Finding a senior part-time opportunity: mission impossible?

If you’ve ever sought a senior part-time role, you’ve probably noticed the dearth of opportunities in the UK. Each year the Timewise Index reports on the number of vacancies advertised as part-time and the salaries on offer. Sadly, only one in ten vacancies offering part-time options offers a salary above £20,000 FTE. This lack of part-time opportunities creates a barrier for many highly skilled and talented job seekers who may not want a full-time role. It leaves them with an unenviable decision of either downgrading their career expectations, withdrawing from the workforce entirely, or else accepting a full-time position despite their personal needs or preferences.

Kerry Hickman was one such job seeker struggling to find a part-time opportunity that suited her skills and experience. Kerry’s career included over a decade and a half of working in commercial and analytically focussed roles and leading teams, when suddenly she found her role was made redundant shortly after returning to work from maternity leave.

“I had no shortage of ambition, but I did want to find a role that allowed me to blend my home responsibilities with my career ambitions”. Yet like many, when Kerry started her job search she became frustrated at just how difficult it was to access any part-time senior roles. After seven months of searching and networking, Kerry accepted a contract role with the civil service. They were a terrific employer when it came to work-life balance, but a compromise was made. Kerry found herself working in a role below her potential, a trade off that felt necessary at the time given the lack of more suitable options on the market.

Kerry was therefore delighted when a Ramboll post popped up in a flexible working Facebook page she followed. The post was about Ramboll’s career comeback opportunities – and the flexible and part-time working available, regardless of seniority. With a little more research, Kerry discovered that Ramboll met many more of her criteria, such as contributing to a more sustainable future, and so she applied for the dedicated programme for reigniting careers. With one-to-one coaching, a supportive team, and a working pattern that supported her home life, Kerry very quickly re-established herself in a senior role.