Our stories
Being part of a government profession is an important part of every civil servant’s career journey. Joining a profession allows you to meet like-minded and similarly skilled people, as well as access training and learning opportunities to help you excel in your role.
I believe everyone can benefit from being part of the Operational Delivery Profession community. There’s something for everyone, with excellent support for both career and personal development.
Zara, Operational Delivery Profession
Read the stories of civil servants who are part of a professional network. See how they grow their skills, progress their career and build their network.
Jay Kara, Departmental Liaison for Government Grants Managed Service, Cabinet Office
I would highly recommend a career in Grants. It can be extremely rewarding to see how government funding and policy impacts people’s lives and seeing on the ground delivery affecting a change. My advice would always be to think of the end result you want to achieve and then work backwards. Keep it simple and accessible especially for smaller or charitable organisations as most of the time it’s these organisations that can deliver change and have the biggest impact.
Anis Khaldoun, Risk Specialist, Ministry of Defence
Being part of the Government Risk Management Profession has given me the chance to apply my skills where they truly matter, making a real difference at the heart of government. It’s rewarding to contribute to work that benefits the whole of the UK, while also developing my own professional expertise.
Toni Peters,
Deputy Commercial Director, Grants and Innovation, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Since joining the Civil Service in 2019, I’ve built and led grant functions across departments — always with a focus on impact, efficiency, and empowering teams to do their best work.
Baljit Singh Rakhra, Head of Digital Delivery, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government
Digital delivery in government isn’t just about technology — it’s about creating better services, faster, for the people who need them most.
Dr Chloë Gough, Senior Inclusive Practice Lead, Cabinet Office
Being part of the Occupational Psychology profession has raised my awareness of the amazing work being undertaken by occupational psychologists cross-government and given me the opportunity to build a strong network of friendly and interesting contacts.
Amardeep Mann, Principal Psychologist, Cabinet Office
The Government Occupational Psychology profession has provided a great source of continual professional development through its conferences and learning events, to ensure that my knowledge and skills are up-to-date. It is also a great way to network with others and build relationships to understand what other areas of government are working on.
Sue Richards, Crisis Management Lead, Chartered Engineer, OFGEM
Last year, I saw the Government Science and Engineering (GSE) profession were supporting people through their achieving chartership, I had a ‘now-or-never’ moment and signed up. The wealth of knowledge and support in the GSE profession is exactly what you need to succeed on this journey. They are an amazing and inspiring resource, not just for my own development but have become a community and network I can lean in on and help problem solve and debate solutions with.
Arin Annan, Operational Delivery Fast Stream participant, Department for Work and Pensions
The Operational Delivery Profession has helped me to develop my leadership skills. I’m currently on the Operational Delivery Fast Stream and excited to earn my Level 6 qualification and Chartered Management Status by my third year. My next placement will be with the Judicial College, and I’m relocating from Newcastle to Leeds for the first time in my life. It’s exciting to work in a new city with Fast Stream support, opening up new career opportunities.
Samantha Merrett, Senior Accessibility Specialist, Ministry of Justice
Being part of the Digital and Data profession in government means you have the unique opportunity to drive impactful change and improve public services that benefit society as a whole. It’s a role where my expertise not only shapes the future of our services and technology but also improves the lives of our users every day — there is something incredibly humbling and empowering about that.
Henrietta Ozono-Okeri, Data Analyst, Insolvency Service
The ODP isn’t just about individual growth; it’s about building communities of learning that transform teams. Through resources like LISTR mentoring and development programmes, the profession provides pathways for everyone to reach their potential whilst delivering vital services to millions of people.
Florence West, Senior Procurement and Contracts Manager, Advanced Research and Invention Agency
Engaging with the Grants community has been hugely beneficial for me. Their expertise has helped me bridge the gap between my commercial background and the specific challenges of managing government grants, while also giving me the chance to share my own insights, and ask them lots of questions!
Stuart Burrows, Head of Sustainability, Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
The breadth of opportunities in the Property Profession is incredible. The Property Function across government acts as one large umbrella organisation, encouraging members to grow their careers and develop different skills in very various environments and property portfolios.