Helen Rayner

Senior Manager – Planning and Performance
Strategy and Planning

Strategy and planning sits well behind the scenes at a university. But Helen Rayner has spent 17 years at AUT and still volunteers at every graduation – because that's where the work stops being a plan and becomes somebody's future.

What’s your role and how long have you been at AUT?

I’m the senior manager – planning and performance in strategy and planning. I’ve worked at AUT for 17 years.

What made you choose AUT – and what made you stay?

I came on an eight-month contract as a planning analyst back in 2009. That initial contract got extended until it became permanent. I later moved into a senior analyst role, and then into managing a team. I came to AUT because I could see the opportunity to learn new skills and develop my career. I stay because I love the AUT environment. I’m grateful to work with such smart and caring people; AUT’s values of pono, tika and aroha align with my own; I appreciate the opportunities to grow and develop both personally and professionally, and most of all I’m proud that in some small way, doing my job helps more people experience the life-changing power of higher education.

What has surprised you most about working here?

Probably the way AUT is unapologetically different to other universities. We’ve carved out our own niche.

When did you last think: this is why I do this job?

Every graduation season. My role is not student-facing at all, so helping out at graduation is a wonderful reminder of why I come to work each day. I love seeing the parents bursting with pride, and the joy on the faces of the graduates as they celebrate their achievements.

What does working here let you do that you couldn’t do anywhere else?

The commitment to staff development is second to none. The learning ethos is infused throughout the organisation and there’s always something else to discover, or a new opportunity to take. Even after 17 years, my job is constantly evolving and changing. It can be challenging and occasionally even a bit uncomfortable, but it’s never boring.