Working for global change: Nathalie's role at Save the Children

Why did you choose to study political science?

From a young age, I was interested in Dutch and international politics, economic cooperation and security. In Nijmegen, I had the opportunity to do a broad propaedeutic year at Nijmegen School of Management, where there was also plenty of room to get acquainted with, for example, Business Administration, Public Administration and Economics. This appealed to me and proved to be a good match with my interests. I also postponed the moment of the final study choice for another year, although I actually knew from the first day in September that it would be Political Science / International Relations.

What skills from your education do you use in your work? 

In Political Science, I learnt a style of analytical thinking that is still useful to me today. An eye for power relations, coupled with knowledge of (international) law, governance and policy, still comes in handy every day in my work, but also in various management positions and supervisory boards in civil society. For example, as a member of the supervisory board of the Medical Committee Netherlands Vietnam (MCNV), understanding the impact of the Vietnam War and the dynamics of rapid economic growth of a country plays an important role in the future-oriented management of the organisation. 

How has your career progressed after graduation?

My career so far has been an exciting alternation of Dutch politics, foreign policy and especially international cooperation. After a period at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a policy officer in the field of development cooperation and as a programme manager in Laos for international NGOs, I started working for Dutch development organisations in various positions around strategy, communication, fundraising and, above all, international programme development. In 2024, I joined Save the Children as team lead of the international development programme.

What does your average working day look like? 

At Save the Children Netherlands, I work daily on developing and implementing programmes in areas such as combating child labour, food security and migration. In this role, I build relationships with partners and our country offices and prepare new projects. In addition, I am daily concerned with the well-being of my team in a rapidly changing context, such as recently the impact of the withdrawal of funding from USAID.  

What advice would you give to current students or graduates of Nijmegen School of Management?

My advice would be: "Dare to look around." Take the time to find out which field of work suits you and where you feel your skills and motivation fit the day-to-day work, but also the long-term challenges. In doing so, dare to trust your intuition and be open to experience how your skills and personality match your passion and commitment to social issues, for example.