Asked to run the Oxford Regional Covid Test Centre in 2020, Katie Halpin essentially started a new job overnight. The intense three-month trial by fire, helped Katie realise her potential for leadership, and she has accelerated her career as a result.
Newly appointed as the Contract Manager for the Defence Academy Campus Integrator (DACI) contract. Katie is responsible for managing the contract deliverables and stakeholder relationships, to ensure Serco meet their customers high expectations. Proud partners with the Ministry of Defence, Serco has provided first class services, technology, estate management, logistical and administration support and processes which have enabled the MoD to deliver world class training at the UK Defence Academy since 2005.
“The main aspect of my role is liaising with our customer and our operational teams, ensuring we’re delivering a commercially sound and excellent service,” Katie said.
“Since joining Serco in 2013, I progressed from administration to deputy head of department. When Covid-19 struck, my manager put me forward for a Test Centre leadership role. It felt a bit like being kicked off the ledge and into the deep end! There were about 100 people working on site each day, from all walks of life, from students to retirees, and I had to make sure we had the right people with the right skills in the right positions.
“Three months felt like I was there for two years. The whole experience was a massive confidence builder. In such a heightened environment, everyone on site was looking to me as the lead. I had to make decisions in the moment, seeing what needed to happen and getting on and doing it. It was quite amazing when you see you’ve made a decision and then things have happened as a result. When I came back to work, I had more confidence to take on some bigger roles as the opportunities came up.
Katie has also benefited from the Women in Defence Mentoring Programme, first as a mentee and more recently as a mentor.
“Being able to help other people develop their careers is what gets me out of bed in the morning. In a company as big as Serco, you can go anywhere, and there are endless opportunities. I’ve been here just over 10 years and have had a wealth of opportunities to progress my career. I’ve been able to take on projects, be part of working groups and drive change in things I’m passionate about.”
We’re #SercoAndProud of Katie’s achievements and look forward to supporting her to impact a better future.