On top of her game

Caroline Mwangi, 29, has a demanding career, is a student, is married and has a daughter. She tells SHIRLEY GENGA the secret behind her success

What do you do for a living?

I am a category marketing manager at Unilever East and Southern Africa.

What does your job entail?

I currently manage the Spreads and Lipton Tea business portfolio across seven countries. This portfolio makes up close to 30 per cent of the business. Blue Band is currently one of the biggest brands in this portfolio. One of the biggest projects we have done this year is the national growth challenge in schools, where we reached over 300,000 children.

What did you study in campus?

After St Georges Girls’ High School, Nairobi, I joined the University of Nairobi. I was good in sciences and Math and was among the top 100 students in the 2001 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education in Nairobi. While pursuing a degree in Actuarial Science, I also did accounting and got CPA (K) in 2008. I am currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration in Strategic Management and will, hopefully, graduate next year.

Have you worked with other companies or is Unilever your first employer? ??

After graduation, I worked as a banker at Cooperative Bank for one year before joining Unilever in 2009 as a management trainee. I worked in the sales and customer marketing departments for one year, then moved to brand building in 2010 as an assistant brand manager handling skincare products. I got promoted to a senior marketing role as a regional category manager at the beginning of this year.

What do you love about your job?

I love connecting with our consumers on an emotional platform.

What are the challenges of your job?

The biggest challenge has been learning to be patient with people. I have?a strong bias for action, but dealing with people from different cultures and countries has made me realise that it’s important to give everyone a chance and evaluate their opinions. This way, you create a cohesive team, as everyone feels that their contribution is valued.

Give us a?glimpse into a typical working day for you…

The day starts at 6am with a quiet time. This is the most important part of my day, as I commit the day’s work to God. It is also a time for spiritual nourishment, which I really value. I then make sure I spend a little time with my one-year-old daughter before hitting the road to the office. My office hours range from having meetings with my brand team, the sales teams and my country and regional teams. Meeting key distributors, customers and consumers also forms part of what I do. At times it’s just moving from one meeting to another.

You look like you are very busy; how do you balance your career and personal life?

I am busy, but I try to maintain a balance. I think it also helps to have an understanding spouse, as I sometimes take home some work. I remain sane because I have a great family setting. My husband helps around as I catch up on an email, answer urgent calls or travel. My mother and sister also help out.

Was what you are doing now your childhood dream?

I wanted to become a doctor, but that changed somewhere along the way.

Do you have any advice for girls who are either choosing a career or hustling for job?

First, decide what you want to do then get the necessary skills and professional training. I recommend that one takes time to go attain the required academic and professional qualifications and a job will come along. It may also help to think outside the box, as white-collar jobs are becoming scarce. But that should not dampen anyone’s spirits. What matters most is an individual’s resolve to succeed. Thus, it is important to always have an unrelenting pursuit for success.

 If you were not working for Unilever, what would you be doing?

I would definitely be an accountant. I enjoy cracking numbers.

Where do you see yourself in the next ten years?

I should be in the board of directors.

What do you do for fun?

I love spending time with my daughter, seeing life through her eyes — children’s simplicity and honesty is amazing. I read a lot and enjoy long drives with my husband.