Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
Woodhouse Lane,
LS1 3HE
Stories
Tanya Kelsey: Prospect Research Officer
Alumni Spotlight | Tanya Kelsey, Class of 2021
Stories
What course/degree did you do?
I studied International Relations with Human Rights for my undergraduate degree. This sparked my interest in human rights and I wanted to learn more, which led me to continue my studies at Leeds Beckett and I gained a master's degree in Human Rights Practice.
What is your current role?
My role is a Prospect Research Officer which, in a nutshell, is a desk-based research position. A typical day involves researching potential donors to the university to determine their propensity, affinity, and capacity. Having said that, a large part of my workload is ad-hoc research requests from the larger fundraising team which keeps things interesting as no two days are the same.
What organisation are you working for?
The Office of Philanthropic Partnerships and Alumni (OPPA) at the University of York.
How did you find this job?
I knew that I wanted to work for a university so I was researching university websites for job listings. I stumbled across this job and I thought it was perfect as I wanted to work for a non-profit organisation and I wanted to work in research. However, I didn't meet all of the criteria and it was a long application process so I wasn't sure whether to even apply. Luckily, on a whim, I thought I'd find the hiring manager on LinkedIn and organise a phone call. After speaking to her I knew I wanted this job and it gave me the boost in confidence I needed to apply, and here I am now.
What do you enjoy about this job?
I think my favourite part about working for OPPA is that I feel that I can add value; like my thoughts and opinions should be heard. It really feels like a collection of people who are working together for a good cause. My favourite part of my role specifically is that I feel challenged, there are things that feel like second nature now that I can storm through, and then I come across tasks that really stump me. But then I overcome these challenges and it makes me feel as though I am growing.
What skills are you using in this job that you got from Uni?
In a practical sense, academic writing has been integral to my success in this role. I never knew referencing would come so in handy! But aside from that there are so many skills I gained throughout my time at Leeds Beckett that are so important. Critical thinking may be the most valuable tool that I developed at university and I practice it every day in my role. My time at university really impacted my personal development, things like presentations as part of the course work have directly impacted my confidence in speaking to a group of people and helped to calm my nerves when I present as part of my role. When I was writing my dissertation, I was also spending time with my friends, committing time to my hobbies, keeping on top of chores, and working a part-time job. I was developing my time management, understanding how to prioritise my workload and how to keep a healthy balance in my life. There are so many skills that I did not realise I was developing at the time, but they not only have prepared me for this job but also for my life.
