Hanan AlMaziad, PMP, PgMP, PfMP
For helping transform healthcare in Saudi Arabia
On the same day that women in Saudi Arabia earned the right to drive in 2018, Hanan AlMaziad broke another barrier: She passed an exam that made her the first woman in her country to earn the Program Management Professional (PgMP)® certification. “It was double celebration,” AlMaziad says.
But there’s more to AlMaziad’s career than bridging gender gaps. She’s also a project leader who’s part of the digital transformation at King Faisal Specialist Hospital & Research Centre in Riyadh. The role puts her in a position to provide governance on the government’s Vision 2030, a strategic rethinking of areas such as healthcare to create a more diverse and sustainable economy.
As part of continuous improvements, AlMaziad contributed to the development of organizational and portfolio process assets, including a quantitative model for initiative evaluation and selection.
Working within the organization’s healthcare IT affairs program management office means AlMaziad is also focused on making sure the project stays aligned to the organizational strategy. Yet even with all the responsibilities, she’s not about to miss out on the opportunity to “motivate more women globally to show interest in the very challenging program management profession,” she says. “Yes, women can!”
Q&A: Hanan AlMaziad on the tracking project performance and staying humble
What project most influenced you personally?
Riyadh Metro. Building public transportation across the city is a big and unique project in Saudi Arabia that will definitely have impact on people’s quality of life.
What’s one skill needed to succeed in The Project Economy?
Performance analysis. Having the right data to track and manage the progress to ensure completeness of the project on time, within scope and within budget.
What’s the biggest challenge facing young project leaders right now?
Staying humble. When you’re in a position of leadership, it can be easy to start believing that all this success is your doing, that maybe you deserve the credit for your organization’s greatest accomplishments. But you don’t need us to tell you that the arrogant leader is not someone we want to follow. That’s a leader who alienates their team, causes conflict and incites drama, none of which is healthy for an organization. The best leaders are humble leaders. They know that leadership is about influence and impact, not authority. They recognize the value of the team around them. It can be a challenge to stay humble as a leader, but it’s a quality worth fighting for.