During my ongoing exploration of education, social impact, and philanthropy through my EdPhil newsletter work, I became increasingly fascinated by the role of coaching in personal and professional development in the non-profit space. I got to know and I've worked with Kelsi Kriitmaa, PhD at my time at the Jacobs Foundation. When I saw her transition from the consulting world into a coaching role, particularly her focus on supporting women in mid-career transitions, I knew I wanted to have this conversation.
Kelsi is now offering coaching and consultancy services in the social impact sector, having worked for years in various humanitarian contexts and in the social impact consultancy world. You can find more information on her services on her website: https://www.kriitmaa.com/
Dear Kelsi, I've noticed an interesting trend: women in our demographic in the non-profit space seem more likely to embrace significant career changes and explore portfolio careers or coaching roles compared to their male counterparts. They appear to approach these transitions with greater intentionality and self-reflection. This observation, though perhaps influenced by my personal perspective, makes our discussion today particularly relevant.
Kelsi: Do you see it more in women than men? Is it happening more in women than men? Or is it that women are talking about it more in your networks, you know, on LinkedIn and using it as part of their branding and their communication strategies as well? I've had this reflection as well.
Good question. I think it’s both. I think overall there are less men doing it, but the women, if they do it, talk more about it.
Gender dynamics in society, particularly in Switzerland and globally, continue to impact women's career trajectories. Despite various efforts to balance professional and personal responsibilities, the biological reality of childbearing and the disproportionate burden of caretaking often affect women's careers significantly. Those of us born in the 1980s were raised on the "lean-in" philosophy popularized by Sheryl Sandberg, which promised we could have it all. However, this message of unlimited possibility has proven more complex in practice.
Because suddenly, we hit a wall. And now the narrative is different. It's like yes, you can have it all, but not necessarily at the same time. So, I think it's okay to step back and take a pause and lean into child rearing. And one way to do that is stepping back from a formal role and having more flexibility by going into consulting, fractional support or portfolio careers like we discussed. Is it easier for women than men to do that? Not necessarily, but I think women are willing to take the risk because they also want to be leaning in more to a flexible career for family life.
Now, let’s spend some time talking about you. Could you walk us through your career journey, particularly your jobs in the social impact sector? I'd be interested to hear about your experience in humanitarian work and international development, your time in consulting, and what led you to your current role as a coach.
I've had some major pivots in my career, which actually led me to leadership and executive coaching. I started in international development and humanitarian work as an epidemiologist - that's my PhD background. I worked in vertical disease programs across global health for many years with UN agencies and NGOs worldwide, initially in development settings before moving into humanitarian work in places like Somalia and South Sudan - really crisis, conflict, and post-conflict settings. Interestingly, this is now a key client group I work with - people in similar roles looking for better balance.
After spending about 12-13 years working directly with communities on the ground, I moved to Geneva with a UN agency. That's when I hit one of those career reflection points. I had finally secured what many dream of - a job with a regular UN contract resulting in stability and pension benefits, which isn't easy to get. But there was this inverse correlation: as I gained stability, my joy in the work diminished. Suddenly, I was in an HQ role, very policy-oriented and global, with lots of bureaucracy. I felt like I wasn't having any real impact anymore, and my field expertise just wasn't valued in those meeting rooms.
That was probably my first real inflection point. I decided to leave the UN position, much to people's dismay. You know, people get really uncomfortable when women make bold changes - I think because it forces them to question their own career stagnation. But I just flat out quit, which is quite unpopular in the UN system. I wanted to work more with the private sector and find ways to create more tangible impact.
And just on a side note, did you also have a lot of question marks when you sent in your resignation letter? In my case at the UN, it was like nobody knew how to send in a resignation letter. It just wasn't happening in general.
When I resigned, it was quite a scene - no one really knew the process because in international development, contracts usually just ended or you moved to a different role. I remember being called into my director's office and she said something like, 'What are you doing? I get 50 CVs a week on my desk for these jobs. If you leave, that's it.' She wasn't being a mentor and asking about my why or trying to understand my transition. Many people pushed me to take what's called 'special leave without pay' - SLOP - where you can reserve your spot for a year. But I saw that as a safety net. I thought, no - if I'm doing this, I'm jumping in with both feet. People talk about the UN's 'golden handcuffs,' which I find strange.
I wanted to work more with the private sector, so I started looking around and found Philanthropy Advisors, a strategy consulting firm in the impact space. They had an office in Paris but not in Geneva. I just cold-emailed them asking, 'Why don't you have a Geneva office?' I really connected with one of the partners and ended up working there for about six years, eventually becoming Chief Operating Officer. I loved the work - the diversity of mandates, working with philanthropists, private and corporate foundations, building strategies and theories of change from the ground up.
But then I hit my second major inflection point. I felt like social impact consulting was being watered down globally - there were so many actors, but what tangible impact were we having when we were just producing deck after deck? I believe there's a better way to do advisory rather than just consulting, and I think the sector will adapt eventually.
So last year, I made another bold move. I'd gotten so much from the company and learned a tremendous amount. I loved the clients and the team, but I needed a break. Consulting can be really grueling - the hours are relentless when you're in the service industry, and I was heading toward burnout. So, I took another big shift - you can see the pattern in my career of taking risks. I trusted myself, believed I would find my purpose, and took a six-month sabbatical.
This led me to my current coaching and consulting company, which offers a better pace for my life with a young family. It allows me to choose projects I truly believe in and work with clients I want to work with, on a smaller scale than those huge corporate social impact strategy projects.
So, tell me more about your coaching life. What are your target plans? What are you trying to achieve with this smaller scale, but still highly impactful piece of work?
To be honest, while I support both men and women in my coaching practice, my real passion lies in supporting women. I never had the support I needed during my own career inflection points. Looking back, I took huge risks - I didn't really know what I was doing, but I bet on myself and believed in myself. Not everyone has that ability to take those risks or that level of confidence. And honestly, the way I did it wasn't necessarily the wisest approach.
I really believe having someone to support you through these reflections, to be an accountability partner, to 'walk you off the ledge' sometimes - because these reflection periods can lead to impulsive decisions - is crucial. When I was younger in my career, I didn't have access to coaching, and later on, I couldn't find a coach who really understood our sector. That understanding makes all the difference.
For me, it's about supporting women through these pivots and reflections, but it's also about keeping talent in the sector. We're seeing so many incredible people leaving the nonprofit development, humanitarian, and social impact sector. This amazing talent is jumping to the private sector, thinking they'll find better balance, better pay, and better career support there. I think we need to stand up and say no - you can have all of that in this sector, but only if the sector shifts and commits to supporting both women and men properly.
And how do you support them?
There's been a huge proliferation of coaching worldwide, especially since COVID. The data shows it's become a billion-dollar industry. But with this growth comes a lot of fluff and marketing. My key advice for anyone looking for a coach is to really investigate their experience, education, and training.
In my practice, I offer both individual and group coaching, using a conceptual framework based on positive psychology that's goal oriented.
People often confuse therapy and coaching, but coaching is forward-facing and goal oriented. I help clients unpack their values, purpose, and their 'why,' then we look at what they want their life and career to look like - because we're more than our jobs, even though we sometimes forget that. Together, we create a roadmap with milestones and accountability to help them achieve their goals.
Whether it's one-on-one or group coaching, we always start by exploring what brings you joy. We do exercises to unpack your values and identify your superpowers. I encourage clients to dream and visualize - when was the last time, since you were 12, that someone asked you what you want to be when you grow up? When did you last let yourself imagine what you'd do if there were no limitations on skills, experience, or finances? This process can unlock some incredible aspirations.
While the individual sessions are more tailored - often preferred by senior executives and leaders who are time-constrained - the group coaching creates a community of people facing similar challenges. We meet regularly over several months, learning from each other's experiences. Participants get group coaching, some individual sessions, and peer support and accountability. After all, whatever career challenges we face, someone else has likely experienced something similar.
I'm also committed to making coaching more accessible financially. Group coaching is more affordable by design, and I offer pro bono services through the boards I sit on, along with sliding scale fees for different groups. It's important to me because I recognize that coaching can be a significant investment for many people.
Listening to your experience, I'm curious about addressing these challenges more systematically. While your coaching often helps people who are already experiencing burnout or career dissatisfaction, what do you think needs to change at a systemic level? How can organizations be more proactive in supporting their employees, so that coaching becomes part of ongoing professional development rather than just an emergency intervention?
It's funny - I was just writing about this the other day, noting that coaching is rarely someone's first port of call. By the time people reach out to a coach, they've typically already discussed their situation with their peers, colleagues, boss, partner, even their dog!
However, this is starting to shift. About half my clients now come to me when they're just starting to feel stuck - they have that feeling in the pit of their stomach that they want to change but aren't sure what that change should be. The other half come with very specific goals, like wanting to find a new job within 90 days.
The beauty of coaching is that it adapts to what you need it to be. If you come with a refined, defined goal, that's what we'll focus on. If you're just feeling stuck and uncertain about your direction, I can serve more as a mentor to help you figure it out. Though, thinking about it now, I realize I might not have directly addressed your question about systemic changes...
To rephrase my question - what systemic changes do you think are needed in organizations so that coaching becomes more of an enriching professional development tool rather than a last resort for people who are struggling to survive in the system? While coaching is valuable, how can we transform workplaces so they're more inherently supportive, making coaching an enhancement rather than a necessity for survival?
Yeah, it's interesting because I'm actually starting to work more with organizations toward the end of this year and into next year. I'm developing programs for different staff groups - whether they're going through restructuring, layoffs, or creating development programs for middle management to build a pipeline of senior leaders.
What's becoming clear is that across the sector, we desperately need better people-focused policies and human capital management. When you look at how people are treated in the social impact sector, the policies are often terrible. So it's no wonder coaching has become a last resort.
What are the types of people that come to you to request your services?
One of the top three groups I work with is international development and humanitarian workers who've spent decades on short contracts, moving around the world. They've received zero professional development support, and now they're craving stability and a personal life - they want an identity beyond their career. This situation stems directly from the terrible HR practices in our sector, including nonprofits.
Even looking beyond international development to nonprofits in the U.S. or Europe, the remuneration and benefits packages are poor. Why are people in the social sector paid so much less than in the private sector? It's based on archaic thinking and a scarcity mindset. There are some great TED talks and podcasts addressing this issue nowadays.
We need to fundamentally change how we view the sector. We should invest in our people by providing coaching for both young professionals and mid-career staff - not just when they're on the edge of a cliff and in crisis, as we discussed. Coaching should be a regular part of career development, not a luxury. It helps people regularly check in with themselves: Why did I join this sector? Am I still here for the right reasons? And if they decide to move to the private sector or do something else, that's perfectly fine.
The key is giving people the opportunity to think about their careers thoughtfully and intentionally.
Based on your comprehensive experience across different roles in the social impact and international development sector, what advice would you give to people looking to start their careers in this field? Particularly, what guidance can you offer to help them build sustainable careers and avoid reaching that burnout point we discussed? I ask because I often hear from many ambitious young people, recent graduates, and those seeking internships who are eager to enter this sector.
Having worked in global health for many years, I often got questions about how to 'get there.' My first response was always, 'Where is there?' But looking back, there are two crucial pieces of advice I wish I'd known when starting in the social impact sector.
First, the reasons you join the sector won't be the reasons you stay. You might start with ambitions to make a meaningful difference, address inequality, global health, or hunger - and yes, you will contribute to these causes. But progress isn't linear.
You'll face huge obstacles: bureaucracy, politics, geopolitics, organizational trends, fundraising challenges - things wildly outside your control. That's why it's crucial to deeply understand your 'why.' Without that anchor, when you hit those bumps, you might conclude the entire sector is failing and want out. This can trigger an internal struggle of constantly questioning whether you're making a difference. In my years across humanitarian work, development, and social impact - from setting up emergency health clinics and cholera vaccination campaigns in IDP camps to developing foundation strategies in Geneva boardrooms - I believe I've had impact. But there were major low points too, where it felt like mere PR exercises or resource allocation disputes.
Second - and this applies to any career, but especially ours - you are more than your work. Don't let your entire identity become wrapped up in your career, as I did for almost 20 years. In this sector, it's particularly challenging because we're so passionate about our work and the populations we serve. But when your entire sense of self-worth is tied to work achievements, if work isn't going well, nothing feels right.
It took me years of coaching and therapy to realize I'm more than my work accomplishments.
This identity challenge is particularly acute in the social impact sector because personal convictions and the motivation to do good make it harder to separate personal from professional life. And for women, especially here in Switzerland, there's added complexity around family life. Society isn't set up for working women - take something as simple as no school on Wednesdays.
Speaking of which, there's an interesting new book called 'The Power Pause' by Neha Ruch, who runs the Mother Untitled blog. It's reframing the identity of women who take career breaks for children. Instead of the stigma often associated with being a 'stay-at-home mom,' it positions this as a purposeful pause before returning to the workforce. It argues that both social impact and private sectors should recognize the skills developed during this time, rather than viewing it as coming back at a deficit. The book is gaining traction because it's challenging these traditional narratives about career pauses. Similarly, women who want to shift to portfolio careers (consulting, coaching, etc.), to have more time and flexibility to balance their ambitious careers and family, could learn from her work, and her new book ‘The Power Pause’ that was just published.
Thank you for these helpful pieces of advice. It really resonates with me, having gone through similar phases and challenges. For your upcoming group coaching sessions, based on the registrations you have so far, are you seeing predominantly women participants? I'm particularly curious about this given our earlier discussion about gender dynamics in the sector.
Of all the clients who reach out to me, about three-quarters are women and a quarter are men. My first group coaching cohort last November was all female - I deliberately focused on gender-segregated groups. But this January, I'm piloting something new with my 'Intentional Transitions' program, bringing men and women together to help people in the social impact sector. Through market research, I've found interesting mixed preferences - some people prefer single-gender groups where they feel they can be more open, while others value hearing perspectives across genders about similar transitions.
Looking at my client base, it breaks down into three main groups. About a third are very senior women with 20-30 years in the social impact space. They've 'made it' to director-level positions, but they're exhausted and questioning everything - whether to leave, go independent, how to find balance. Another third are humanitarian development workers struggling with work-life balance and contract instability. The final third are mid-career professionals who've lost their passion - they're not necessarily unhappy, but they're stuck wondering 'what now?' and whether to stay in the sector.
Across all these categories, only about a quarter of my clients are men. I don't think this means men aren't having similar reflections - it's more likely that my branding and marketing and professional narratives resonate more strongly with women.