Pauline Mbundu-Uitenwerf

Manager Consulting Public Sector

After completing two study programmes and a traineeship with the City of Amsterdam, Pauline Mbundu-Uitenwerf was looking for a place to launch her career. Her wish list included challenging work with social impact, preferably in a dynamic environment with smart people. She chose PwC. And after twelve years with the firm, she’s still happy with her decision.

“You can find out who you are at PwC”

Pauline Mbundu-UitenwerfManager Consulting Public Sector

“I’ve always been socially engaged. So after studying business communication and business management, I wanted to work for a firm where I could deepen that engagement. I’m a public sector consultant at PwC and I mainly work on projects for the Netherlands’ national government. That work allows me to satisfy much of my desire to engage with society. On top of that, at PwC I have the opportunity to spend some of my time on corporate responsibility projects. Specifically, I work pro bono for NGOs that would otherwise not be able to pay a consultant. For example, right now I’m assisting a foundation that wants to help government leaders achieve the UN’s sustainable development goals. It’s very fulfilling.”

Work on achieving your goals

“PwC offers such a broad, sweeping, international canvas that you can really find out who you are here, what you truly want. If you already know that, you can work on achieving your heart’s desire, and if you don’t, you have every opportunity to find out what that is. In the twelve years that I’ve been here, I’ve come across disciplines, projects and initiatives that I had no idea existed and that have turned out to be incredibly interesting. And for those who want to, there’s usually the option of working abroad. I’ve worked on projects in Rwanda and Kenya, but I’ve also found myself on a Dutch building site surrounded by construction workers. You really can go anywhere.”

Diversity

“I’m very interested in diversity. And I’ve seen PwC go through some major changes in that regard in recent years. It’s more inclusive now, and it embraces more cultures. If I sit down briefly in the lobby today, I see the whole world pass by, everything from three-piece business suits to skinny ripped jeans to hijabs. I’m also the chairperson of PwC’s Connected Cultures Network, our cultural diversity network dedicated to making PwC a more inclusive environment for staff. Fortunately, PwC is an international organisation and pretty broad-minded as a result. And it really does go without saying that we have women working at every level.”

Values

“PwC is obviously a results-driven organisation that ultimately assesses its staff on their performance. But it’s also a very humane organisation with a welcoming culture and highly motivated employees who truly work together as a team. And we have values that we genuinely believe in and strive to live up to. If you’re looking for a place to start or build your career, I suggest you take a look at the organisation’s values. In PwC’s case, they are not just empty words.”