Home>Leana, International Development
25.01.2021
Leana, International Development
Leana Lebeuf has graduated from the Master in International Development. She works as a Project Manager at Impact Partners in France.
What is your role and main responsibilities?
>Impact Partners is an impact investing firm, born from the conviction that financial return and a positive social impact can go hand in hand. We invest in companies that generate a significant social impact, particularly in deprived areas. This year, we have launched a program supporting entrepreneurs who are looking to scale up or who want to create their franchise business, for which I was hired as Project Manager. By conducting interviews with the entrepreneurs, doing quantitative financial analysis, preparing client presentations and coaching them, I work with experts in various fields to accompany those entrepreneurs in the growth of their business.
How did you secure this role?
Having always been interested in impact investing, I saw an internship offer on Sciences Po Carrières, to which I applied. I started in September 2020 as an intern for 4 months, and got offered a full-time position that I began this month.
What is the most fascinating and/or surprising aspect at your role?
Impact Partners has given me the very unique opportunity of working with senior management, at a very early stage of my career. This human-size company allows each member to have a crucial role and a high level of responsibility, which I find very exciting but also challenging. I work on a wide diversity of topics, with various actors, like Ministries, multi-nationals, NGOs, and entrepreneurs.
How did your PSIA experience help you with the role?
PSIA helped me by giving me the right tools to be quickly efficient in any position I would fill, through the highly challenging and diverse courses of the masters. Additionally, the fact that the PSIA community is so diverse, with students coming from all over the world, enhances our open-mindedness and develops our adaptability skills. It has definitely helped me adapt easily to my new environment, and given me the confidence to be proactive.
What advice would you give to others?
I would first give them a message of hope: we all know how difficult the situation is, especially for young graduates. But Sciences Po and PSIA have equipped us extremely well to enter the job market, and our profiles remain highly valued. My advice would be: do not wait for the perfect job, the one you have always dreamed of. Start by broadening your possibilities, until you find something where you feel confident you could learn a lot, and be challenged. It will always be time to change later on; a first job does not have to define your entire career and life goals. During your job search, be proactive! Do not hesitate to add people on LinkedIn, and ask them about their experience in an informal way.
Information Sessions: Masters
Find out more about the Masters programs and the wide choice of specialisations offered by the 7 Schools of Sciences Po during our webinars dedicated to applicants.
