Our alum Nina Nissilä: International politics degree benefits Kela’s Director in IT development

A decade-long transformation project

As Kela's Director, Nina Nissilä is responsible for Kela’s IT services that cover approximately 1,400 employees and shared services that involve a wide range of support functions from operational HR to financial management, legal services, security and all the way to cleaning services. She works closely with the rest of Kela's senior directors and her immediate subordinates. She is also a member of Kela's Management Team.

“I am also responsible for Kela's benefit payments, which amount to around 16 billion euros,” Nina adds.

Furthermore, Nina is currently working on Kela's information system modernisation programme and will continue to do so for several years to come. Launched in 2022, the programme is aimed at updating Kela's current benefit systems and related support systems. Its completion will take about a decade.

“During the procurement phase, our work has been increased by the fact that there are few references available in Finland. We have therefore visited several colleague institutions in different European countries,” says Nina.

Social relevance is the guiding star

Before joining Kela in 2018, Nina had worked as Chief Digital Officer leading the D9 Digital team at the State Treasury of Finland and as Director at Tieto and CGI Finland. For Nina, social relevance is key when it comes to work, and that is something her current role at Kela truly offers.

The challenges of everyday work are not easy, however, as the opportunities for action are challenged in many ways. The work is affected by the scarcity of state resources and the worsening security situation, for example. Labour market changes and the challenges brought about by labour shortage are also visible at Kela. As for information systems, challenges arise from massive data sets and data sensitivity.

Our work is constantly getting faster and harder, so we need to be alert to changes around us."

Nina Nissilä

“Our work is constantly getting faster and harder, so we need to be alert to changes around us. Artificial intelligence, for one, is only in its infancy, but the question is not whether it will change the way we work. The question is when and how these changes will emerge – and what will they actually mean for our work,” Nina says.

Textbook example of a winding career path

Nina's educational background is in international politics. She started dreaming about studying the subject as a teenager – as soon as she became aware that such a discipline existed. Tampere University was her first choice because international politics was taught under social sciences there.

“International politics was the obvious choice for me, I couldn't even think of any other options. I really liked Tampere, too. The atmosphere was great, and it felt easy to slip in even though I’m originally from another part of Finland,” Nina says.

International politics was the obvious choice for me, I couldn't even think of any other options. I really liked Tampere, too. The atmosphere was great, and it felt easy to slip in even though I’m originally from another part of Finland."

Nina Nissilä

Although the link between Nina's degree and her current position is not obvious at first glance, Nina feels that her studies gave her good preparation for working life. The connection between international politics and IT has become more apparent to Nina herself in recent years. Information security, for example, plays an important role in modern warfare and in maintaining social tranquillity.

“With cyber warfare and hybrid influencing in play, IT has become increasingly essential in international politics. My studies help me read news of the world with a slightly different lens. Warfare involves a lot of propaganda, which is now being enforced digitally and at a faster pace. Understanding this has helped me better conceptualise how wars progress,” Nina notes.

In hindsight, Nina feels that her career path so far seems more determined than it has actually been. In addition to her personal traits, wise employers have helped her along the way by giving her the freedom and abilities to leap on to the next role.

“I guess I'm a textbook example in that paths are not always straightforward and even this kind of educational background can be used it IT, for example. All in all, I think I've done pretty well,” Nina says with a smile.

Text: Tiina Leivo

Read more alumni stories