Insider profil
Top Insider Advice
When I left university I didn't have a career plan like say a Lawyer or a Doctor and if I am being honest was a little unsure of what direction I wanted to take. What did stand me in good stead was not accepting staying in a role if I wasn't feeling fulfilled and taking the opportunities to move when they presented themselves to me. In each role I have had since university I have taken something which I have used in the next role so whilst I may not have followed a traditional graduate career path I can point to transferable skills I have gained in each of my positions including diverse ones such as call centre handler and IT recruitment consultant. A lot of the stakeholder management skills I use today came from those positions. The take away I would give people based on my experience is continue to seek learning opportunities to stretch yourself and be open to change.
Career path
Project Manager
Phoenix Group
Started 03/2014 to PresentCompany
What do you like about your job and the company?
What attracted me to projects in the first place is the variety of work on offer and despite the role remaining the same no two years are alike. You can be working on a regulatory change one year and then the next you could be delivering a new product. This allows the opportunity to make new connections across the business and in a company as large as Phoenix visit different locations. The other key motivation for me on projects is the ability to directly make a change to the company. When a project is correctly defined and delivered it will have key business outcomes which at the end of the project you can directly see the benefit or change you have brought to the business.
Greatest achievements
After the acquisition of Standard Life the Phoenix Group ran a major transformation programme to bring together the Internal Models of Phoenix and Standard Life. An Internal Model is how Life Insurers calculate how much capital to put aside in the event of certain risks happening. These allow Life Insurers to withstand financial shocks whilst knowing how much capital is free for them invest in the business. Working across the Phoenix and Standard Life businesses I built two project teams one to focus on Market and Credit risks and the other to focus on Insurance risks. As well as driving changes to complex technical methodologies I also had to build a one company culture with both project teams made up of a mix of Phoenix and Standard Life members. This was challenging in the early days of the project as there were different historic approaches between the companies but as the project progressed the different approaches were channelled to allow rapid progress on the development of new risk calibrations. An additional benefit was a strengthening of working relationships between the Phoenix and Standard Life actuarial teams who are now part of the same department. The successful delivery of the changes to the risk calibrations fed into the wider Internal Model Harmonisation Programme which realised significant financial benefits for the wider group.
Josh R
Senior Accountant
Top Insider Advice
The key advice I have given to all applicants and new starters is that Phoenix is a company where your opportunities are significant and plentiful. The key to capitalising on this is to be proactive, take the time to understand and reflect on your goals and achievements and communicate openly and honestly with the team around you about how you want to progress/operate within the business. The business can be fast paced and although all the resources and help are made available, it is incredibly important to make yourself accountable and seek the information you need for yourself. People are always willing to support you here but have respect for those who have taken the time to consider their requirements carefully and actively seek support before it becomes a critical requirement.
Kieran J
Top Insider Advice
My recruitment journey was a rollercoaster. When I was in my final year of university, I was so certain that I wanted a job lined up for when I leave university. Therefore, I began applying 8 months in advance. Although it sounds like I was prepared, I wasn't prepared for rejection. I used to apply to roles whereby all the duties and responsibilities would fit perfectly, but the reality is that the employee market is so competitive. I received hundreds of rejections where I put my heart and soul into job applications. My advice is therefore simple, never take rejection seriously. Go with the flow, take feedback on board. This enhances your interview skills. You develop as an individual. Through constant rejection, you will land your dream role. Most importantly, do not undermine yourself throughout the recruitment process. Keep going with utmost motivation.
Navdish W
Top Insider Advice
Throughout my career I have taken risks - I quit a role with no job lined up and more recently left a permanent position to join Phoenix on a 12-month fixed term contract, three years on I am still here (after securing a permanent position!). I appreciate not everyone is in a position to do this but those risks have truly paid off in shaping my career.
