I have worked for the DVSA since 2011, I joined as a driving examiner, following 10 years working in social care with adults with learning difficulties. In 2015 I was successfully promoted to a local driving test manager, on the south coast, and in 2019 was further promoted to my current role of operational delivery manager.
My role is to lead an area, of over 120 people, to deliver driving tests and annual vehicle tests. The area leadership team is made up of local driving test managers, technical team leaders and a testing network manager. We work as a leadership team to support the frontline of the organisation; ensuring the wellbeing of the teams, delivering a good service to our customers, working towards area business targets and making DVSA a great place to work. The area is quite vast and I visit many of the teams in person as well as joining their online team meetings and presenting webinars to encourage engagement throughout our remote work force.
I am also a workplace mediator, this involves supporting people to improve their working relationships with colleagues, a role I have really enjoyed and has benefited many within the Civil Service.
I enjoy my daily work as it brings a variety of tasks and subjects – today I have been analysing and forecasting future resource and tomorrow I am out on site visits to talk with the teams. As I work in an operational role it can be very fast paced at times and comes with various challenges, I enjoy this part of the role as no day is the same.
The Agency offers many opportunities for training, soft skills development, leadership training and my manager is very supportive of my personal development plan and openly encourages job shadowing. I have recently completed my apprenticeship in Leadership and Management with a distinction. DVSA have given me time out of my working week to complete this as well as supporting me with advice and knowledge.
I enjoy the flexibility of my working pattern and I’m able to work from home on occasions giving me the opportunity to work with less distractions.