“It’s about fostering an environment that supports women”

Sometimes, we don’t recognise our achievements until we take time to formally reflect. This was the case for Emma Finney CMgr FCMI, head of business engagement at South Eastern Regional College (SERC) and deputy chair of CMI Northern Ireland. 

During her application for Chartered Manager status, Emma, who now holds a CMI Level 7 in Strategic Management & Leadership Practice, took time to reflect – and was surprised at her achievements and the impact she’d made over the years. 

Working in both the private and the public sector, Emma had implemented sustainable and positive change for the organisations she had worked for. But she had never really given herself enough credit.

• “Chartered Manager status was my Everest”

“There’s quite a lot I’ve achieved, but I always saw it as just a part of my daily job,” she explains. “It wasn’t until I actually sat down to work on the CMI application five years ago that I was able to reflect, identify and crystallise all the things I’d done.”

Taking the lead

It was a proud moment for the mother of two, who has climbed the career ladder in a relatively short space of time. After taking a part-time job at retailer Bonmarché during her A-levels, Emma was promoted to training manager a few years later. 

Now at SERC, Emma is responsible for sales and business development, representing SERC on the Northern Ireland FE sector’s Economic Engagement Working Group. In this role, she cultivates partnerships with local SMEs; provides upskilling, reskilling and innovation support; builds bridges with local communities; and delivers collaborative projects with other colleges in Northern Ireland.