Briefly, could you tell us about your background and career before joining King's?
I joined the Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care just after I graduated from my MSc and had been working part-time in a clothes shop. My degree in Philosophy isn’t the most vocational, and I’d worked in student-facing roles during my time at university which I’d really enjoyed, so I decided to look for full-time roles in this area.
What has been your career progression since joining the Faculty?
I joined in January 2020 and have moved around a fair bit – I started as a Programmes Officer, and then I was interim Senior Placements Officer from February 2021. In summer 2021, I moved back to my Programmes Officer role, before becoming Senior Programmes Officer in the Assessments team in January 2022. Finally, I started my role as Interim Programmes Manager in May 2023, before being made permanent in December 2023!
How did you find it moving roles within the Faculty, what support and encouragement have you had from colleagues and managers?
Initially, I found moving roles quite daunting – especially as I was moving between different teams, I was adjusting to both a new role as well as new areas of work. However, the teams have always been so kind and happy to help, which meant I always felt supported when taking the next step.
The Faculty was also really supportive in helping me develop between roles – before my current Programmes Manager role, I’d interviewed for a different one but was unsuccessful. However, I was given such helpful feedback and lots of support which helped me feel prepared for when another opportunity came around.
What would you say to someone looking to develop and grow within the Faculty but unsure about where to start?
Go for it! It can feel scary at first but once you start looking into the opportunities and working towards this, you will realise just how many skills you’ve gained. One of the things I found most helpful was growing my knowledge of other teams, so I would always recommend speaking to other team members about this.
What is your favourite thing about working at King's?
Definitely the people!
What do you do with your time outside of work?
I love trying new food or coffee places, so most of my weekends and evenings are framed around that. I also have a 2 year old nephew who I spend every possible minute with.
Quick fire...
Hidden talent?
I have successfully won a prize in the claw machine at an arcade.
Favourite meal?
Anything that incorporates a Yorkshire pudding.
Dream holiday destination?
Either Japan or anywhere in Scandinavia.