Meet Valérie Docher, EMLyon Business School

Name: Valérie Docher

Birthplace: France

Place of residence: France

Fun fact about yourself: Raised lamas

Business School program: Executive Master General Management EMLyon and MsC Liverpool school of tropical medicine

Can you tell us about your role and what it entails?

I am currently the director of Awards Management for Relief International, an NGO working in 16 countries considered as fragile settings. The role involves but is not limited to contracts management with donors, verifying compliance and regulations with donors and national requirements.

How does the company you work for help refugees?

We provide primary health services, water, food and education in refugees settlements in different countries. We also provide support to host communities to facilitate refugees integration when possible.

What is your motivation behind working in this role?

Ensuring the compliance with the proposals, contracts and donors requirements is now a key issue for INGO. The international donors want to make sure that NGOs are using the funds in the appropriate way and that planned goals are achieved for the sake of the vulnerable communities. This contributes to providing an efficient support to vulnerable populations.

What skills have you utilised from the programme into your career in this role?

Most probably HR, communication skills and finance

Do you believe more b-school graduates need to utilise their knowledge and skills to help refugees?

The training provided in the business schools allow students to gather a large range of skills that can be applied for efficiency in the Humanitarian sector . Project management, finance, HR management, are good assets to optimise the use of the funds to deliver as much as we can to vulnerable communities and refugees.

How can businesses help NGOs and others in tackling this crisis?

Increasing the livelihood and create economic opportunities for communities can prevent migration. It is a helpful development for host communities and can have an impact on the integration of the refugees. Education, vocational training, micro loans, start your business projects  have been proved efficient to provide support to families and communities.

Private partnership with INGO are increasing and are part of the fundraising activities of INGO. Companies also provide additional support to the traditional grants and facilitate the project implementation in contributing through Gift in Kind, for example, in relation to the needs and the projects. Coordination with INGO is important to make a valuable contribution to meeting the needs of the vulnerable people.

What advice would you give other graduates who want to help in this area, whether it be through initiatives or full-time job roles?

There is a large range of skills to be applied in the Humanitarian action, from finance, to HR, project management, supply chain, logistics, communications, fundraising and general management. Choosing and internship related to INGO in the last month of their studies would definitely help to understand the different opportunities offered by the sector.

Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

Raising lamas in the center of France!

DON’T MISS: THESE B-SCHOOL GRADS ARE HELPING REFUGEES ALL OVER THE WORLD