Program Manager Is Making a Difference in the World
- ashleymo5779
- Apr 11
- 2 min read
Name: Milena von und zur Muhlen (she/her)
PhD: Microbiology, University of Sheffield, 2020
What was your main area of research?
I did a very traditional microbiology PhD - growing bacteria, killing it, and looking at it under a microscope. I was trying to understand how certain antibiotics kill the bacteria S. aureus using fancy cell wall labels and high-resolution microscopes.
What is your current job?
I am the Policy and Programme Manager (Fleming Fund) at the UK Department for Health and Social Care in Leeds, UK.
I work on the Fleming Fund, which is a UK foreign aid programme working in Africa and Asia. I lead on Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) for the programme, as well as having oversight on South Asia and being responsible for any safeguarding concerns.
My main tasks are programme management and planning tasks.
The best part is the subject matter! I absolutely love working in global health and feeling like I'm making a difference in the world.
How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?
I found the job through the UK civil service jobs portal - all UK civil service jobs are advertised there.
PhD graduate ➡️ UK gov COVID testing labs ➡️ civil service tad scheme (left early) ➡️ analyst at food standards agency ➡️ programme manager at department for health (current role)
Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?
I was always more attracted to the big picture of antimicrobial resistance and was interested in working on something where the impact felt more tangible.
What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?
Figure out small steps towards your dream role. If you're struggling to secure it straight out from your PhD, look for jobs that will help you develop the right skillset and use those as stepping stones to get where you want to go.
If at all possible, approach people who work in the area you want to work in to get advice/help/tips for applications. People will respond more often than you think to messages on LinkedIn or contacts through university alumni networks etc.
So much of your PhD teaches you project management skills and analytical skills - an unusual combination that gives you a different perspective to others. Sell that you can bring different thinking to a team.