City official finds diamond lure irresistible
Sparkling diamond……Namibia Diamond Trading Company Manager for Public & Corporate Affairs Helena Mootseng (in blue dress) flanked by NDTC executives. (Photograph by Nyasha Francis Nyaungwa)
In a surprise move, Mootseng joined the Namibia Diamond Trading Company (NDTC) at the beginning of December 2013 as the new Manager for Public & Corporate Affairs after a lengthy spell with the City of Windhoek in various capacities most notably as the City Police’s Public and Community Relations Officer.
Before landing her high profile position at the City Police, Mootseng worked as a cashier working her way to corporate communications while studying for her Honours Degree in Journalism and Communication Technology at the Polytechnic of Namibia.
Said Mootseng of her rise to fame: “I served the City of Windhoek in various capacities over a collective period of 11yrs, but the last seven years most certainly shaped me in the corporate communications field enabling me to gain experience while completing my Honors degree in Journalism and Communication Technology specialising in Public Relations.
“As a part time student at the time, I was tasked with providing support services to the PR and marketing functions that caters for the city’s nine diverse departments from very technical services to support services such as Human resources, informing, educating and creating stakeholder engagement. I was then appointed as the City’s Internal Communications Officer, serving an employee population of just under 2000 and was finally appointed as Section Head: Public & Community Relations with the department of City Police.”
In her new role at the NDTC , Mootseng’s duties include managing and delivering internal and external strategic planning and communications by developing effective strategies which enhance the company’s corporate image, social responsibility, employee relations and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
She says despite moving from law enforcement to the corporate world, there has been no major adjustment for her as the City of Windhoek offered her both a corporate and uniformed environment under one roof.
“That has shaped me well to cope in both environments learning an array of new skills and competencies along the way,” she says, adding that she is happy to be accorded an opportunity to continue serving the Namibian government, albeit, in a different capacity and industry.
“NDTC is an exciting and vibrant company that has achieved much in its seven years of existence and I am honoured to be associated with this brand. I believe there are many learning experiences that await me, but I am excited by the prospects,” the bubbly Mootseng added.
Although the future already looks bright for Mootseng, that has not stopped her from furthering he studies. She is currently pursuing her masters degree in Leadership and Change Management with the Polytechnic of Namibia’s Business School. It’s a cliche’,but one that holds true for Helena Mootseng; the sky is certainly the limit for her.
