Marsha Macatta-Yambi is a Corporate Communication & Public Affairs Manager for Nestle Equatorial African Region, Tanzania. She holds a Master’s in Health Management, Planning and Policy from the University of Leeds, United Kingdom. She obtained her Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) degree in Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry from Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Marsha describes herself as a God-fearing, very hardworking, resilient, daring, unique and self-motivated woman.
What made you pursue a career in health?
Right before my 6th birthday, my uncle, a Medical Doctor, handed me a stethoscope. I was his favourite niece and this piece of medical device was a great seed to me for it instilled in me more enthusiasm to make a difference in the lives of others.
I started walking in the path and constantly reminding myself of who I was going to be when I grow up.
So right from that early age, I started walking in the path and constantly reminding myself of who I was going to be when I grow up. I worked very hard! I was good at my studies. I also had an opportunity to meet a very passionate Chemistry teacher in my advanced level studies. This added to the equation and passion, for I just so happened to excel extraordinarily in Chemistry. For thus, I landed in the Noble Profession of Pharmacy, a uniquely positioned profession that has established a foundation of my strengths and command in the health sector.
How would you describe your career path?
My career path started way back before joining the world leader company with the purpose of enhancing the quality of life and contributing to a healthier future. The places I worked at before Nestlé provided me with the foundation that I needed to build the right qualities that Nestlé was looking for by then.
Right after my first degree, I took a deep dive into Community Pharmacy, this allowed me to test the learnings that I received from my first degree. The interactions I had with patients nurtured my inner zeal, to the extent of establishing a good-sized community pharmacy that continues to serve a good size of the population where I grew up.
I also spent over ten years with the Christian Social Services Commission (CSSC), an ecumenical body of Protestants and catholic churches that complements the Government of Tanzania by providing about 40% of social services. At CSSC I led projects in health namely innovative Medicines supply models, HIV/AIDS and Focused Antenatal Care. I worked as head of Pharmaceutical Support Services before becoming a Chief of Party for the Malaria Communities Program (MCP). My career path at CSSC facilitated the relations that I have continued to ride on to-date. It was within those ten years at CSSC where I cemented my learnings with a master’s education in Health Management, Planning and Policy.
Ten years ago, I joined Nestlé as a Regulatory & Scientific Affairs Manager where I am responsible for ensuring compliance of food and beverage products brought into Tanzania and Malawi.
How would you describe your role at Nestlé?
It is within this portfolio, as a Regulatory & Scientific Affairs Manager, where I am uniquely positioned to contribute to innovations, advocacy, relationship-building through stakeholder engagement. Over the years at Nestlé, I have grown to continuously sharpen my communication skills and public relations to a greater extent. My portfolio is also responsible for Corporate Communication and Public Affairs where I oversee, to a greater extent, government relations, as well as media relations, let alone thrusting the creating shared value (CSV) component. The CSV has three pillars namely Nutrition, Water and Rural Development.
Keeping them healthy and safe is integrated in our DNA.
It is out of my hard work and ability to multitask that I have added small yet complex projects like Occupational Health and Safety from start to certification. Employees are assets here. So, keeping them healthy and safe is integrated in our DNA.
As a point of contact for the CSV prize since the year 2014, where Tanzania emerged as a 2nd Runner up, I have been responsible for conducting all the due diligence in Tanzania, let alone preparing for winners to showcase their stories. It is on this platform of CSV that I represent my company in several task forces for water and working groups such as that one for Environment and Climate change. I also sit on the UN Global Compact Network Tanzania Board.
What does a typical day at work look like for you?
My typical week is like a rainbow… so each day of the week is unique and can take its own shape and colour. My day starts with a prayer. For me at Nestlé, work is all the time.
As a Regulatory & Scientific Affairs Manager as well as Corporate Communication & Public Affairs Manager, I am responsible for ensuring compliance internally and externally. My roles have stretched with time and experience. My strong negotiation and influencing skills have allowed numerous projects to succeed.
A typical day would start as early as 6 am and end the following day at 1 am. The day could start from home and connect straight to the first meeting with authorities as early as 7 am. This allows for some brief attendance to emails before connecting to teleconferences. We have a saying that “good work means more work”! Therefore, this takes me to midmorning. I could connect to a physical meeting out of the office which may or may not include luncheon. Due to multiple issues in my docket, and with multiple authorities in Tanzania, I would then engage with another authority to ensure the matter at hand is concluded.
The day would end with me logging into the system to ensure that there is updating of information regarding the conclusions arrived at during the day, this includes reaching out to internal stakeholders through emails to ensure that they are updated on all information.
As a wife and mother, after finalizing my home obligations, I take time to ensure that I leave time for some good reflection on my day for lessons and improvement.
As a wife and mother, after finalizing my home obligations, I take time to ensure that I leave time for some good reflection on my day for lessons and improvement. I also incorporate some leisure reading. This is also done to ensure that the next day is well planned before communicating to God and retiring to bed, at 12midnight if not 1 am.
Read more about Marsha Macatta-Yambi journey and her professional experience, ensuring compliance of imported food and beverages as well as advocating for availability of medicines, in Part II of her interview.
To be continued…
Leave a Reply