Procurement Consultant
Name: Kiri Parr
Career stage: Senior - 10+ years' experience
Working: Office
High School Subjects: English, Economics, German, Maths
Favourite: German, our teacher chatted a lot
Further study: University
where and what: University of Queensland
"I really like finding and working with the people who are open to disrupting the way we have done things in the past and be open to new ideas and ways of doing things."
the inside scoop…
What does a Technical Consultant actually do? I am fascinated by how people come together to deliver $1bn plus projects well. What drives bad outcomes. What supports better outcomes. I particularly look at human biases, like optimism bias, and a new emerging field of science, called complex systems theory which studies, as the name suggests, complex systems. Day to day, I do a mix of public speaking, academic work and private advisory work.
What does a day in your life at work look like? I'll be meeting with a potential client talking about a major project they have coming up and we start challenging how that project can be delivered. Or, I am interviewing someone involved in the delivery of some groundbreaking approach to project delivery in order to research how and why it works. Or on another day I am on a stage in front of 500 people making jokes about Sir Isaac Newton.
What's the best part of your job? I really like finding and working with the people who are open to disrupting the way we have done things in the past and be open to new ideas and ways of doing things.
What made you realise construction could be for you? Got asked to work with someone who was building their business in that field - so fell into it.
What's the best thing about working in construction? Whilst I trained as a lawyer, I have spent so much time with engineers that I am as fascinated these days by the science and engineering behind projects.
What do your friends and family think about working in construction? I don't think they give it much through at all! I have ended up in a very particular niche which can be hard to label. I think they think I travel too much.
Tell us about balancing work with your other interests, or family. The one thing I want to say here is to always have something on the side that uses a different part of your brain and allows you to be on a project with a different group of people. It could be a creative outlet, a sporting hobby or an industry group. It really helps keeps your brain working in more interesting ways. PS - And as one intern told me was the key piece of advice I gave them - work is overrated.
Kiri is open to engaging further via: Speaking at a high school
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