5 minutes with Tania Bunce

Tell us about volunteering through the FolSM Transformaion Portolio

Just after I started my secondment in SCMMS, I saw this opportunity advertised, and I grabbed the chance to participate with both hands. I really liked the idea of being able to work with other like-minded people working in a similar area to make a difference for everyone.

The project I worked on focused on HR Processes, specifically looking at the operational elements of recruitment and contract variations. There were around eight of us on the working group from across the Faculty. The fact that it was a small group meant that we could really listen to each other. I found it really enlightening to understand how others approach the same process in slightly different ways based on their experience. It’s interesting because research shows that it’s actually really difficult to re-learn something you think you already know well, as your brain always defaults to its existing wiring. To explore things from a different perspective takes effort, you have to be willing to be engaged, but the richness of knowledge you get in the end makes it so worthwhile.

We were able to pool our collective knowledge into creating FAQs documents on the Faculty Information Hub with lots of tips to support people preparing for recruitment or actioning contract changes, hopefully making things as easy as possible. Another benefit of working together through the Transformation Portfolio is that you are better able to influence change centrally than as an individual.

We had some very productive conversations with relevant stakeholders including colleagues from Post award, HR Ops, Recruitment and we also had a call with the Head of Services Design and Improvement regarding PeoplelXD functionality, which was insightful.

Briefly, tell us about your background and career up to this point?

I have a degree in psychology, and have worked in higher education for 18 years, across both the University of Greenwich and King’s. In that time I've held a range of roles spanning student recruitment, pre and post-award research programme support and more recently positions within IoPPN and FoLSM related to HR and Finance.

What would colleagues find most surprising about you?

Probably the fact that I have three big labradors, Raven, Oakley and Blue. They are all very different in their personalities and are gorgeous, but do require lots of walking, feeding and playtime! My husband and I also run a small business selling natural dog treats.

What do you like to do with your time outside of work?

I really enjoy reading, more specifically listening to Audiobooks, particularly on the commute. I particularly like books that make me think, and that help me change the way I approach things in life or work. I’m also a compassionate neighbour for my local hospice. Plus I have two teenagers (alongside the dogs), so life is definitely busy!

What is your proudest accomplishment?

Something I’m really proud of is that my family hosted a Ukrainian mother and her 15-year-old daughter, Tania and Diana, for nine months at the beginning of the war. It was a really wonderful shared experience, and I am so proud that we were able to play a small part in helping them flourish in such difficult circumstances.

At the beginning Tania couldn’t speak any English so it was certainly interesting for us both trying to negotiate the language barrier - luckily her English improved much more quickly than my Ukrainian! She has gone from not being able to speak any English to successfully completing her accountancy training in this country. Unfortunately her existing qualifications were non-transferable, so she had to go right back to the bottom and requalify all over again in a second language. Her daughter Diana not only completed her Ukrainian studies online but has now got English GSCEs and A-levels through a local secondary school, and has secured a place at University.

Do you have any current projects you’d like to tell us about?

I got so much from my own secondment experience that I’m now passionate about helping others learn in a similar way. I set up a shadowing project across the two Schools which I called ‘Peer-spective’. By keeping it small-scale, I’ve been able to personally introduce colleagues, giving them a chance to arrange shadowing opportunities and learn from each other.

Quick fire

Favourite season – Autumn, I love the colours

Favourite London restaurant – Big Easy BBQ and Crabshack. There’s one at Canary Wharf and another at Bluewater. Our family loves country music, so this is right up my street!

Favourite book – The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins, particularly the Audio version narrated by Tatiana Maslany as that adds emotional depth and gave me goosebumps.

Netflix recommendation – This is Us (although technically it’s Disney Plus rather than Netflix) I binge watched it when I had Covid. It’s like a family therapy session!

Coffee order – skinny flat white

The superpower you would choose if you could – Definitely being able to fly. It would be so freeing!