Welcome to our series where we interview people in a wide range of roles across different think tanks and ask them the how, why and what their job entails. This interview is with Emma Ma from HEPI.
Please give a summary of your role/brief description of what you do.
I am the Director of Business Operations for HEPI, the Higher Education Policy Institute. We are a very small organisation (just 5 people), so my role is very varied.
How did you get into think tanks?
Completely by chance! I worked as an Assistant Editor at Oxford University Press for a decade but left during maternity leave for my first child. I was looking for a part-time role that would allow me to spend time with my daughter and use my ‘working’ brain. HEPI was looking for an Executive Assistant and I jumped at the opportunity to do something different, as I’d not worked within policy or higher education before.
Was this what you always wanted to do? What other roles have you worked in before this?
I hadn’t heard of a think tank before 2015! Most of my working life before having children was in academic editorial publishing, but I found working for a much larger organisation had its challenges. I was very keen to work somewhere smaller with the freedom and flexibility to get things done!
How does a typical day start for you? And at what time?
My day can start anywhere from 6am (if I need to be in London early for an event) to 9am after I’ve dropped my children at school. I will usually check through my emails to make sure I’ve not missed anything urgent (such as a media request on some forthcoming research). Then I’ll begin work, whether that’s on a report I’m editing, an event we’re planning or tackling my long to-do list.
What do you enjoy most about working at HEPI?
So many things! I love the variety of the work – no two days are the same. The people I work with both inside and outside the organisation are wonderful, which makes a huge difference. There is never a dull moment – people are very passionate about the higher education sector.
How do you spend your time, in a typical day? Please give us examples of the sorts of tasks you have to undertake.
A typical day can include any number of tasks. It could include proofreading a report before it is sent to print, liaising with designers and printers, drafting event invites and selecting attendees, researching venues and briefing speakers, processing invoices or ordering office supplies, prepping name badges for events or printing placecards for dinners or looking after our Oxford office. Essentially, managing background logistics so all our policy work, events and publications can be delivered!
What excites you most about your work?
I feel a huge sense of achievement seeing a report we have published receive media attention or an event I’ve organised go well – I love knowing my work in the background has supported the organisation which in turns supports the wider HE sector.
What is the most challenging thing about your job?
It’s a cliché, but managing and juggling lots of different things at once. As such a small team we all pitch in, so I’m constantly making sure I don’t drop the ball anywhere (I haven’t seriously yet, but there is always time!).
Can you think of one thing in particular you have learnt since starting this job?
I knew very little about event planning when I started nearly 11 years ago, so that’s been a learning curve. But it is now a central part of my role!
Which 3 skills do you think are essential for success in your role?
Organisation, efficiency and being open to change.
What tools or technologies do you use most in your job?
I don’t use anything out of the ordinary – Word, Excel, Outlook, with perhaps a bit of ChatGPT thrown in on occasion.
How do you balance work and personal life?
I have always been extremely grateful for the flexibility afforded to me by our Director, Nick Hillman OBE. And personally, I often find it easier to get things done when they are needed so I don’t have to worry about them later.
How much of your day is spent in meetings or working with people vs individual work?
It can vary – sometimes 50/50, but mostly I’m getting on with everything in the background and liaising with colleagues as needed.
What would be your one piece of advice to someone considering a similar career?
Soak up all the information you can from colleagues far and wide. I have learnt so much from my current and previous colleagues and am so grateful to them for sharing their expertise and passion.
