Jobshare Stories

Can jobsharing really work at the most senior leadership levels? Kate and Helen are proof it can. In this episode of Jobshare Stories, we spoke to Kate McGavin and Helen Williams, who together share the role of Chief Strategy & Policy Officer at the National Wealth Fund — the UK's public sector investment bank, backing the projects and companies driving growth across the country. They've known each other for 20 years and jobshared for over a decade, across multiple varied roles, from an arts team at DCMS, to leading devolution across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland during Covid and EU exit, to helping grow the National Wealth Fund from a team of 12 to more than 300 people. It's a wide ranging and fascinating conversation covering why a great jobshare models the behaviours a strong senior team needs : trust, respect and a razor-sharp focus on shared priorities; how jobsharing gives you more reflective time in potentially lonely senior roles and why flexibility and ambition aren't a trade-off.  

What would part-time progression look like if jobsharing was normalised and widely adopted? That's the vision set out in this episode - where we speak with Lisi Bouchard and Madeleine Cullum, who jobshare as Head of AI Policy for the Creative Industries at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. Together they bring over four decades of civil service experience — and between them, they've had five job share partnerships. Now they're leading one of the most exciting and fast-moving policy areas in UK government: how AI will shape industries like music, fashion, gaming, film and TV. We talk about how the UK Civil Service really leads the way in making jobsharing accessible — and what other organisations can learn from that and why being really picky about your job share partner is the single most important thing you can do. We also explore the potential bear traps of jobsharing and the risk of over-accountability — and why doing a great job doesn't mean working unpaid overtime.  Lisi and Madeleine's story story is a powerful reminder that jobsharing isn't just a flexible working arrangement — it's a genuine career strategy. If you want to find out about how jobsharing can benefit your organisation, please visit www.TheJobshareRevolution.co.uk or find us on LinkedIn or Instagram @TheJobshareRevolution #JobSharing #FlexibleWorking #CivilService #AIPolicy #CreativeIndustries #CareerShare #FutureOfWork #WomenInLeadership #JobshareStories

Could you job share a senior role with someone you'd never actually worked with before? That's exactly what Felicity and Corrie did, and seven years on, they're one of the most intentional, honest partnerships we've come across. In this episode of Jobshare Stories, they tell us how they went from knowing of each other (both came up through high-pressure careers, including counter-terrorism at the Home Office) to matching as prospective partners through a civil service job share tool, and applying for a role together at the Department for Education without a single day of shared experience behind them. Our fascinating conversation spans how to build a relationship from scratch right through to keeping it going for the long term.  Curious whether job sharing could work in your organisation? Visit www.TheJobshareRevolution.co.uk or get in touch at [email protected] #JobshareStories #Jobshare #FlexibleWorking #Leadership #CivilService #FutureOfWork #WomenInLeadership

What does the research actually say about job sharing — and what does it tell us about the future of the workforce? In this episode of Jobshare Stories, we're joined by Dr Dawn H Nicholson, business psychologist and honorary academic, whose career spans Morgan Stanley, PricewaterhouseCoopers and the University of Kent. Dawn is one of the few academics in the UK to have conducted detailed research lens onto job sharing — and her findings are fascinating. In this episode, we talk about what older and younger workers really want from work and how jobsharing can create a solution that delivers for both; the power of the successor share model and what needs to change to make jobsharing a reality.  A thought-provoking, research-backed conversation about why job sharing isn't just good for individuals — it's good for organisations, good for the economy, and good for society. If you want to find out about how jobsharing can benefit your organisation, please visit www.TheJobshareRevolution.co.uk or find us on LinkedIn or Instagram @TheJobshareRevolution #JobSharing #FlexibleWorking #IntergenerationalWork #BusinessPsychology #FutureOfWork #TalentRetention #SuccessorShare #JobshareStories

What does it look like when jobsharing becomes a genuine career strategy — not just a flexible working arrangement? In this episode of Jobshare Stories, we speak with Verity Prime and Laura Lucking, Executive Directors at the National Audit Office — the UK's public spending watchdog. Over six years and five organisations, they've jobshared their way from the Department for Education through COVID frontline response, the Department of Health, the National Lottery Community Fund, and now one of the most scrutinised offices in UK government. We talk about: 🔹 How they found each other through a chance connection — and why trust was there from day one 🔹 Starting a jobshare in the week before the first COVID lockdown — and what happened next 🔹 Why jobsharing was the reason they could take on one of the hardest jobs of the pandemic 🔹 How to successfully job hunt and transition as a jobshare pair 🔹 The "landing well" routine they've developed every time they join a new organisation 🔹 Tips for line managers who haven't managed a jobshare before 🔹 Why jobsharing requires you to leave your ego at the door — and why that makes you a better leader Their story is a masterclass in what's possible when two people are genuinely committed to a career share — and the results speak for themselves. If you want to find out about how jobsharing can benefit your organisation, please visit www.TheJobshareRevolution.co.uk or find us on LinkedIn or Instagram @TheJobshareRevolution #JobSharing #FlexibleWorking #PublicSector #CareerShare #FutureOfWork #WomenInLeadership #NationalAuditOffice #JobshareStories

What happens when you see job sharing modelled at every level around you, early in your career — and years later, find yourself doing exactly that in a senior role? In this episode of Jobshare Stories, we speak with Linsey Craike and Megan Bradish, Deputy Directors in the Department of Health and Social Care. Megan is Linsey's second job share partner, making this a particularly rich conversation about transitions, matching, and what it really takes to make a job share partnership thrive. In this episode, we discuss - Why role models matter - The importance of mentors in making the right match - What it's like starting a job share when one of you has done it before and one of you hasn't - How job sharing enables you to do the big, challenging, fulfilling roles — without sacrificing the rest of your life Their story is a brilliant reminder that job sharing isn't a compromise — it's a superpower. If you want to find out about how jobsharing can benefit your organisation, please visit www.TheJobshareRevolution.co.uk or find us on LinkedIn or Instagram @TheJobshareRevolution #JobSharing #FlexibleWorking #CivilService #RoleModels #FutureOfWork #TalentRetention #JobshareStories

What does it really take to make job sharing work and why should organisations care? In this weeks episode of Jobshare Stories, Beccy Ireland and Sarah Trinham from Beiersdorf share their experience of job sharing their role as Marketing manager for the Nivea Men’s Brand - a setup that began eight months ago with Beccy and Lydia, and has since evolved as Sarah recently returned from maternity leave to step into the role. We talk about: - Job sharing as a powerful way to retain experienced talent - Why returning from maternity into a job share helps people land quicker and with more confidence - The role of coaching in building trust, clarity and high performance  - How job sharing accelerates learning and development - Why organisational support is absolutely critical - with Beiersdorf setting a brilliant example If you’re interested in modern leadership, flexible working done well, or supporting parents without losing talent, this one’s worth a listen. If you want to find out about how jobsharing can benefit your organisation, please visit  www.TheJobshareRevolution.co.uk  or find us on LinkedIn or Instagram @TheJobshareRevolution #JobSharing #FlexibleWorking #TalentRetention #WomenInLeadership #ReturnToWork #FutureOfWork

What if some of our most senior leadership roles were designed differently? In this episode of Jobshare Stories, we speak with Tessa Griffiths and Sarah MacLean, who are the Co-CEOs of Skills England, having jobshared together in a multitude of roles for over 18 years.  Our conversation shines a light on jobsharing at the very top and why it might be one of the most powerful, and underused, leadership models we have. We talk about: 🔹 How senior jobsharing strengthens decision-making and performance 🔹 The role it plays in building leadership resilience, especially in high-pressure roles 🔹 Why shared leadership can help prevent burnout and create more sustainable careers 🔹 How flexible models like jobsharing can keep more talented people in work, including those with caring responsibilities or complex lives This conversation challenges long-held assumptions about what leadership “should” look like and makes the case for designing roles around outcomes, not presenteeism. If you’re interested in the future of work, inclusive leadership, and practical ways to retain and unlock talent, this one’s for you. If you’d like to find out more around how jobsharing can help transform your organisation please visit www.TheJobshareRevolution.co.uk  or find us on LinkedIn or Instagram @TheJobshareRevolution #JobSharing #Leadership #FutureOfWork #FlexibleWorking #Inclusion #ResilientLeadership

Clare Freshwater-Turner and Annabelle Richards have jobshared a varied career at Lloyds Banking Group - ranging from Finance Learning & Development, ESG, Executive Assistant and core Finance and Accounting roles. Their story is one of the power of jobsharing to create opportunity and unlock potential.  In this episode we explore their career-share and what motivates them to support other jobsharers - which led them to creating the South West Jobshare Network in the UK. Clare and Annabelle talk about the power of support networks and role models to normalise jobsharing and how all roles can be shared.  To find out more about the South West Jobshare Network visit LinkedIn    To find out more about our work, visit  www.TheJobshareRevolution.co.uk  or find us on LinkedIn or Instagram @TheJobshareRevolution

In the latest episode of the podcast, We spoke with Monique Kent and Simon Oliver, who job share the Head of Communications role at Imperial War Museums. Together they lead a major national organisation across five sites, manage a large team, and handle everything from long-term strategy to crisis communications. This partnership came together following Monique’s return from parental leave with Simon having covered the role full time during this period and then suggesting this set up during the handover on her return.  Having shared on a traditional 3+3 basis for a significant period of time, they now operate a 3+5 model with Simon flexing up to work on strategic priorities on 2 of the days. A few key takeaways from the conversation: 🔹 Clarity is essential – job sharing only works when there’s a clear system that everyone understands 🔹 Trust is non-negotiable – backing each other’s decisions is fundamental 🔹 Boundaries matter – knowing when to step back is just as important as knowing when to step in 🔹 Different strengths are an advantage – complementary skills can create better outcomes than a single “all-rounder” 🔹 Job sharing builds resilience – for individuals and organisations Their story is a powerful reminder that flexibility at senior levels isn’t about lowering the bar, it’s about designing roles in a way that keeps great people, improves decision-making, and supports sustainable careers. If you’re curious about job sharing, returning to work after parental leave, or rethinking how leadership roles are structured, this episode is well worth a listen.  If you want to find out about how jobsharing can benefit your organisation, please visit  www.TheJobshareRevolution.co.uk  or find us on LinkedIn or Instagram @TheJobshareRevolution