How to Believe in Your Own ‘Superpowers’ and Elevate Your Career, Advice from a Director

“I think women have superpowers,” says Vincelle BonCamper, Internal Audit Director of Audit Practices and Methodology at the Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation (DTCC), an American post-trade financial services company offering clearing and settlement services to the financial markets. 

As a new mom who, admittedly, is “still trying to figure it all out,” she tells Fairygodboss that there’s a lot to balance between parental responsibilities and working at her highest level. But DTCC offers her opportunities to exercise those superpowers with ample learning opportunities that promote Women of Color.

Before her own promotion to her current role, she served as the senior manager for the Internal Audit Practices and Methodology team. And, prior to that, she was the Senior Audit Manager of the Financial and Operational Risk Management and Enterprise Data Management team, responsible for executing audits of those areas of the company. She had direct oversight of the quality of work performed by the team.

Now, as the Director of Audit Practices, Vincelle says she drives the development and guidance of the Internal Audit Department audit methodology to the audit teams, as well as develops new processes to optimize their efficiency and effectiveness, and ensures the delivery of high-quality, consistent, risk-based assurance work through the execution of quality assurance reviews.

How did she get to where she is? She took a leap of faith.

“Don’t let others manage your career, as no one is going to be more invested in your career than yourself,” she says to other women looking to be promoted in their own careers. “Sometimes, we have to take a leap of faith. It may not always work out, but at least you can say you took a chance and, hopefully, you learn and grow from the experience.”

Here, we caught up with her to talk more about how she landed her new role, her most valuable lessons along the way and what her day-to-day looks like now. Here’s what she had to say. 

How long have you been in your new role, and what about it excites you most?

I’ve been in my new role for roughly two months. I’m excited about my expanded responsibilities and my continued ability to improve processes within Internal Audit. Improved processes will benefit my colleagues and safeguard DTCC through the execution of IAD’s mission: to provide high-quality assurance work by challenging the adequacy of DTCC’s control environment to promote the organization’s resiliency and security. 

I’m also excited to now be a part of our department’s extended leadership team, where I have the opportunity to engage with fellow leaders in building a positive and inclusive culture within our organization.

What, specifically, helped lead to this promotion? Can you identify anything you said or did that earmarked you as someone ready for advancement?

If you consistently deliver high-quality work and demonstrate that you are continuously challenging yourself by volunteering for stretch assignments/goals that benefit your department, you’ll be seen as a valuable member of the team. I was proactive in seeking new opportunities and projects for my department, as well as soliciting feedback to continue building leadership and technical skills to advance my career.

What advice do you have to others in your industry who want to take their career path to the next level?

Every person you meet has the potential to be a new opportunity; build on those relationships. 

What’s the first (and/or last) thing you do at work every day? 

The first and last thing I do each day is check my emails and make sure that I am prepared for the current and next day, as well as check for any urgent matters. I also make sure my team is set for the upcoming day. 

What’s something you think most people (perhaps even current employees) don’t know about DTCC that you think they should?

All my family and friends are aware that I’m in the financial sector, but they don’t understand the extent of the role that DTCC plays in the industry. Luckily, we just published “What Exactly Does DTCC Do?”, and I can point them to this guide, which highlights the important role DTCC plays in the financial market.

Looking back on your career, what would you say has been your most valuable career mistake?

I wouldn’t say there are career mistakes; I would say that anything and everything is a learning opportunity.

There is one distinct experience that stands out to me. In a prior company, I was continuously being overlooked for exposure and experiences compared to my male peers. Although I was considered a subject matter expert for specific topics and relied on to provide my expertise, I wasn’t being asked to partake in significant proposals or invited to panels or industry meetings, which was frustrating.  

The last straw was an audit engagement proposal for a new client, where I was passed up to be on the proposal team that happened to be all-male. When they met the client for the proposal, the pitch did not go well, as the client (who were all women) did not like the fact the team did not have any women or diversity. Afterwards, I was approached to help rectify the situation, and they solicited me as a woman (and a Woman of Color) for the engagement. I declined and eventually resigned from the organization.  I was offended and disappointed that, even after I and other women in my group voiced concerns about being left out, nothing was happening. It shouldn’t have taken the risk of losing a prominent engagement for them to take action. So, I don’t view leaving as a mistake because it opened me up to new opportunities, including DTCC.  At DTCC I have met people who are investing their time to develop my skill set, coach me and  cheerlead behind the scenes. I value the tutoring and guidance that I’ve received since day one, as well as the opportunities that I was afforded because of my expertise and performance.

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