Yvonne has over 18 years of progressive business development leadership and management experience gained primarily through engineering and construction service providers for the natural resources and infrastructure sector. Her experience includes development of compelling proposals and commercial offerings related to engineering and construction management services, engagement of external and internal stakeholders, C-suite reporting and senior management reporting including commercial analytics, and team leadership. More recently, Yvonne’s work has drawn her into continuous improvement of business processes.
Job Title: Manager, Business Development – Western Canada
When did you start at Giffen?: November 2024
What office are you based in? Vancouver, BC
What inspired you to join the team here? Corporate culture, agreeable work arrangement, staying in the industry
What do you think makes our team culture unique? Mutual respect, walk the talk when it comes to work life balance
What is the best advice you could give to a brand-new employee? We are small but growing. Flexibility at this stage of our growth is important. And with the growth comes plenty of opportunities for learning and for your career growth.
What is one thing that you wish people knew about your job or industry? Before you bash the industry, give some thought to the metals that are used in your everyday life. Did you know your precious mobile phone may contain 62 or more different types of metals? And I promise you, none were grown on trees.
When did you first know that you wanted to pursue a career in this field? This field chose me.
What do you love most about your job? Meeting people, connecting people, learning, learning learning, chasing the next opportunity, and best of all, winning it!
What piece of advice would you give to your younger self? Stay curious, take risks, follow your bliss.
What do you like to do outside of work? Garden; bake artisanal bread; explore new anything – on my home turf and through travel; spend time with my grandchildren – ah, the innocence, the curiosity, the energy, and the brutal honesty!
What is your favorite local spot to eat / drink? Too many to name.
What would be your dream job (that isn’t this one!)? The one that always feels like play.
If you could visit any place in the world, where would it be? That’s a tough one. Would be one from a very, very long list. I’ve never been to Newfoundland and would love to hike in Gros Morne!!
If you could pick any superpower, what would it be and why? Be omnilinguistic, so I can understand how different people think and see the world.
