The Power Climbers 2018

NATHALIE ZACHARIAS
AHP professional lead
Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
Pattern worked: 4 days a week

Nathalie has built on her background as an Occupational Therapist, progressing to a demanding and varied role at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. As part of the senior leadership team, she is responsible for the governance of approximately 450 Allied Health Professionals. She manages the team leads for the employment services for mental health clients and the volunteer and work experience team. She is the falls strategy lead and chairs a number of other groups. Working part-time allows Nathalie to balance her professional life with looking after her children and completing a masters in organisational leadership. She is a firm advocate for flexible working and has supported a number of colleagues with caring, health and other commitments to reduce their hours.

CATHERINE DAFYDD
Customer experience lead
BT
Pattern worked: 74%

Catherine works with a large team at BT TV as customer experience lead. She is responsible for devising innovative solutions for products and propositions that excite BT TV’s consumer audience and help define the brand. Her successes include migrating 200,000 customers to a new platform, and introducing a sales channel into the BT TV Set Top Box. Having been employed on a full-time basis in her previous role, Catherine became part-time after an accident in 2013, and continued on this basis when she was promoted in 2015. She is a co-founder of BT’s Flexible Working Forum, and will be featured in a social media campaign aimed at getting more women and people with disabilities into BT.

ROBYN O'CONNOR
Joint head of cross-cutting research and employee well-being
Cabinet Office
Pattern worked: 3 days a week

Robyn jointly leads the cross-cutting research function of the Cabinet Office’s central Analysis and Insight team, providing strategic analytical support to the Civil Service Group, with a particular focus on Civil Service Employee Policy. As well as helping HR colleagues and senior officials to improve the evidence base for performance management, she supports the implementation of the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, and received the Cabinet Office Diversity and Inclusion Award in 2017 as a co-chair of the Flexible Working Network. Robyn joined the Civil Service on a full-time basis, but negotiated a part-time role to care for a family member with bipolar disorder. She has been promoted twice in two and a half years, and is tipped to be a future head of profession.

ANJALI JUNEJA
Principal private secretary
Home Office
Pattern worked: 4 days a week

Anjali works in the senior Civil Service as Principal Private Secretary to the Home Office’s Permanent Secretary. She runs a high-performing team, bringing together advice from 25,000 staff on policy and operational issues such as policing, immigration and terrorism; she also works closely with the Permanent Secretary to ensure that the department is operating effectively. Previously head of a Home Office strategy and partnerships team in immigration enforcement, Anjali began working part-time after maternity leave, and retained her part-time status when she was promoted into her current role. She has mentored other flexible workers and is seen as a role model for those who aspire to senior positions on a flexible basis.