Barbara Kertai – Marketing Manager

A Bit of Career History

My background’s in communications – I worked as a freelancer (journalist, editor, book publishing, translation and interpreting) for 15 years. I’m a Political Scientist, and in my second degree I looked at how politics relate with issues of poverty and social injustice. I was really keen to use my communication skills in international development work, but it’s difficult to get that first job without practical experience in the sector. So I decided to go to Bangladesh to do communications work for a couple of NGOs there, and to test if that’s what I really wanted to do longer term.

 
Why World Vision?

Having grown up in the States I was aware of World Vision as the major brand in the development sector. When I saw a job in marketing advertised I looked on the website and found that it was in the Supporter Development team which is all about nurture. Once a supporter signs up, how do we keep them informed and engaged? I was really grabbed by that – I think it's quite special that World Vision puts so much effort and care into ensuring supporters understand the wider issues.

Initial Impressions

I was immediately caught up in the busyness, which suited my personal style and was a really beneficial start – it was like a fast-track boot-camp!

I’ve been quite moved to see how people have come to World Vision from very different directions because of the cause and ready to see how they can benefit the rest of the organisation, despite the fact that some teams or jobs have more direct contact with the work in the field than others. Some people have come here first as a local job opportunity, and have come on a journey of discovery, really engaging with the issues of poverty and developing a long-term passion.

Highlights to date!

Lots of them! One would be when I added a few days onto my holiday in Bolivia in order to visit some World Vision ADPs (Area Development Programmes). Being confronted first hand by the situation on the ground, the work became real to me. Seeing the conditions the staff live in, their sacrifice, their passion – that was inspirational. And I was so impressed by the volunteers who don’t get paid but want to be involved because they’re desperate to see change in their communities and they have faith that World Vision can bring that change.

A recent restructure in my team was another, very different, kind of highlight. We were all encouraged to dare to think beyond the daily tasks, and were given room to really express what we wanted to realise within the team. That gave me a sense of purpose, and I successfully applied for my current role too!

Advice for those trying to get into this sector

It’s key to get some practical experience on the ground. For many jobs in the UK office you need to have had experience overseas first. While World Vision is good for education and development opportunities, you do need to do some of the groundwork yourself first... If you get some experience, that’ll help you ascertain if this is in fact the right kind of work for you.

People have varying views of what it'd be like to work in a charity - some are very idealistic and others are more sceptical. My advice would be to keep an open mind; investigate how the charity you want to apply to operates, seek understanding of why, and look at their results. If you don’t agree with a particular philosophy or certain principles of development, I think you should contribute with your own beliefs and point of view.

If you feel passionately about global issues and poverty, come to World Vision because we’ll give you room to discuss it and make your own contribution. If you don’t care about poverty – please don’t apply!

Current Opportunities

View our current opportunities and download a full job description here.

Need help or want to talk to us in person call: 01908 841090

Justin Byworth – Chief Executive

How would you describe working at
World Vision?

Exhilarating, exhausting, excruciating at times, but ultimately hugely fulfilling.  Fulfilling because I know I’m a part of making a huge difference to the lives of hundreds of people all over the world.

Bit of Career History

My career to date has been….with World Vision! Today I’m leading World Vision UK, but I started off 21 years ago as a graduate trainee where I got a great grounding in marketing, international programming, and public engagement. My motivation in joining World Vision back then was a desire to integrate my faith and political ideals, which was triggered when I was confronted with poverty face to face in India whilst travelling after university.

Since then I’ve held various UK based roles, I've worked in Mauritania, and I've lived for many years in Cambodia where I was Country Director. I then moved back to the UK where I worked from home on global development programming, monitoring and evaluation. I re-joined World Vision UK as International Programmes Director, and later became CEO.

Working in this sector

Am I still motivated 21 years on?  I’ve seen that NGOs can make an enormous difference in a way that compliments governments and business and other organisations – so my motivation is greater today than ever.  It’s seeing people fulfilling their potential that is my key motivator – whether that’s people within the communities we work in, or my teams here in the UK growing and changing.

Challenges & Struggles

Being on the inside I know the struggles and challenges too, of course.  Human change is very complex, and it can be discouraging seeing much stronger forces working against us.  It relies on being able to be hopeful amidst situations of despair – that’s the context in some of the tough places we work.

From the UK perspective it’s tough too seeing public interest in issues of poverty wax and wane based on seemingly ethereal things such as the latest campaign or the extent of media coverage. To sustain and build that interest in the long-term is a constant challenge for us.

We have a huge appetite, in the face of the need we see, to be more effective and have an even bigger impact. This relies on maintaining a high degree of professionalism and securing the best talent.

How does World Vision compare with other NGOs?

What’s unique about World Vision is our global reach, with a presence in the most powerful and wealthy countries, linked with a presence is the most vulnerable and poorest nations on earth.  Our network of people at community level means we’re strongly community rooted and operationally present.

Key Message to Potential Applicants

If you want to come somewhere where your life will be changed as well as being able to change the lives of others, come to World Vision! Few people remain unchanged by their time here. We expect you to bring the whole of yourself to work – your brain, your heart, your soul. It’s a calling and vocation – not just a job.

It’s also a place were we aspire to the very highest level of professionalism; we operate a performance culture, we set high standards. That’s the joy of working at World Vision – we combine professionalism with passion, and a sense of calling with a very real business acumen.

Current Opportunities

View our current opportunities and download a full job description here.

Need help or want to talk to us in person call: 01908 841090

Cat-Dan Lai-Smith – Church Engagement Officer 

My Background

I was born in Saigon in Vietnam after the end of the war there. In pursuit of freedom, my parents fled the country by boat when I was only an infant. This traumatic journey led us to a Hong Kong refugee camp. From there, we were sponsored by a group of caring families to move to Canada, where we began our new lives. As I grew up, my parents taught me never to forget our journey – we had only made it through the incredible support of the people who helped us along the way.

This experience has framed my motivation in life and means that having a purpose to what I do is paramount for me. As a result, I have always aspired towards a career that would enable me to contribute positively and directly to the lives of others.

In Canada I completed my degree in Political Science and Religious Studies with a focus on third world development and liberation theology. I then worked as a graduate intern with an organisation called the Navigators doing community development work. This included mentoring students at a university campus and working with the homeless in Vancouver's inner city. What impacted me the most was the time we spent in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. There, we lived in an orphanage on a dump site where we learned Spanish by talking with the locals and getting immersed with the local community.

Through this life-changing experience, combined with several voluntary humanitarian trips to my native Vietnam, I knew that this was the sector where I belonged. After the internship, I then started applying for work with various INGOs.

   

My job search was really discouraging at first – the NGOs I applied to all said I didn’t have enough experience. I then found myself moving to the US where I found an opportunity to work with a law firm and volunteer with a humanitarian relief organisation, writing their communications and grant proposals. I was still feeling restless, however, so at the encouragement of some friends, I got a working holiday visa and moved to England!

As a Vietnamese-Canadian who has lived in five different countries, it was really hard to get into the UK employment market. I did some freelance writing, and eventually found a role with a UK-based marketing company as a research editor. But, all the while, I still looked out for that amazing opportunity to work in international development.

My Current Role

I knew of World Vision since my family had sponsored two children when I was growing up and because it has a major presence in Canada and the US. I never knew it existed in the UK, so imagine my excitement when I saw a job advertised on Guardian jobs for World Vision UK! Even though it was only a temporary one, I applied immediately. I was over the moon when the very next day after my interview they offered me the job!

In my role, I have the privilege of creating World Vision resources and writing the stories of the children and communities whose lives have been transformed through the work that we do across the globe. I love the fact, for example, that on any given day, I can be in touch with colleagues from our offices in Zimbabwe, Cambodia or Australia depending on the report, story or photograph I need for a current project.

The Church Engagment Team focuses on motivating UK churches and Christian audiences by helping them learn more about the people whose lives they are helping to change and the issues behind their struggles with poverty. Our hope is that churches will influence their communities here in the UK so that together we can all make a bigger impact throughout the rest of the world.

My Initial Impressions

My first impression, and something that I really appreciate about World Vision, is the sense of working within a big family. It’s professional here, but it goes beyond that because most people in key roles here are committed Christians seeking to live out their faith through their careers as well. It means a lot to me to be able to work in an environment like this. It's not everywhere that you can begin a meeting by praying together with your colleagues!

 
Joining World Vision has really felt like validation to me. With other potential employers, the fact that I’d lived and worked in five different countries had been a mark against me, but I was welcomed here.

Any Frustrations?

One frustration has been that I started on a temporary contract that was extended three times before I was offered a permanent role. I understand that this was due to some restructuring going on but the uncertainty was difficult to handle when I knew how much I really wanted to work here. I was delighted when I received the offer of a permanent role.

Advice to those considering a move?

First of all assess why you want to get into this field because it won't necessarily happen overnight. Find opportunities to be involved in relevant areas that interest you, even if it means doing it without pay. Experience is everything in this sector.

Also, try to relate your skills to something you could offer to World Vision, but don't be afraid to mention other things that motivate you, whether you think it relates to the job or not.

Then, when a potential job comes up, you’ll really be able to apply and talk about it with confidence...but most importantly, with passion.

Current Opportunities

View our current opportunities and download a full job description here.

Need help or want to talk to us in person call: 01908 841090

Laura Jones – Supporter Contact
Team Member

My job at World Vision

As a Contact Team member I deal with a wide range of enquiries, both as inbound and outbound calls, from existing child sponsors and those looking to become sponsors and also people supporting us through other types of financial and non-financial commitments. Every call is different but what always remains the same is our team's aim to provide excellent customer service which meets or exceeds Supporters expectations.

Previous Career

My background’s in banking – I spent over 20 years in retail banking, cashiering, fraud liaison, and customer service roles.  But when I was approaching 40 I thought ‘I want to use my customer service skills, but I want a change. I want a focus in what I’m doing’.  I’d heard of World Vision through friends, and had recently become a child sponsor, so I applied!

Best bits

The part I like most is speaking to lovely supporters and hearing how excited and interested they are in our work - some are so motivated that they have done some fundraising and they are so excited they want to chat about it!  The other week I spoke to a child sponsor who’s in her 80s and who campaigns with us too – she’d read a recent report and wanted to talk about it further.  And you get people who are on benefits or unemployed but who are still prepared to donate money - this is really moving.

It's nice doing something that is customer service orientated but you know what you’re doing is worthwhile. At the end of the day you know you’re not just lining shareholders' pockets!

Worst bits

There are some challenging calls in my job, but I work closely with my colleagues to rectify any problems and respond quickly to supporters. Some of the hardest calls are when there has been a crisis in a country where someone is sponsoring a child, for example a civil conflict or a natural disaster. It's difficult for us to receive news about the welfare of the sponsored child in the immediate aftermath, when communication links have been interrupted. It can feel like a long wait for the sponsor and until we have any news for them they can be very worried. I find that these calls can be quite difficult.

Current Opportunities

View our current opportunities and download a full job description here.

Need help or want to talk to us in person call: 01908 841090