CEO Monthly Issue 3 2018

10 CEO MONTHLY / ISSUE 3 2018 , Kate Donovan is the Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) President forManpowerGroup, as well as the Senior Vice President forManpowerGroup Solutions inNorth America, a role which includes the RPO and TAPFIN divisions. Kate has recently been selected in CEOMonthly’sWomen in Business Awards as Best Senior Vice President inWorkforce Management, and we caught up with her to find out more about her outstanding success. Providing the Necessary Talent for Success ManpowerGroup offers a full range of solutions to power its clients’ business strategy. With unparalleled expertise and an assortment of offerings, ManpowerGroup Solutions/ TAPFIN optimises total talent management across a client’s entire workforce in order to deliver measurable results and business success. As RPO President for Manpower Group, Kate leads a centralised RPO practice which drives the business globally. The firm’s North America team has more than 125 clients and 1,200 people, and ManpowerGroup Solutions is the fastest growing business line in the organisation. Kate outlines her previous career experience, and what she aims to achieve in her line of work. “In 2008, I joined ManpowerGroup Solutions as the Managing Director for the RPO business in North America. Prior to that, I held executive positions at Veritude, a Fidelity Investments Company and BankBoston (now Bank of America).” “My career trajectory has always included employee development, whether from an internal HR or external recruiting perspective. My personal career goals are also aligned with the mission of ManpowerGroup as a company: to connect people to meaningful work. I believe in the empowerment and positive outcomes that meaningful work brings to individuals, families and communities.” Discussing the challenges that she faces in her role, Kate points to a global talent mismatch that has resulted in significant numbers of people who lack the skills necessary to fully participate in the workforce. “Essentially, when a significant part of the population is unemployed or under-employed, this is not only a waste of human potential, it creates instability in society. Therefore, developing pipelines of talent sources, and providing the training and development they need is a critical priority on a national and global basis. While the solutions will differ by country, there is no doubt that workforce development on a large scale will require public and private partnerships to accomplish.” Kate believes that working in recruitment and workforce strategy provides exposure to the challenges faced by talent in many different industries. In particular, this provides a unique view of the potential hurdles that women face and how they may look to overcome them. “Recruiting talent, as a profession, enables you to touch every industry and understand the challenges of moving a career forward. As you might expect, I take particular interest in career progress and women. While there is certainly a greater awareness now of the business case for gender diversity, progress for women to enter the most senior ranks of executives remains a stubborn challenge. Many times, women must prove they are qualified; when men are assumed to be qualified for these top positions.” “However, the good news is we have some clear roadmaps on how women can take steps to get ahead. Taking risks and seeking out mentors is certainly high on the list. Based on my own experience, I have some advice for women who want a career managing a business or operation. For those still in school, embrace the STEM subjects. For those in the workforce, get experience with digital technology and analytics. Additionally, and most importantly, seek out roles where you are accountable for a P&L. Nothing levels the playing field faster than contributing significantly to a company’s bottom line profitability and running a top-notch operation. Let the financial performance of the business you run speak for you. This is true for both women and men, of course, but historically women haven’t always been groomed for those roles.” In her concluding comments, Kate emphasises that people need to be smart with their careers, and that they should outlines their goals and work hard to achieve them. Being strategic is a key aspect of success, and Kate believes that her advice is her essential for women looking to advance. “Is this there one right path for every career? Of course not. A software developer might not have P&L responsibility, but you can be sure the CTO does. The main point is, women need to be smart and strategic with their careers, and understand where they want to go, and purposefully cultivate the experiences which will get them there. This advice is really applicable to everyone, but for the time being at least, it’s most essential for career driven women.” 1803CE03