Behind the Impact - Cindy Chen

Can you tell us a little bit about your role on the team and what your day-to-day responsibilities entail?

Every day is different. I can be looking at system strategy for social procurement one day and delivering capability building program for impact-led organisations another day. I also lead our gender work, guiding Sefa to contribute meaningfully to gender equality as an intermediary in impact investing. My every day is different, a lot going on but satisfying.

What's your go-to productivity hack when you need to power through a big project or deadline?

Something has to give!! Prioritisation is something that I do constantly, some things become more important one day and so then I prioritise them and move non-urgent things further away or get help. We only have so much energy and bandwidth each day. If I don’t have good energy, time or intellect to deliver high-quality thinking or work, I know something needs to give. I think with the technology we have nowadays, humans need focus on doing the creative and intellectual work that only we can do.

If you could switch jobs with anyone on the team for a day, who would it be and why?

I am sometimes curious about Hanna (our CEO) and Renee’s (our Head of Impact and Advisory) days when they have interesting encounters. Collaboration with purpose aligned people is so important for any chance of system change. It’s nice to see how we position ourselves, connect and work with different parts of the ecosystem to drive change. Though after one day I’m sure I’ll be happy to switch back.

What's the most interesting thing you've learned or accomplished in your role so far?

So many things! And I am still learning. I continue to be astonished when we learn about new impact-led organisations, how innovative and determined they are with their mission. These organisations exist and solve social and environmental challenges and fill in gaps in our society that are often overlooked.

What motivated you to pursue a career in this field, and how did you get started in your current role?

I have always been interested in social innovations, policies and programs that make meaningful changes in our society. Having already worked in large and well-known consultancy and governments, I wanted to see how I can apply my skills and experience in this sector.

What do you think are the biggest challenges facing your team or industry right now?

Funding is tight, economic climate is challenging, and especially for communities and small organisations. Our mission to strengthen impact-led, for purpose organisations is more necessary than ever.

What do you enjoy most about your job, and what advice would you give to someone who is interested in pursuing a similar career path?

I really enjoy thinking about how we can better utilise capital to tackle systemic challenges. Impact investing is relatively nascent compared to other sectors. Being in an intermediary also means you have the space to test and forum to share your learnings with the ecosystem. For anyone who likes to do system thinking, who loves a challenge, and who wants to make a difference to systemic issues, this is a sector for you!

And of course, being surrounded by a bunch of intelligent, kind and values aligned humans at Sefa motivates me and helps me to grow. For those considering, working in the sector versus experiencing it from the outside is completely different. The impact and good things you often see and hear about is heart-warming, in a world where it can feel so tough sometimes. The innovations and clever ways to do things differently is super interesting and mind stretching. It’s amazing to be able to use your commercial mindset and well-oiled consulting skills for good.