In this episode, I chat with Nicola Raynes-Pene, Partner at KPMG, mother of three, and 2024 Part-Time Power Lister, about what it really takes to build a thriving senior-level career while working four days a week.

Nicola shares her story of burning out during the GFC, returning to Aotearoa, and reshaping her life and work rhythm to protect her health and her family. She opens up about how boundaries, allyship, and honesty with colleagues and clients have helped her succeed without sacrificing well-being.

We explore the deeper systems that fuel the motherhood penalty, from outdated attitudes to the language we use around “part-time” work, and what leaders, partners, and businesses can do to create a fairer, more inclusive workplace for all parents.

If you’ve ever wondered how to combine ambition and balance, this episode is proof that you can lead on your own terms and still be present for the people you love.

We speak about:

·     How Nicola built a senior career on a four-day week without losing momentum

·     The realities of burnout and why she re-engineered her career around health and family

·     The importance of boundaries and clear communication with clients and teams

·     Why authentic male allyship is key to smashing the motherhood penalty

·     How KPMG’s paid parental-leave policy is driving real change for both parents

·     Why we need to redefine “part-time” and design roles for all genders

Connect with Emma

This podcast was funded and created by Emma Mclean, the founder of Works for Everyone.

Emma Mclean is a mum of three and founder of Works for Everyone, a professional development business that partners with NZ's leading corporates to help them retain and grow their working parent talent. She does this through innovative leadership programmes, executive coaching and keynote speaking. She founded her business in 2019 following a 20-year career in corporate strategy where she experienced first-hand how hard it was to have a career and a family. 

As an impatient optimist when it comes to system change, she launched her successful podcast “How to Smash the Motherhood Penalty” in 2023 where she talks to humans who are actively working to change the system that creates financial penalties that only mothers pay. And in 2024 she launched the first NZ Part Time Power List – to shine a light on those senior roles in NZ that are career building, not side stepping."

To work with Emma or enquire about speaking – [email protected] 

www.worksforeveryone.co.nz

https://www.instagram.com/worksforeveryone/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-mclean-9176217/