We sat down with Georja Osborne, a Manager in the M&A Valuations and Modelling team at Deloitte Adelaide. Georjas journey began as a Graduate, quickly progressing to become a Manager through gaining skills in building and reviewing complex business models to help clients make strategic decisions.
In this interview, Georja shares her experiences, highlights, and insights into her career at Deloitte, along with how the firm supports her professional growth and work-life balance.
Tell us about your role at Deloitte and what it involves?
I’m a Manager based in Adelaide, working in the M&A Deloitte Business Modelling team. I have worked in this team for 4 years, starting as a Graduate before progressing through roles to become a Manager earlier this year.
The day-to-day of my role includes building and reviewing business models (think Excel, coding, and dashboards) for our clients. I help distill complex problems into tools that can help businesses and government make strategic decisions.
Why did you want to join Deloitte? Were there any benefits that stood out for you?
Deloitte hadn't been on my radar initially, as I was completing an Engineering degree. However, I had a friend from university who had completed the Vacationer program and suggested that I would really enjoy the workplace and style of work.
The variety of clients and challenges was what drew me to the role. I love being client-facing and working with a great team of people. We get great insight into how businesses operate and get to be at the forefront of new ideas.
Can you share a personal experience where you felt supported or encouraged in your career growth?
The transition to a leadership role has been the most challenging part of my career so far. The training and mentorships in place have been imperative to ease the pressure of making a career step like this, as they provide guidance and tools to lead better while also looking after yourself.
These programs provide connections to others who are going through or have been through the same step. My core memories from this time have been one-on-one conversations with multiple mentors, who have been generous with sharing their experiences and offering advice on how to lead a team.
What does hybrid or remote working look like for you? How does this help you maintain work-life balance?
While I spend most of my time in the office or at a client site, I do enjoy working from home occasionally. Having the flexibility to shift working hours around helps me make the most of my time outside of work, so that I can do the things that I love, like football or supporting family.
Having the flexibility to shift working hours around helps me make the most of my time outside of work, so that I can do the things that I love, like football or supporting family.
How does Deloitte help you develop your career, and why is it important to you?
Deloitte's focus on ongoing learning and personal development is what has kept me at the company. There is always something new to discover, and Deloitte encourages as much growth as possible, through both formal and informal channels. It is also exciting working with kind and high-performing individuals every day.
What kind of Deloitte development programs have you taken part in, and was your experience like?
Over the last year, I have been lucky enough to be involved in both the Inspiring Women program and Building Brilliant Leaders. The Inspiring Women Program included over 200 women from across Australia. We listened to incredible speakers from both Deloitte senior leadership and from leaders within the community and participated in workshops in Sydney and Melbourne.
Both the IW program and BBL have allowed me to meet many new people, which I think is the most valuable experience you can have. One piece of wisdom that stuck with me from the IW program is that if you want to pay forward the support you have been given, then you need to reflect on what people have sacrificed for you to get you to where you are. This is something I want to take forward as I progress as a leader.
Why do you believe Deloitte is an excellent fit for women considering a career move?
Deloitte is actively pushing to make sure that the workplace is equitable for women and is working to lead the way in this space. Flexible working policies, including time flex and place flex, and the great parental leave policy are in place to support women (and men) to be able to balance work and out-of-work commitments and to help women continue working and thriving. There are also specific programs in place to help support female leaders to progress in their career.
Flexible working policies, including time flex and place flex, and the great parental leave policy are in place to support women (and men) to be able to balance work and out-of-work commitments and to help women continue working and thriving.
What advice would you give to candidates looking to join our firm?
I would advise candidates looking to join Deloitte to take advantage of the opportunities for learning and development, connect with mentors, and actively participate in programs like the Inspiring Women Program and Building Brilliant Leaders. These programs allow you to meet many new people and gain valuable insights to support your career progression.
Thanks Georja! One final question - what makes you stay? I've been at Deloitte for four years, and what keeps me here is the focus on ongoing learning and personal development, the opportunity to work with a diverse range of clients, and the supportive and high-performing team I get to work with.
Discover Our Careers at Deloitte, and find a career as unique as you are.