Senior Programme Manager
Introducing Temitayo Lawal
" We need allies who will advocate for us and spread the word about our work at WHEN, with colleagues across the sector, to help us reach even more women!"
We had a great conversation with Temi. Here's what she said:
What drew you to become part of WHEN?
I was drawn to WHEN because of its ethos and commitment to driving gender equity in Higher Education. As a Black woman working in the sector, I was keen to be a part of changing the status quo. My research also aligns with WHEN’s values and strategic goals, as I am currently completing my PhD at UCL. My research seeks to illuminate the lived experiences and trajectories of Black academic women, and to identify how equity diversity and inclusion strategies can be used as a tool to improve this. Taking ownership of one of WHEN’s solutions to achieving gender equity, the 100 Black Women Professors NOW programme, will also feed into my research, and I anticipate that the findings will help ensure that our goals are evidence based, supported by quality data, and demonstrate an alignment with the delivery of our programmes.
What are you looking forward to bringing to WHEN?
I have a background in programme management, research and teaching in Higher Education. Prior to joining WHEN, I was managing UCL’s flagship Widening Participation programme, Target Medicine, and was Chair of the Widening Participation strategy steering group. I would consider myself as multi-faceted, due to my experience in the sector as an academic and within professional services. These different strands will bring a unique perspective to WHEN as we continue to grow and expand. In particular, my ability to lead large scale programmes with measurable impact, whilst identifying how we can continue to both expand and improve on our programme delivery, is a key skillset I will bring to WHEN.
WHEN is a grassroots network for all women working within Higher Education, and my experience of working as an academic and within professional services will be a useful resource. As an insider of both groups, I will be able to draw on my professional and lived experience to help shape WHEN’s strategic goals to achieving gender equity in a way that is tailored to meet the needs of all women working in Higher Education, whether as academics or within professional services.
What are your big priorities for your first year?
My priorities for the first year will be to oversee all aspects of the 100 Black Women Professors NOW programme, refine our research methodology, and use the learning lessons of the pilot programme to inform our strategy and programme delivery. I am also keen to bring on new institutions to engage with the programme, whilst maintaining our partnerships with existing institutions. Another key priority will be leading on the delivery of our annual conference in June, and I am looking forward to meeting many like-minded women across the sector.
What are you most excited about with this role?
I am most excited about seeing the impact of our programmes and strategic goals being accomplished. This essentially sits at the heart of why we do what we do, so I think being able to identify how we are helping disrupt the status quo by changing women’s careers and trajectories, and hearing personal testimonies of our impact is very exciting.
What do you need from the WHEN membership to support you to succeed?
I would welcome your honest feedback and allyship. We want to make sure that our members voices are heard because this will help ensure that our strategic goals and solutions are meeting your needs. I also mention allyship because we need allies who will be confident to advocate for us and spread the word about the work we are doing here at WHEN, with colleagues across the sector, to help us reach even more women!
I am looking forward to working at WHEN and connecting with you all. Please feel free to connect with me via Linkedin or email – [email protected].
