“I didn’t choose a completely new field, but rather followed the underlying thread in my work.” 

What work were you doing previously?    

I began my career in the humanitarian and multilateral sector, working with the United Nations and government.

At the World Food Programme, I focused on early cash assistance programmes, using market-based approaches to support food-insecure communities with greater flexibility and dignity.

I spent over 10 years with WFP and UNHCR, leading large-scale programmes across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.

My work centred on advancing cash-based aid and, in my final role, building global capability by training teams to shift from in-kind to cash assistance where appropriate.

Later, I worked as a senior advisor on international humanitarian policy, engaging in multilateral processes and contributing to global discussions on resilience, inclusion, and system reform.

One of Finland’s priorities is the inclusion of persons with disabilities, so I had the opportunity to advocate for the rights of people in the most vulnerable position.

What are you doing now?    

I now work in the private sector in a senior role. 

My focus is on sustainability, human rights, and supply chain governance and a key component of my work is third party risk mitigation to ensure business resilience and continuity.

Why did you change?

The more I spent time working with local markets in Africa, Middle-East and Asia, the more I felt that if we truly want to reach the sustainable development goals, we need to have a responsibly operating private sector. 

A private sector that provides decent work and through for example tax payments enables the other actors then to look after those, who are in a vulnerable position and unable to meet their basic needs otherwise. 

I completed a second Master’s degree in Business Administration and Management, with focus on international strategy and sustainability to better understand if the theory supported my own observations and analysis.

It took me one year to do this two-year programme alongside a full-time position that required extensive travel. I was devouring my schoolbooks on planes and in hotels in the evenings, like they were novels. So much of it resonated. 

The private sector offered an opportunity to work at the intersection of regulation, markets, and operations, and to influence how global systems function in practice and given my background, I felt I had both a lot to offer but also a lot to learn.

When was the moment you decided to make the change?    

There wasn’t a single moment, but a gradual realisation. 

Working on market-based humanitarian approaches, I became increasingly interested in how financial systems, supply chains, and incentives shape outcomes. That curiosity eventually led me back to university, which sealed my decision.

How did you choose your new career?

I didn’t choose a completely new field, but rather followed the underlying thread in my work. 

I'd been working on resilience, financial inclusion, and systems thinking for years. Moving into sustainability and ESG in the private sector felt like a natural extension, just in a different context.

I also felt and still feel that given my background I bring in experience and knowledge that is directly relevant to advancing sustainability and building business resilience.

Are you happy with the change?  

Yes. It’s been challenging, but also intellectually rewarding. 

I’ve gained a much deeper understanding of how decisions are made in complex organisations and what are the key drivers for change. While it was always clear to me that I had a lot to offer and would find the work interesting, I don't think I had fully grasped the breadth and depth of it.

Concepts such as theory of change and social impact measurement are directly relevant to sustainability work for example and I have been both lucky and happy to bridge that cross sectoral gap.

Of course, it would also work the other way around and there are many learnings from my time in the corporate world, that would allow me to even better contribute to the work of international organisations. 

What do you miss and what don't you miss?

I miss the strong sense of purpose and clarity of mission in the humanitarian space. 

I don’t miss the structural limitations, and the gap between ambition and implementation that follows. I am by nature very curious and at times I miss that direct exposure to very different cultures and operational contexts, which really challenges the way you think and see the world.

While those experiences haven't disappeared, I feel there's a risk that I start working from too narrow a perspective, when the exposure is more limited.

How did you go about making the shift?

I focused on reframing my experience rather than starting from scratch. 

I translated my work into language that resonated with the private sector: risk, governance, systems, and value creation. I also spent time understanding the regulatory landscape and how ESG was evolving globally.

While studying supported this, I don't think that it necessarily had a pivotal impact. Then again, I'll never know. 

I also prioritised companies that were focused on and publicly committed to having a positive impact on people and the planet. Many of them had existing collaboration with international organization and/or NGOs and therefore some exposure to the work they do.

My hypothesis was that there it would be both easier to ‘get your foot in the door’ but also to find roles that would allow me to have a meaningful contribution.

How did you develop (or transfer) the skills you needed for your new role?

Many of the core skills were transferable: stakeholder management, navigating complexity, and working across cultures. 

I built on these by developing a stronger understanding of regulatory frameworks, corporate governance, and supply chain dynamics. As mentioned, I also completed another Master’s alongside with work, this time from a business school.

I can vividly remember a moment when another student came to me to tell me how smart I am, after a lecture where I had commented on something. I had to admit that it wasn’t really anything to do with being smart but rather those 10 yrs of work experience I had under my belt by that point.

I did of course also learn new things – definitely not saying I knew it all up front – but personally, the greatest value came from figuring out how much I actually already did know and how relevant that knowledge was outside of my own little world of international organisations.

How did you handle your finances to make your shift possible?    

I approached the transition pragmatically. I didn’t take a full step back, but aimed for roles where my experience was still relevant. That helped avoid a major financial reset.

What was the most difficult thing about changing?

What help did you get?

I worked with someone who was studying to become a coach and many of the exercises were good. 

It helped that they were quite a bit older than I was so there was that voice of experience coming through... ‘As your coach I shouldn't say this, but…’

What have you learnt in the process?    

That careers are less about linear progression and more about building a coherent narrative. 

And maybe even more importantly, that a lot is about chance and luck. Especially now when there are so many people looking for work, one shouldn't be too fixated on that single type of role you want to have and must get. 

There needs to of course be the ultimate goal or a northern star, but sometimes it's more like climbing a tree by hopping from one branch to another than straight up the trunk. Take every role as a learning opportunity and a building block that takes you towards where you want to be. 

From the outside it's really difficult to fully understand how things are and by being open minded you are more likely to be able to find where you belong. I do think it's equally important to learn what you do not want to do or what kind of an environment you do not feel at home at. Knowledge is more powerful than assumptions.

Lastly, and maybe more importantly, no change has to be permanent. You are less likely to regret trying and then deciding that this wasn’t for me than you will be not trying at all, because then you'll never know. 

What do you wish you'd done differently?

I was never and still am not good enough at leveraging or relying on my networks. 

As Finns, we are raised to manage things by ourselves and not ask for help. It has taken me way too long to accept that this is not necessarily a good thing. Nobody can do everything alone and by themselves. 

So instead, use your network, reach out to people for guidance or insights about their work and use all of that knowledge and experience around you to make informed decisions.

I should also have been much more confident in my abilities and better at showing my worth. I've started a new life in a foreign country, alone, with three kids. I work full time and got a promotion after just a year in the job.

I ran marathons in under 3 hours, had an international career, completed two Master’s degrees, speak several languages etc. and I still felt that I'm not good enough or capable enough. 

The problem is that if you don't believe in yourself, then nobody else will either. This took me way too long to realise and even longer to act upon.

What would you advise others to do in the same situation? 

Don’t think in terms of changing careers but in terms of translating your value. 

Focus on the underlying skills and perspectives you bring and learn how to express them in the language of your target sector. Even in cases, where you are starting something completely different. 

Be very clear on the ‘why’: even if it not something that you wish to share with others, it is very important that you yourself know why you are doing this change. This helps tremendously when there are obstacles and there almost certainly will be. 

Do not assume that others know ‘the world you come from’, but be ready to explain it over and over and over again, so have those words ready.

What resources would you recommend to others?

Conversations with people who’ve made similar transitions (if there are any, in my case there were not many at the time) or who are doing the type of work you think you would like to be doing.

Following how industries or sectors talk about themselves (reports, strategy papers, etc.) and the key hot themes where you have something ‘unusual’ to offer, what is the thing that differentiates you from all the others.

Formal training: this isn't a must, but can help in the transition, help gain perspective and new ideas, help in expanding networks etc.

Alternatively, attending events online or in person where you can hear as many people talk about topics relevant to your transition.

What lessons could you take from Riikka's story to use in your own career change? Let us know in the comments below.