Project Manager Emma Laurent wins 2022 Rising Star award

Congratulations to Project Manager Emma Laurent for being recognsied by Insurance Business Australia as a 2022 Rising Star in the General Insurance category. Emma began her career in insurance in 2019 in the?Talent Acquisition?team and since then, has moved into the?Product office in a project manager role. Following her award win, Emma shares a brief snapshot of her career in insurance below.

What enticed you to pursue a career in the insurance industry?

I wouldn’t say it was the insurance industry that drew me in when I applied for the role at Youi, but more so the company itself. Youi is known for its workplace culture and career progression opportunities which are two important areas of focus for me when choosing a prospective employer. It’s also a bit of a treat that I get to live the coastal lifestyle while working for a growing corporate company.

What does a typical day look like for you?

A day in the life of a project manager?at Youi is rarely the same. Some days it’s full of meetings discussing project scope, risk, planning, requirements, budgets, and timelines. Other days it’s spent with headphones in documenting governance artefacts, reporting, building out delivery plans, writing communications, and capturing business analysis. And, on the in-between days, it’s dealing with a bunch of curveballs no one expected! It’s also important for me to take the time to build and maintain relationships with my stakeholders. Oh, and drinking coffee…lots of coffee.

What’s the highlight of your career to date?

If I had to choose, it would be managing the delivery of our most recent product launch: Compulsory Third Party (CTP) in South Australia (SA). I was given the opportunity to run the project end-to-end with an awesome team alongside me. We had a small window to get into the scheme and we delivered on time, under budget, with no outstanding risks or requirements. We developed a great working relationship with our new regulator and extended partners, laying the foundation for a smooth entrance into the SA CTP market.

Can you share a career challenge that you’ve overcome?

Most days bring a new challenge, it’s part of the reason why I love the job. I often need to remind myself that projects are temporary, the goal is to achieve a successful delivery informing the end of a piece of work. When you spend so much time and energy on a project and then go-live day comes, you can find yourself struggling to let go and investing too much time into the 'business as?usual'?operations, so defining when your role in the project ends is important and can be challenging. The good thing about project work is that the next one is never too far away, and you’re thrown right into something new and exciting.