Rachel C.
About me
| Rachel C. | |
| Sociology | |
| Sociology with Criminology | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Goodricke | |
| 2013 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Service Manager | |
| Police | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Armed forces and emergency services | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2015 |
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A day in the life of a Service Manager in the United Kingdom
I am the Service Manager of the Victim and Witness department within Criminal Justice. This means I look after the performance of the department, provide reports to the Ministry of Justice, work alongside commissioners and criminal justice partners.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
I work for a large Police force which covers both Metropolitan and rural areas. I specifically work within Criminal Justice and lead the Victim and witness service as well as the ISVA service.
What do you do?
I am the Service Manager of the Victim and Witness department within Criminal Justice. This means I look after the performance of the department, provide reports to the Ministry of Justice, work alongside commissioners and criminal justice partners. I manage a staff team of 25 and they provide support and court updates to victims and witness of crime. Within my role I also manage the independent sexual violence advisor team which is a specialist role which supports victims of rape.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
My degree is in Sociology and Criminology and I knew I was interested in working in criminal justice sector. However straight after university I ended up working in recruitment for a short while. During my time at university I volunteered for victim support to gain skills working directly with victims. This led my into a role working with victims after my time in recruitment and then subsequent promotions have got me to the job I am in now.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
No I am really pleased to be working in the sector I wanted to after I graduated but of course straight after university I did do something totally different and my message would be don’t worry if you fall into something you don’t like/want but don’t give up on a sector you really want to work in!
Describe your most memorable day at work
This is really difficult! I have led some complex operations where we have supported multiple victims from a serious and serial offender which was difficult to coordinator but really memorable. I have also had some great successes when working with my team to alleviate issues faced by those going through the justice system. Or even finishing a last minute funding request which we didn’t think we would!
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
Like in many roles there is often never enough hours in the day !
What’s your work environment and culture like?
At the moment it is primarily working from home which is a great balance. We are a large police force so can be in any of the stations or local authorities. They are very committed to well-being and we even have a well-being dog that visits!
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
Volunteer at victim support, the skills I learnt working with victims was essential for my career path.
What would you like to do next with your career?
Leading a team I have became really interested in leadership and HR. That may be something I consider but I also love working in CJ.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Please don’t just rely on your degree! It is brilliant to have one and it offers skills and experience and I loved my time at university. However after regularly reviewing applications from graduates a degree alone is not enough to make you stand out and employers want real life experience so volunteering work is essential.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
Happy to help in following areas: Criminal Justice, Criminology, Victims, probation, courts, CPS, commissioning, leadership, some areas of HR
Next steps...
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