Raji Ambikairajah: I reflect at the end of each day and ask myself “Did I grow today or did I spend too much time just existing?”
How do you end each day? Raji Ambikairajah likes to do it by asking herself what she’s achieved, and if she’s grown as an individual or merely just ‘existed’.
Guaranteeing regular growth is something made easier by the fact she’s enjoying a portfolio career across different sectors, meaning she’s constantly encountering new challenges and learning new things.
A qualified electrical engineer, she’s an advocate for engineering, a philanthropist, an academic, and the COO of Women In Banking and Finance.
She also works with not-for-profits and is the Sydney Chapter Leader of Room to Read — a role that has seen her named a finalist in the NFP category of the Women’s Agenda Leadership Awards.
Leading a team of volunteers, Raji has led on significant growth at Room to Read, seeing an increase in fundraising and volunteer engagement to help the charity reach 10.7 million children. Introducing a number of new programs and initiatives to reinvigorate passion in the program, she also also empowered her team to implement the Independent Events model, to increase grassroots fundraising activities across Sydney.
Below, she shares how she got involved in NFPs, how she manages a portfolio career and how she ensures she’s living a life that means much more than just existing.
One of Room to Read’s co-founders, John Wood, wrote a book called “Leaving Microsoft to Change the World” and as an undergraduate student, I wandered into the university bookshop in a break between classes and this particular book caught my eye. That was a tipping point for me: after reading that book, I wanted to join the Room to Read movement and make a tangible difference.
What’s particularly special about the organisation?
I think education is a game changer, it’s the key to breaking the cycle of poverty. So the core values of Room to Read aligned with my own. What made Room to Read special to me was its approach to transforming education. As much as it’s a non-profit, it has a business centric model, it is very numbers and data driven, transparent and results-focused. There is also a strong philosophy around locals empowering locals, which is integral to success. But most of all, Room to Read thinks big – we want to eradicate illiteracy and we know how we are going to get there. I love the boldness of that.
What do you think has been key to you being able to lead on an increase in fundraising and volunteer engagement with the charity?
I think there have been two key factors: always staying true to Room to Read’s overarching values and methodology, and actively engaging with and growing the potential of the volunteers. By aligning with Room to Read’s philosophies, we’ve been able to steer steady fundraising growth through the ebbs and flows of change. By listening and always looking for ways to learn from volunteers of all walks of life, we have been able to design opportunities that enable meaningful engagement and allow each individual to shine as they contribute to this global movement.
You manage multiple career hats, including as the COO for WiBF and various board roles, what’s your secret to time management?
I don’t think there’s a secret to it! Time management is about mindful choice. Every single person is given exactly the same number of hours in a day. It is up to each individual to decide how they want to spend that time. One of my measures of time management, is to reflect at the end of each day and ask myself “Did I grow today or did I spend too much time just existing?” As long as I am honest with the answer and make changes accordingly, time is just a tool that I use to pursue meaningful roles and activities in my personal and professional life.
What do you most enjoy about having a ‘portfolio career’?
I studied engineering, because engineers are problem solvers. Having a portfolio career has allowed me to do exactly that – design solutions to the challenges that exist in society. The key framework that I have used to shape my career is to ensure that I am using my skills and expertise to solve a complex problem and to make a tangible difference. This meant that I’ve had a very unorthodox career path. It has always been unplanned, it has been defined by the opportunities that I have turned down and also by the opportunities that I decided to take.
What’s your number one tip to other women looking for a leadership role or board position with a NFP?
The tip that has always worked for me is to align prospective opportunities with your core values. Does the leadership role or NFP board position fall in line with your key purpose in the world? If the answer is yes, then you’re halfway there; the rest is about using your skills, your network and expertise to develop and execute new opportunities for the NFP.
