Advance your career in the UK civil service: Tips and strategies

Speakers

• Anna Wydra

  Senior Learning and Development Specialist at the National Audit Office

  United Kingdom

• Marc Williams

  Assistant Director, Home Office

  United Kingdom

• Jessica Arnold

• Anna Wydra, Senior Learning and Development Specialist at the National Audit Office, has a career spanning 15+ years in Finance, Audit, Project Management and Learning and Development. Anna started her career in Finance and qualified as a Chartered Accountant, and then found her niche as a trusted L&D professional. Anna designed and delivered award-winning Talent Programmes and currently leads the L&D strand of the NAO’s Audit Transformation Project. In her role as a mentor she supports others to navigate their careers, reach their full potential, and personal development goals.

• Marc Williams, Assistant Director in the Home Office, has been working in various operational roles in the department for approx. 25 years. He is currently leading a team focusing on improving customer experience. Marc has worked his way up the grades and appreciates that the career pathway is not a “one-size fits all” approach.

• Jessica Arnold, Head of Talent and Capability in the Cabinet Office, has 15 years experience in the civil service and has progressed her career from an Executive Officer to G6 during that time. Jessica began her career as an Assistant Crime Analyst in the National Police Improvement Agency before moving into the HR Profession and working in the Home Office, Cabinet Office, Ministry of Defence, Department for International Trade, Department for Exiting the EU, and back to Cabinet Office again. She has held a variety of operational and strategic roles that cover resourcing, business partnering, talent management, SCS management, and Capability. Alongside this, Jessica is CIPD accredited and has gained qualifications including a BA(Hons) in Psychology and Criminology; an MSc in Human Resources Management; as a Prince2 Practitioner; and is also Organisational Design and Development qualified.