Kirsten McKelvie is a Principal Management Consultant at Arcadis and is incredibly passionate about her career in consulting and her journey to becoming Chartered.
Speaking about her ChMC journey, she said:
“I’m looking forward to becoming part of that trusted and prestigious group and supporting the next generations to do so too. I started my management consulting career after achieving my MSc in Business Management as part of a career change. I am part of Arcadis’ Business Transformation team. This is focused on enabling our clients to realise the benefits while sustainably embedding organisational change.
“I decided to enrol on the Award upon returning to work after a year out on maternity leave. This was a timely opportunity to set myself a new professional challenge and obtain focus and direction as I started to navigate my new work life.
“Following the Arcadis accredited ChMC programme has enabled me to progress at my own pace, which was important as I got back into the rhythm of working life. By reviewing my career to date against the Competency Framework, I have identified my strengths as a Consultant and in turn rebuilt my confidence in my ability and professional value. Equally, the framework has enabled me to identify clear areas for development, providing structure, focus and direction for both client and internal work at a critical point in my career.
“The ChMC Award provides a clear career path and standard for the consulting industry. I plan to have a long career in consulting and therefore see Chartership as an obvious next career step. It is a way of evidencing and formally recognising my competence and commitment to the profession, providing a standard for quality which will support in building trusted relationships with clients.”
“I have received incredible support from Arcadis in working towards the Award. We have a team dedicated to driving our people to progress and ensuring compliance with the process. Working with my mentor, leadership and ChMC counsellor, I identified opportunities to address my competency gaps and regularly review progress.
I welcome that the Competency Framework places as much emphasis on ethics, behaviours and respect, as the fundamental consulting skillset. It has made me think about how I can use my influence, position, and everyday conversations to improve inclusion and diversity in our profession, particularly around family-friendly consulting working models. I’m looking forward to further driving this agenda across the industry.
“I believe that ChMC will act as a benchmark for excellence, bringing prestige and formally professionalising our industry’s reputation. It can sometimes be difficult to explain to others what it is that we do and bring; ChMC will evidence the high professional and ethical standards that we hold ourselves to and the value we bring to our clients every day.”