I'm a big believer in creating your own opportunities

Katie Smith, Operational Development and Engagement Lead for Local Government in Serco’s Customer Experience and Engagement team talks about imposter syndrome, being a Serco mentor, and why despite having a busy full-time job and two teenage children, she’s decided to go back to Uni.

Tell us about your background, any challenges you faced, and how you came to join Serco.

I started working in GP surgeries in administrative roles as a student, and the natural route for me following graduation was to stay with the NHS. I moved into Oncology at United Lincolnshire Hospital, and then into Commissioning Intelligence working with Integrated Care Boards (ICB) all over the country. Following my ten-year anniversary with the NHS, I was made redundant, and spent the next six months doing some consultancy work for small businesses and writing content for a variety of websites and digital creators. But living alone with two young children, the lack of financial security was challenging, and I missed the social aspects of working in an office. Ideally, I wanted to stay in the public sector, and whilst at the time, Serco wasn’t an organisation on my radar, I recognised the opportunity to contribute to my local community through Lincolnshire County Council.

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You joined Serco in March 2018 as an Information Manager in the Customer Services team in Lincolnshire. What were your initial experiences like?

Honestly, fantastic! The role was fixed term for 12 months and I knew from day one that I would have a lot to prove given my lack of contact centre experience if I wanted to make the transition to a permanent position. Transferable skills are one thing, but walking into an open plan office, upwards of 150 people looking back at you, knowing that you need to dig deep to find the connections between patients and customers, was hugely intimidating. But looking back, it was immediately clear from the various teams across the Customer Service Centre that we all had at least one thing in common – public sector pride.

Everyone I met, from advisers and Team Leaders to Managers and wider Serco support teams, was driven by the motivation to solve customer problems, and deliver great customer service.

From that point my priority was to ensure our teams felt supported, and had access to all the right tools, and to keep delivering high standards.

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You’ve since progressed to become Operational Development and Engagement Lead within Customer Experience and Engagement, managing a team of five. Tell us about your current role and what you most enjoy about it.

My natural inclination to want to challenge, which I’ve no doubt is exhausting to my peers at times, created opportunities for change, which brought with it my own progression from singular focus on Knowledge Management within our Lincolnshire CSC, to a wider remit covering all Local Government contracts, and responsibility for training, learning & development, quality management, continuous improvement, and social value.

The scale of my role allowed me to onboard a team of exceptional individuals: Natasha, Aloysius, James, Josh and Chris, who collectively deliver my ideas, as well as develop and test their own. What I love most about our way of working is the passion with which they take on new challenges together, recognising each other’s strengths and opportunities to share skills. Although my style may be relatively informal, I strongly believe in authentic leadership, which creates a safe space for being vulnerable at times, challenging one another, taking risks, and reflecting on the defeats as well as the triumphs. The team have responded well to this way of working, and have delivered some amazing work, bringing with it recognition and awards.

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You signed up to take part in the Serco mentoring scheme to offer your support to others. Why did you feel it was important to do this?

When I took responsibility for Care Leaver Mentoring, as part of our Local Government Social Value strategy, it felt appropriate to offer myself as a mentor so that I could experience first-hand what our volunteers would need to fully support a young adult in the community. What stood out for me was the lack of information available to Care Experienced young people, compounded by a lack of role models and support systems. We were able to bridge the gap, by providing mentors with relevant work experience, and an understanding of the challenges faced by young people trying to get into work.

The mentor scheme is a useful tool to enable me to tap into the experience of our colleagues across the business.

The Serco mentoring scheme offers similar services to internal colleagues, who may face their own challenges, or perhaps remain unsure on next steps. For me, whilst I’ve always been independently driven and with support from managers and leaders in our area found opportunities for progression, currently I’m unsure where my career journey will lead me next. The mentor scheme is a useful tool to enable me to tap into the experience of our colleagues across the business, and I’m keen to hear from others, and explore the journey they went on which led to their roles.

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Not one to rest on your laurels, you’ve also started an MBA. What motivated you to apply and how do you fit this into your busy life?

As clichéd as it sounds, I consider myself a life-long learner through formal education or experience. However, the continuous cycle of learning feels difficult to quantify, and when I look back over the last twenty years, it doesn’t always feel obvious to me just how much I’ve picked up. I’m comfortable admitting that occasionally I can lack confidence in my own abilities, and I’m guilty of over-preparing, rather than trusting my instincts. So, when an opportunity came up to complete an MBA through the apprenticeship Level 7 route, I didn’t hesitate to apply. It felt like the perfect way to develop my skills, learn from other leaders in the business, and provide me with the tangible evidence I needed to improve my confidence.

The support of my manager, Sara Johnson, has been key to enabling me to complete the assignments and attend university, and without her support this would have been a difficult route to take. With a demanding full-time job, two teenagers and a house to run, it was always going to be a challenge to find time to do something for myself, but I’m two years in with just my dissertation to complete, with graduation planned for November 2025. It feels like a huge achievement, and one which I hope will benefit the business, as well as inspire my children to recognise that academic learning can be a life-long activity.

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How has Serco helped with your personal and career development?

From my first day in Serco, I have felt supported in my aspirations, and encouraged to try new things. I’m a big believer in creating your own opportunities but I was lucky enough to have a leadership team who were willing to listen and trusted me to develop my ideas. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to progress from an entry-level role to my current position.

My apprenticeship mentor, Wayne Winson, has also played a key role in my personal development, often acting as a sounding board on occasions when I felt under pressure to balance my responsibilities. Having someone completely objective, who can remind you of your achievements, and provide encouragement when your ‘to-do list’ feels daunting, is so important to keeping me on track.

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What’s next for you?

Currently, my focus is on expanding our local government portfolio, and working with the Growth team to build propositions. I like to think public sector delivery is a key part of my future, and I hope to continue building on my experience with Serco.