Rachel Thomasson

Age at time of shift

30

Gender

Female

Education level

Graduate

Universities attended

Nottingham University

Shifted from

M&S - Trainee Merchandiser

Location

?

Salary

£20,000-£30,000

Years in old career

1

Shifted to

Refugee Council - Registration Manager

Location

?

Salary

£40,000-£50,000

Years in new career

5

Year of shift

unknown

What was your role in your old job?

*Ran Lingerie Department for 4 months - £150,000 takings/week, 15 staff.*Returned to Head Office and allocated and managed movement of stock to stores throughout UK maximizing sales potential.*Identified missing out on sales due to non availability of size and convinced merchandising manager to invest £1m further in white product to maximize sales potential.*Given own range and budget to begin merchandiser role for new collection.    

What is/are your new role(s)?

I have had 4 jobs at the Refugee Council since moving there from M&S. I started as Registration Manager on the Kosovan Programme:*Managed development of database to log details of all Kosovan refugees evacuated to the UK (4,500 in 10 weeks).*Built strong relationships across sector and local authorities to ensure consistent approach taken to recording, storing and sharing information.Statistical analysis used to lobby parliament and win the right for evacuees to receive an explore and prepare package to go to Kosovo*Then got job as Statistics & Information Manager:*Satisfied all standard and ad hoc reporting requirements to ensure retention of £8m contract and enabled management team to make informed operational and strategic decisions about the services provided.*Project managed development and roll out of bespoke, web enabled, client database - "Refugee Information On-Line" to assist case recording and facilitate reporting. (est. 30,000 clients/year, 200 active users.)*Changed organization's culture towards statistical information - demonstrating the power of accurate information in negotiations regarding policy as well as importance in IT infrastructure to facilitate strategic planning, advocacy work, pitching for funding and subsequent service delivery.Then promoted to Asylum Support Programmes Manager:*Co-ordinated plans and budgets across 11 teams in section, in line with corporate priorities.*Negotiated ongoing role for Oakington team with funders (NASS, Home Office) following changes to legislation and intake criteria for newly arrived asylum seekers.*Ensured attainment of LSC's Quality Mark (advisor level) and OISC accreditation for all services.*Line management of multi-disciplinary managers - improvements with team morale and performance noted.And now Head of the Support & Advice Section:*To manage the provision of a range of direct services across 2 sites, ensuring effective operational systems and procedures are in place to best meet the needs of refugees and asylum seekers. To establish and monitor service quality standards within the quality assurance system.*To develop and implement new and existing services, adapting rapidly to the changing needs of the client group and government legislation as well as changes to budgets. To restructure services and teams (including downsizing and redundancies) to deliver services per revised contracts.*To co-ordinate activity-based planning and set budgets for the Section, within the context of the organization's strategic plan. To represent the Section in strategic meetings and communicate the vision back to staff.*To negotiate and secure funding each year and ensure robust management of all resources (£3.5m budget, 115 staff, 90 volunteers, premises, IT system etc). To use key performance indicators and management accounts to forecast, monitor variances and control expenditure.*To lead and line manage 5 team managers and 1 PA, implementing a regular staff and management supervision and appraisal system, recruitment and selection processes and training and development for all staff in the Section.*To manage internal and external communications to ensure all key stakeholders are kept well informed and consulted where necessary. To represent the Refugee Council to external agencies and visitors to the service.

Why did you change?

Did not feel motivated by the need to make profit for big company. Also difficult time for M&S - lots of redundancies going on and the atmosphere was very negative.

Are you happy with the change?

Yes, very much so. I much prefer the voluntary sector.

What do you miss and what don't you miss?

I miss effective and efficient internal systems e.g. HR, IT, Finance etc where private companies have the money to invest in infrastructure to make people's jobs easier.I don't miss the politics of the office and the somewhat egotistical attitudes of management. I also don't miss feeling like a tiny cog in a huge wheel that can't see how she impacts.

How did you go about making the change?

Saw an advert in the Guardian and just applied on spec. No real research on options done. Shall we say it was just fate?

What was the most difficult thing about changing?

Facing up to the fact that I will never get paid as well as my peers in private sector companies! However, most of my friends are insanely jealeous I have an interesting and worthwhile job.

What help did you get?

None really I was lucky.

What have you learnt in the process?

Subsequent to joining the Refugee Council I have enabled many people to come and get work experience volunteering with us. I think some people think it is easy to move from the private to the voluntary sector but this is no longer the case. We receive CVs and job applications from people with 2 or 3 degrees even for quite junior roles simply because more and more people want to choose a job with social accountability. My advice would be to volunteer or have work experience in a charity prior to moving sectors to show your motivation.

What do you wish you'd done differently?

I should probably have moved to another charity by now to inform myself of different practices within the sector.

What would you advise others to do in the same situation?

See above.