I initially joined the Home Office as part of the Commercial Fast Stream programme. It was my second placement on the Fast Stream and I had listed the department as my preference. The policy areas covered by the Home Office had always been of interest to me as the challenges faced by the department change rapidly in the global environment in which we operate. I have now been here for over 3 years.
In my day to day role, I support stakeholders across the department in procurement and contract management activity. They approach my team with commercial requirements requiring third party input and I work with them to get the best value for money for the taxpayer while working within the confines of procurement law.
I really enjoy the variety of content in my job. My role spans the end-to-end commercial lifecycle so I work on strategy development, sourcing and pipeline work, procurement and contract management. I also work with a wide variety of stakeholders – no two days are the same.
One of the key things I appreciate about working in the Home Office is the increasingly meritocratic culture where diversity is embraced and celebrated. As a young woman with fewer years under my belt than some of my colleagues, I feel valued and can have my voice heard in meetings. I feel safe to challenge overly bureaucratic processes and relish the opportunity to do so. I also love the fact that my work regularly produces tangible outcomes in the form of savings figures which directly impact the public purse.
