She prioritises adaptation in light of the ever-changing work environment, since being flexible and open to new ideas, technology, and methods of working is crucial
Dar es Salaam. Iqra Ntabaye is the Soma Express’ human resources manager. She began her work in administration soon after graduating. Ms Iqra began her career as an administrative assistant at the International Courier Company.
While at her first job, she gained experience managing schedules, handling correspondence, and organising paperwork.
She oversaw a team of administrative assistants and took on more responsibilities, such as budget management and project coordination across the country.
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The experience added value to her current position at the transportation company in Tanzania, with the mission to be acknowledged by their customers as an integral part of their supply chain requirements within Tanzania and throughout the rest of the SADC countries.
Her roles at Soma include supporting the CEO and board of directors in various capacities, including managing board meetings, handling partner relations, and overseeing the daily operations of the company.
“As an experienced administrator, I’m excited to continue growing in my career and taking on new challenges. I believe my diverse background in administration has prepared me well for my current role and will continue to serve me well in the future.”
Commenting on the leadership guiding principles, she says she can never compromise and that she prioritises clear communication.
This involves being transparent, concise, and proactive in sharing information with her team and stakeholders.
“By communicating clearly, I can ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same goals. This has led to positive results in my career as an administrator by improving collaboration, reducing misunderstandings, and increasing efficiency in our operations,” Ms Iqra adds.
In her leadership, she values adaptability considering the ever-changing work environment, as it is essential to be flexible and open to new ideas, technologies, and ways of working.
By staying adaptable, she can respond quickly and effectively to challenges, opportunities, and changes in the market and keep my team and organisation ahead of the curve.
She says at Soma, they have implemented several strategies to motivate female employees to climb up the corporate ladder.
The strategies are mentorship programmes, training and development, flexible work arrangements, recognition and rewards, and equal opportunity. Adding to that, she says, they have established mentorship programmes where female employees can be paired with senior female leaders in the company who can offer guidance, advice, and support. They provide training and development opportunities to help female employees develop the necessary skills and knowledge to advance their careers.
This includes leadership and management training, communication skills, and technical skill development.
“With flexible work arrangements, we recognise the importance of work-life balance and offer flexible work arrangements such as flexible hours, work from home, and part-time work to help female employees balance their personal and professional commitments,” she says.
She says that with equal opportunities, they ensure that all female employees have equal opportunities for career growth and promotion by providing a fair and transparent promotion process based on merit and performance.
By implementing these strategies, we believe that we can create an environment where female employees feel supported, valued, and motivated to advance their careers within the organisation, she says.
Commenting on her leadership style, she says it is a combination of several different styles, depending on the situation and the needs of her team.
Overall, she describes her style as collaborative, inclusive, and results-driven.
She believes in working closely with her team to set clear goals and expectations and to empower them to achieve those goals in their own unique ways. She is a good listener and seeks to create a supportive and positive work environment where everyone feels valued and heard.
“I have honed my leadership style through a combination of experience, feedback, and ongoing learning and development. I have sought out feedback from my team and colleagues and actively worked to incorporate that feedback into my approach. I have taken leadership courses, attended workshops and conferences, and read books and articles on leadership and management to continue improving my skills and knowledge,” she says.
She says that in terms of pushing gender equality, there are things she considers when hiring. “Soma is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion, and we believe that creating a gender-balanced workforce is essential to achieving this goal,” she says.
“When reviewing applications and selecting candidates, we aim to ensure that we have a diverse pool of candidates, including men and women with a range of backgrounds and experiences,” she says.
“We make an effort to remove any potential unconscious prejudices from our hiring procedure and make sure that our selections are exclusively based on candidates’ credentials and fit for the position.”
As a manager, she observes the following: ensuring job descriptions and requirements are inclusive and don’t unnecessarily exclude qualified women; using gender-neutral language in job postings; using structured interviews with standardised questions to minimise the potential for bias; having a diverse panel of interviewers to evaluate candidates; setting diversity targets; and monitoring progress over time to ensure they are making progress in promoting gender equality in hiring.
Her advice to women starting their career journeys is to believe in themselves, seek out support and opportunities, and be willing to take risks and try new things.
“With dedication, hard work, and a positive attitude, there is nothing that women cannot achieve,” she says.
