Elena Pedroni, Assistant & Information Management Officer, CICR

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Alumni Service

2 March 2020

In order to help current students and recent graduates to find their way in the working world, many of our alumni shared their career story. Here the story of Elena Pedroni, Assistant & Information Management Officer for ICRC - International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva (CH). USI Degree: Executive Master of Advanced Studies in Humanitarian Logistics and Management, 2018.

How did you start your career?

I have 18 years of experience in different fields (automotive, finance, engineering, communication, travel) as an assistant or executive assistant. My employers have been BSI, RSI, Qualcomm, Crossair, and Fiat Auto Suisse. The industries were very different however my role has always been to support managers and their teams with administrative tasks. This kind of work exists in every organisation and is similar in all sectors.

Why did you choose a career in ICRC - International Committee of the Red Cross?

After many years spent supporting commercial enterprises, I realised that my skills could be useful in an industry that contributes something good for society so I began to look at the not for profit environment. I was open to a variety of possibilities and explored opportunities in volunteering nearby. Working at the ICRC has certainly been different and it can be complicated. They have many tools and programmes specific to their organisational model. However, I have changed industries before and my background has given me skills and confidence to approach new situations in a way that yield a successful outcome. I know how to work with others, respect and listen to colleagues, learn new methods, and improve operational processes.

What is your current role/duties?

My job is Assistant & Information Management Officer. I think of this role as the same I have always had: assisting an individual or group to reach a goal. In this particular case I organize the flow of information to donors, and am responsible for sharing and filing correspondence. The donors require accountability for their investment and this is the focus of my role: Information management. I take care of meetings and events, manage agendas and travel arrangements for all members in the Unit.

In your opinion, what are the qualities necessary for a successful career in ICRC - International Committee of the Red Cross?

You need to be able to understand that people are not the same and it is important to accept others’ beliefs, traditions, and cultures. The qualities to succeed are therefore openmindness, multi-cultural awareness, cooperation and empathy.

What are USI’s positive features and qualities?

Studying with people from everywhere in the world was valuable. Having exposure to professionals who know the humanitarian field was also a great experience. And the teachers were very good! They were professional, motivating, gave interesting lessons and the work was also stimulating. The teachers involved you, and even if they worked in another field, they really focussed on humanitarian concepts. They were all passionate about their topics and about the opportunity to interact with humanitarian professional. It was a participative learning environment.

What competences and/or skills acquired in your USI Study Program have been useful/are useful to your professional career?

I did not have any experience in the humanitarian field, and in one year with MASHLM, I was able to learn a lot. The combination of my experience as assistant and having the MAS degree certainly made my profile more interesting to the ICRC. The courses gave me skills that were useful in the recruitment process at the ICRC, which included 3 exams, 2 on languages, and one on job skills of an assistant. What I learned during MASHLM was helpful in this process. The MAS in Humanitarian Logistics and Management was the perfect way for me to learn about the humanitarian world. MASHLM gave me an understanding of the opportunities and challenges directly from individuals working in various roles in humanitarian organisations. When looking for a job, it showed my prospective employers that I was willing to invest in myself and committed to changing my career to work in the humanitarian sector. Having the MASHLM degree is important in the ICRC since it is a well known humanitarian programme. The programme gave me skills that I hope to use; certainly the project management skills will be very useful in this career.