Project Manager, UNDP Country Office in Kazakhstan
Public Administration, Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) 2011

Tell prospective students a bit about the work you do?

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Country Office in Kazakhstan implements a Project-Based Management approach. Annually, over 30 projects are implemented by the Country Office in parallel. As a Project Manager, I oversee day-to-day administration of the project planning, monitoring and evaluation vis-à-vis the Kazakhstan (MFA)-Japan (JICA)-UNDP partnership, in accordance with the UNDP rules and procedures. I am in charge of human resources, finances and procurement for projects.

The Promoting Kazakhstan’s Official Development Assistance Cooperation (ODA) with Afghanistan is a pilot project of Kazakhstan’s ODA employing a ‘learning-by-doing’ capacity building approach. The project manager provides overall technical support to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Kazakhstan to promote civil service excellence in the area of ODA; and organizes thematic workshops for Afghan civil servants and NGO representative in Kazakhstan promoting gender equality policies.

Tell prospective students a bit about how your studies at York helped you to get where you are today.

The School of Public Policy and Administration has provided me with theoretical and practical knowledge in the field. In my fourth year of studies I took AP/PPAS 4995 6.0 Practicum in Public Administration course, which expanded my knowledge and expertise of public policy and administration. This experience enabled me to get hired for a summer job with the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. Hence, I strongly advise students to take part in internships and practicum opportunities as they expand their expertise and network of contacts.

Another memorable aspect of studies at York University is the multicultural and diverse learning environment, which enables students to effectively share knowledge and develop novel solutions to existing problems. While studying, I was an active member of the Kazakh Student Association at York University and took part in many social and cultural events. Participating actively in campus life builds cultural awareness and emotional intelligence - qualities which are indispensable in today’s diverse workplace environment.