My career story: Rachel Shallcross
Job title and department or organisation
Rachel is an Operational Research Analyst at the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Grade
Rachel works at Higher Executive Officer (HEO) grade.
Profession and entry route
Rachel is a member of the Government Operational Research Service (GORS).
She entered the Civil Service at Higher Executive Officer (HEO) grade through mainstream profession recruitment.
Rachel’s career path
When I was 18, I volunteered for Save the Children and Oxfam in Ethiopia. My role involved working on health surveys. It was my first taste of being in a research role, working with qualitative data and surveys. It was fascinating. Following this I spent a year as an Au Pair in the South of France.
My experiences in Ethiopia encouraged me to enrol at the Bath School of Physiotherapy. After qualifying as a Chartered Physiotherapist, I moved to Wales and worked as a hospital physiotherapist in a deprived region. I also worked with elite sports and disability skiing. My interest in disability sports led to me being selected as a physio for the 1992 Paralympics. You move around a lot as a physiotherapist, so I had lots of placements in different fields. I wanted more adventure, so I found an opportunity to volunteer as a therapy tutor in Mali. I worked in a school with mentally and physically handicapped children for 2 years.
When I returned to the UK, I joined the British Army as a Physiotherapy Officer. I spent 20 years in uniform, posted to many different jobs. Many of these roles involved working with data and conducting analysis, but I also worked in HR roles with managerial responsibility. Between operational deployments, I came back to the UK and progressed from Department Manager to Regional Manager before moving into Strategy and Planning in Defence Headquarters, which held responsibility equivalent to a Grade 6 role. My final role in the Army was planning Royal Events! Unfortunately, I had a hard time on deployment in Iraq which affected my mental health. I had to take multiple breaks from work to recover, which started to affect my Army career and finally forced me to leave.
During my time in the Army, I gained a lot of experience and skills in statistics. This inspired me to go to university to study Data Science. After achieving my masters, I applied to work as an analyst at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Around this time, I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following my experience in the Army, so it made sense to drop down to Higher Executive Officer (HEO) level. I joined as a Government Analyst in 2019 before becoming a badged Level 2 Operational Researcher after six months. I worked in the Marine and Fisheries Directorate, which involved modelling the fishing uptake, quota stocks, and markets. I became a Government Operational Research Service (GORS) representative in DEFRA, which involved working to improve the way GORS communicates within the department. I also joined the Women’s Network, Mental Health Network, LGBTQ+ network, and the Reach Network.
In 2022 I made a lateral move to look after data procurement for marine monitoring. Alongside my role, I have been leading a huge overhaul of SharePoint and data management for my directorate. I have actively chosen to not seek promotion as I enjoy my role, and the lovely team I work with have consistently supported my mental health.
Six months ago, I was given a late diagnosis with Autism which suddenly made complete sense of my life experiences, and the diagnosis has helped me within my career. I have now enrolled on the Crossing Thresholds training programme, which is aimed at women in the Civil Service. The programme provides support to help you identify the next steps in your career, whether that be lateral moves or promotions. I now feel more confident to apply for a promotion within Operational Research.
The flowchart shows Rachel’s career progression from volunteering roles to her current role. It shows the step-by-step journey Rachel has taken to achieve her current grade and experience. Enlarge the flowchart.
I am directly involved with the new Marine Environment Monitoring and Assessment National Database (“MERMAN Plus”) Re-Procurement project. This work involves procuring a new data system for the analysis of marine contaminants as part of the Clean Seas Environmental Monitoring Programme (CSEMP).
I would like to stay as a data or analytical specialist rather than returning to managing large teams. I would also like to remain as an analyst in either environment, health, or defence.
I am proud of my resilience. I am good at not letting the hard times stop me from getting up and starting again. I have had several challenges within my career, and I have not allowed my downs to prevent me from seeking new opportunities.
My biggest challenge has been managing my mental health, as it has affected my career and forced me to step away from more senior roles in the past.
Rachel’s advice
Just do it. I was self-taught to start with, so have a play, ask questions, shadow colleagues, and network. Do not be afraid to try something new. Just keep talking and learning.
This career story was published on Tuesday 1 August 2023.