Kim Scherbarth

Why this persona fits the audience

Manages a community development program in Berlin with a team of 6. Responsible for writing grant applications and annual strategic plans. Currently uses a legacy version of LibreOffice and manual data entry for budget projections. Budget-conscious due to non-profit funding constraints but recognizes that outdated documentation formats are hurting grant approval rates.

• Age: 38
• Location: Berlin, Germany
• Occupation: Program Manager
• Income: €45,000 - €55,000
• Education: Master's Degree in Social Sciences
• Company size: Small non-profit (approx. 15 employees total)
• Years in role: 5

“The real work is building connections and seeing those connections strengthen our community, even if the paperwork to get there feels like a constant uphill battle.”

Kim Scherbarth's journey into non-profit management began during her Master's studies in Social Sciences at Humboldt University. Fascinated by urban development and social equity, she actively volunteered with various community initiatives throughout her academic career. Upon graduation, she secured a position at a local Berlin non-profit focused on integrating newcomers and fostering intergenerational understanding. She quickly demonstrated a knack for organization and strategic thinking, leading her to her current role as Program Manager five years ago. Her responsibilities are extensive, encompassing the oversight of a community development program that impacts several neighborhoods. She manages a team of six dedicated individuals, guiding their work on projects ranging from establishing community gardens to organizing cultural exchange events. Kim is deeply committed to her work, driven by a strong belief in social impact and community empowerment. However, her dedication is often tested by the administrative realities of non-profit funding. She relies heavily on a legacy version of LibreOffice for all her documentation, including complex budget projections and annual strategic plans. This manual approach, while cost-effective in the short term, consumes a significant amount of her time and, she suspects, hinders the quality and professionalism of her grant applications. She has recently begun to feel the pressure of outdated documentation formats, recognizing they might be negatively impacting her organization's ability to secure crucial funding. This realization is a growing concern, pushing her to consider more efficient, albeit potentially costly, solutions. Her personal life is grounded in sustainability and community; she cycles everywhere, tends an organic garden plot, and finds joy in capturing the city's essence through photography. She lives a relatively modest lifestyle, prioritizing impact and connection over personal accumulation, a philosophy that extends to her professional outlook but creates friction with the demands of modern grant management.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Kim's typical weekday begins around 7:00 AM with a quick breakfast and checking emails. She cycles to her office by 8:30 AM. The morning is usually dedicated to team check-ins, reviewing project progress, and responding to urgent queries. After a simple lunch, often brought from home, she dives into grant writing or strategic planning. This often involves exporting data from various sources, manually compiling it in LibreOffice Calc, and then formatting it for reports. She might have a meeting with a community partner or a funding agency representative in the afternoon. She leaves the office around 5:30 PM, often stopping at a local market before cycling home. Evenings are for personal time, perhaps a photography walk, preparing dinner, or catching up on reading.

Lifestyle

Kim lives a fairly frugal but fulfilling life in Berlin. Her apartment, a shared WG in Prenzlauer Berg, is functional and filled with plants. She cycles everywhere, valuing the environmental and health benefits. Weekends often involve volunteering at a community garden project or exploring lesser-known parts of the city with her camera. She prioritizes experiences and social connections over material possessions, often cooking meals with friends or attending local cultural events. Her income supports her modest lifestyle and allows for occasional travel to visit family in other parts of Germany.

Work life

As a Program Manager for a Berlin-based community development non-profit, Kim juggles multiple responsibilities. Her days are a mix of team meetings, stakeholder consultations, and intensive desk work. She leads a team of six, focusing on projects that enhance local infrastructure and social cohesion. A significant portion of her time is dedicated to grant writing and reporting, which often involves wrestling with outdated LibreOffice spreadsheets for budget projections and impact assessments. The constant pressure to secure funding means meticulous, though often time-consuming, documentation is paramount. She feels the strain of manual data entry and the limitations of her current tools.

Relationships

Kim maintains strong connections with her immediate family, though they live in a different city. Her closest friends are a mix of former university colleagues and people she's met through volunteering and community work in Berlin. She values their support and often discusses work challenges and life decisions with them. Her team at work is a source of camaraderie, and she feels a sense of responsibility towards their professional development.

How they decide

Kim is a cautious and research-oriented decision-maker, especially when it comes to anything impacting her program's budget or operational efficiency. She prefers to gather information, consult with trusted colleagues or peers, and weigh the pros and cons thoroughly before committing. She is not easily swayed by hype and looks for practical, sustainable solutions.

How they sound

Speaks with a clear, measured tone, often using precise language. Her German is standard, with a slight Berlin inflection. She avoids overly casual slang or jargon, preferring direct and professional communication, especially in work contexts. She might occasionally use phrases like 'ganz ehrlich' (honestly) or 'im Grunde genommen' (basically) when emphasizing a point. She tends to be articulate and thoughtful in her responses.