Return to the Transferable Skills for PhD Careers Index
Managing Up/Down as a Science Program Officer in a Nonprofit
Management is an important skill, in both directions. Often you need to learn how to have influence even when you have no authority. I see it more as leadership - your ability to influence, motivate and enable people -- who may or may not be your direct reports.
What specific skills are part of how you apply this transferable skill?
- Ability to manage others
- Dealing with conflict
- Negotiating difficult conversations
- Seeking advice from advisors and mentors
- Training and mentoring individuals
How else do you use this transferable skill?
inspiring people, executing/delivering
Managing Up/Down as a Senior Project Manager in Academia
I manage three staff from different skill sets and backgrounds, and dealing with conflict and negotiating difficult conversations is an important part of the project management work I do.
What specific skills are part of how you apply this transferable skill?
- Ability to manage others
- Dealing with conflict
- Negotiating difficult conversations
- Seeking advice from advisors and mentors
- Training and mentoring individuals
Managing Up/Down as a Senior Project Manager in Science Policy
I manage three staff from different skill sets and backgrounds, and dealing with conflict and negotiating difficult conversations is an important part of the project management work I do.
What specific skills are part of how you apply this transferable skill?
- Ability to manage others
- Dealing with conflict
- Negotiating difficult conversations
- Seeking advice from advisors and mentors
- Training and mentoring individuals
Managing Up/Down as a Consultant in Consulting
In consulting, it's typical to be staffed on teams on 2-5 people for ~3 month engagements. Teams will generally have a manager, whose focus is on the broader project timeline and deliverables. The manager will be less focused on the day-to-day so the ability to manage up and express roadblocks, challenges, etc is important. Furthermore, as one becomes more senior and serves as a project manager, the ability to manage a team will a focus on final product delivery is fundamental to the role.
What specific skills are part of how you apply this transferable skill?
- Ability to manage others
- Dealing with conflict
- Negotiating difficult conversations
- Training and mentoring individuals
Managing Up/Down as a Associate Director, Regulatory Affairs in Regulatory and Clinical Affairs
In regulatory, it is imperative to have the ability to manage up/down and sideways. There was a looming risk to have certain products registered in a particular country, I had to convince my boss and other executives that we had to proceed with the registration.
What specific skills are part of how you apply this transferable skill?
- Ability to manage others
- Dealing with conflict
- Negotiating difficult conversations
Managing Up/Down as a Computational Scientist in Data Science
My manage is very senior in the company and sometimes loses track of everything I am working on. My manager can and wants to support me, but it is up to me to communicate the support I need.
What specific skills are part of how you apply this transferable skill?
- Ability to manage others
- Seeking advice from advisors and mentors
- Training and mentoring individuals
Managing Up/Down as a Chief Policy Director in Science Policy
Although the policy career that I have is largely flat, there are opportunities to partner where you have to "manage up" to those who have more seniority and stronger relationships with the sponsor, but you have content knowledge. There are times when you have to manage your more junior team in order to produce the best policy resource.
What specific skills are part of how you apply this transferable skill?
- Ability to manage others
- Dealing with conflict
- Negotiating difficult conversations
Managing Up/Down as a Clinical Scientist in Regulatory and Clinical Affairs
Clinical scientists work within larger organizations. Soft skills such as influencing both internal and external stakeholders are key to this role.
What specific skills are part of how you apply this transferable skill?
- Ability to manage others
- Dealing with conflict
- Negotiating difficult conversations
- Seeking advice from advisors and mentors
Managing Up/Down as an Assistant Dean in Academia
The professional indicated this transferable skill is important in their position, but did not provide specific examples.
What specific skills are part of how you apply this transferable skill?
- Ability to manage others
- Dealing with conflict
- Negotiating difficult conversations
- Seeking advice from advisors and mentors
- Training and mentoring individuals
Managing Up/Down as a Regional Applications Manager in Field Science
In terms of managing down, I want to be sure that people are on top of their annual goals, or if a goal seems too ambitious, to break it down into the doing parts. In terms of managing up, our head of R&D is extremely busy, and it is important to have done as much work as possible on a problem before passing it up the chain. The question should be specific and not able to be answered by someone else.
What specific skills are part of how you apply this transferable skill?
- Negotiating difficult conversations
- Seeking advice from advisors and mentors
- Training and mentoring individuals
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