The RFS Podcast

Recruit for Spouses - Lauren Duncan (from LinkedIn)

In this episode we talk to Lauren Duncan, an account director at Linkedin. Lauren is originally from a small town in the West Coast of Scotland near Loch Lomond. She attended Glasgow University and studied Political Science whilst working full time as a hotel manager.After graduating she began working as a Consultant for the global recruitment agency Michael Page giving her the first real taste of working with public sector organisations. She then moved to online recruitment with Total Jobs which in turn gave her the opportunity to relocate to England where she spent 7 years working in senior sales leadership roles with UCAS (Universities Colleges Admissions Service) and QAA (The Quality Assurance Agency). Those opportunities deepened her passion to work in the not for profit and public sector world and critically gave her the experience and credibility to join her bucket list and current employer LinkedIn in 2019. She’s married to Moray and together they welcomed their first child Nicole in March 2021. They live in Cheltenham and spend their free time exploring the Cotswolds, cooking and enjoying Formula One. Lauren also loved to draw and search Netflix for the most recent outrageous documentary.During this episode we talk about Laurens background and how she got to where she is today with LinkedIn. We explore how LinkedIn look after their staff and encourage them to act as an owner.We also talk about the importance of having a LinkedIn profile and how it can aid you in landing your dream job.We hope you enjoy this episode.

Recruit for Spouses - Commodore Mel Robinson

On this episode we talk to Commodore Mel Robinson CBE who was appointed Commander of the Maritime Reserves in February 2020. Mel was commissioned in 1993 as a warfare officer and has served in a number of frigates and minor war vessels. This included command of HMS EXPRESS and Wales URNU, an assignment that was the first of its kind in terms of a woman taking sea command of a warship. To make her career work and balance the demands of her young family, Mel left regular service in 2003. She started Full Time Reserve Service in 2005, and specialised in HR, leading the Naval Personnel Team (Reserves) whilst managing the Full Time Reserve Service scheme for the Royal Navy. After joining the Maritime Reserves in 2016 she was promoted to Captain into a new role in Navy Command Headquarters as Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff (Reserves) responsible for reserves policy, finance, recruitment, communications and business development. She is a Cardiff University graduate and a personnel career field specialist. She is a respected and active Fellow of both the CIPD and Royal Society of Arts, certified Master Coach and an alumnus of the Windsor Leadership Trust. She was awarded a distinction by the Open University Business School for her Master’s Level dissertation in Mentoring. Her career path whilst unorthodox has delivered significant changes in Reserves personnel management. She designed the Whole Force Career Management Cell and led the strategic alignment of COMMARRES Headquarters into the Navy Command Operating Model ready for further integration through Programme HECATE. She is the author of the Maritime Reserves People Strategy. As an innovator, she is the architect of the seamless transfer process (Project FIREFLY) and most recently wrote the Maritime Reserves Directive against which the Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Marines Reserve are being modernised. This has already escalated the Maritime Reserves contribution to the Overseas Patrol Squadron and Lead Commando Group and has triggered a once in a generation transformation of the Maritime Reserves that must be delivered in her tenure. Mel Robinson is very proud to be a Reservist. She is a values based, people focused leader of change that considers personnel, their families and (uniquely in the Maritime Reserves), their employers, in equal measure. She is the Programme Director for both the Future Reserves 2020 Programme and Reserves Transformation and is responsible for building a Reserve that best supports a Global, Modern, Ready Navy on 21st Century operations at home and abroad. She is married to Vice Admiral Guy Robinson, Chief of Staff to Supreme Allied Commander Transformation. They have adult children at University in Guildford and Winchester, a miniature schnauzer and run family homes in Hampshire and Norfolk, Virginia. Hobbies include group fitness, armchair rugby and hillwalking.

Recruit for Spouses - Heroes of Telemark Ladies

On this episode we talk to Alix, Kate and Boo from Forces Wives Challenge...Alix is currently based in Glasgow where she runs her own marketing consultancy and training business in the field of life sciences. Boo is based in Wiltshire and runs her own business focused on Sports and Physical Rehabilitation.Kate is currently based in Buckinghamshire where she is working as a GP.They along with 9 other ladies are set to become the world’s first all-female team to retrace the steps of one of the most important missions in World War II history.We can hear about the selection process, the training and how they’re feeling.We hope you enjoy the episode!  

Recruit for Spouses - Pip & Jools (from Edge NLP)

In this episode we’re joined by Pip and Jools from Edge NLP!At Edge NLP their aim is to not only teach, but to guide, inspire, motivate and help people change their lives.We talk about how they do that and how important it is to take a step back and evaluate the way you do things and present yourself.Everyone at Edge has a real passion for NLP, they combine passion with a zest for life and take great pleasure in creating extraordinary training experiences.Whether you’re at a cross roads in your life and in need of some inspiration, you’re keen to become a coach or you’re interested in how NLP can benefit your business, you should check them out.This is their website - https://edgenlp.co.ukWe hope you enjoy the episode!

Recruit for Spouses - Steve Leach (from Alexander Mann Solutions)

This week we’re joined by Steve Leach who has served as a member of Alexander Mann Solutions’ Executive Team since 2005.  Having joined the business in 1999, he's has held a variety of operational, management and executive roles and is currently Managing Director, UK & Ireland.  Passionate about enabling the AMS team to be the best they can be, Steve’s focus is working with our clients to develop relationships and solutions to enable success through the delivery of innovative, value creating Talent Acquisition and Management solutions.  A recognised thought leader, Steve is a regular contributor to news articles and fundamentally believes that people are the foundation of success.We hope you enjoy the episode! 

Recruit for Spouses - The UK's first female Fighter Pilot : Jo Slater

The number 13 is unlucky for some... Not for us though because this week we're talking to Jo Salter, the UK's very first female fighter jet pilot! Jo Salter flew the Tornado ground attack aircraft with 617 Squadron in the Royal Air Force. She later became an inspirational speaker and in November 2016 she joined PwC as a director and Chief of Staff, responsible for digital capabilities within the People and Organisation practice.Jo has first hand experience of challenge and change, requiring tenacity, determination, flexibility and an excellent sense of humour. She's backed by a degree in Electronic Systems Engineering and an MBA. Her inspirational speeches have introduced her to a vast range of businesses and, whether it be 25 at a breakfast briefing in The Ivy or 3000 at an international conference centre, Jo entertains, challenges and inspires. She is also the author of two books focusing on using personal energy for high achievement.We hope you enjoy our chat with Jo! 

Recruit for Spouses - Penny Mansfield CBE (from One Plus One)

This week, as part of our Diversity Month, we are honoured to be joined by Penny Mansfield CBE who is the director of One Plus One.One Plus One is a UK charity that creates resources that strengthen relationships.Relationships are as diverse and as complicated as they are necessary and fulfilling.Whether romantic, platonic or professional, you'll find Penny's insights and knowledge timeless and important - especially in our current climate. Penny and her diverse team help couples and parents through a range of web-services.Their online learning equips frontline workers with the skills to offer timely relationship support in a face to face setting.Based on the latest research evidence, their work promotes early action in relationship support.Aiming to equip people with the skills and knowledge to work on relationship issues before they become entrenched. The result is couples, parents and children who are happier, healthier, and more successful."We really hope you enjoy the episode! 

Recruit for Spouses - Louise Fetigan (from Little Troopers)

On this weeks episode we're talking to military spouse Louise Fetigan who is the founder of the charity Little Troopers. Louise herself served in the British Army and saw active service in Kosovo. Her husband is also currently a serving soldier and has undertaken seven operational tours of duty since their daughter was born in 2003. Louise is passionate about helping all the Little Troopers at home through the anxiety of deployment, the process of moving house and school frequently and keeping parent and child connected having experienced first hand the impact it can have. We talk to her about what is changing now and how the pandemic has affected our military families. We hope you enjoy the episode and please share it far and wide! 

Recruit for Spouses - Heather Sharp (from Forces Wives Challenge)

Our guest this week is Heather Sharp from Forces Wives Challenge.Heather graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2005, commissioning into the Royal Engineers. Throughout her 10 year career in the Regular Army, she had the opportunity to deploy to Afghanistan and take part in expeditions around the world - enjoying all the opportunities for adventure and travel that a military career offers. In 2007, Heather married a fellow serving officer and when their family grew, the pressures of bringing up a young family meant that in 2014 she took the difficult decision to leave. Heather now saw life on the other side of the fence and found it much tougher. Her eyes were opened to the incredible sacrifices made by those that hold the fort at home and she really wanted to give something back by providing opportunities for this community to have a taste of the exciting adventures, teamwork and sense of belonging she had enjoyed in the military. And so the Forces Wives Challenge (FWC) was born, seeking to unite women with partners in the military through adventure and challenge.Since its creation in 2018, FWC has completed a number of exciting adventures from the flagship expedition to Chile where they climbed the highest volcano in the world, to the iconic Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, the National 3 Peaks and Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons. FWC is growing rapidly with over the 600 members nationally and their events having raised over £30,000 for charity!We hope you enjoy the episode.

Recruit for Spouses - Charlotte Sjoberg (from Virgin)

Our guest in this episode is Charlotte Sjoberg, a Communications Director at Virgin.She's also a Military spouse and talks about the reality of juggling a full-time role for a big Corporate Brand with a young family. She also tells us how she started working for Virgin.Charlotte has been “doing” communications for nearly two decades now – Having cut her teeth in the financial sector including launching and floating one of them, she’s racked up a fair chunk of experience across internal and external communication over the years.Having joined Virgin Red, the Virgin Group’s new rewards club, as Corporate Affairs Director at the beginning of 2020, 2021 sees Charlotte take on a new role within the Virgin family as Communications Director for Virgin UK (alongside her Virgin Red responsibilities too).Living in the middle of nowhere with her two young boys and serving husband, she enjoys the quiet life – which is fortunate during lockdown – giving her plenty of time to support her local vineyards. When she’s not working or entertaining the family, she’s teaching herself to play the piano, dabbles in musical theatre (she used to be a professional tap dance teacher) and eating way too much pasta.