I have to think on my feet and be creative (my Innovator trait). I also need to explain information to people (my Influencer trait)."
What do I do?
"I am the Director of my own consultancy. I work with other organisations to help them achieve their goals. This involves problem solving and helping them better understand what’s stopping them achieving better performance. I also work with companies to develop business relationships to enable them to sell products to other companies. This can be exciting and adrenaline fuelled, particularly when something needs doing urgently. I enjoy supporting my teams and helping others to develop. Now I’m self-employed there’s no specific progression but I’m also a Trustee of a charity in order to develop skills that are more difficult to obtain in a small business. If you like visiting sewage works then this is the job for you! Seriously though, getting to understand how the infrastructure of our towns and cities works is fascinating and I’ve had some brilliant site visits."
How did I get here?
"I was inspired by the TV programme Blue Peter! I had The Green Book when I was younger which increased my interested in the environment. I got a place on a Graduate scheme with a major UK water company because I wanted a good grounding in the sector and enjoyed the variety that a large company provided. Once I had the experience, I wanted the flexibility of working for myself and after a career break to travel, I set up my own business."
The life I live
"I also run a professional photography business. I like to keep fit and hang upside down so I take aerial arts classes! Most of my time now is spent looking after my young son who is brilliant!"
My typical day
"My days are really varied, but often include client meetings, travel, working from home or presenting at a conference, lots of problem solving and helping others see the bigger picture."
My qualifications
"Secondary education (GCSE/O-Levels)Post secondary education (College, A-levels, NVQ3 or equivalent)Undergraduate degree (BSc, BA, etc.) Post graduate diploma Water & environmental managementC.WEM, C.Env, MCIWEM"