Recovering with a smart career move
Dr Charlie Orton started her career in clinical research in the NHS, at Liverpool Women’s Hospital, after completing her PhD. Following an illustrious 15 years managing portfolios of paediatric research into illnesses which burden people’s lives, she had an opportunity for secondment to Liverpool Health Partners. This was to spearhead the formation of a new collaborative research service called SPARK. Launched in October 2019, LHP SPARK was set up to provide a centralised research governance and management team for all the hospitals in the Merseyside region.
The secondment broadened her horizons and Charlie realised there was the opportunity for future career progression outside of the NHS. She needed help to think creatively and work out her priorities for the next stage in her professional life.
Coaching support offered opportunity to re-evaluate
Charlie explains: “I wasn’t trained as a clinician, I had worked in a very narrow field of paediatric research for a long time. I did not want to manage NHS services, so my options for career progression within the NHS were very limited. This coupled with the realisation that the more senior my role became, the less I enjoyed it, led me to re-evaluate my future. I was very fortunate that the Director of HR offered me fully-funded executive coaching support and I was introduced to Sue Thomas at Career Evolution.
The power of networking
“Kate Howsley, from Career Evolution became my Coach. We felt an instant connection and I benefited from one-to-one executive coaching with her, which was remarkable. Kate helped me rebuild my self confidence, recognise my unique skills and identify the way forward. She enabled me to have some difficult conversations and helped me turn them into positive opportunities. I also met the wider Career Evolution team through an immensely helpful LinkedIn training seminar. This showed me the importance of profiling myself properly and also the power of networking.”
One of the things that became apparent to Charlie through the sessions was the importance of having the right mind set to recognise status and promotion were not necessarily the ultimate goals. It was more imperative that the job ‘felt’ right. It also meant that when the right position came along – this time in the charity sector – Charlie was in the right place to accept it.
A new appointment
Charlie was appointed Chief Executive of UK Smart Recovery last Spring. The charity, which runs self-management and recovery training to support people overcome addiction of any type, provides its services free at the point of care. Smart Recovery has been running for 25 years. It is the prevailing alternative recovery programme in the UK, with 4500 people accessing over 500 meetings a week (www.smartrecovery.org.uk).
On her appointment, Charlie says: “I am so pleased to be working for UK Smart Recovery. As Chief Executive for a small organisation I can really make a difference to people’s lives on a daily basis. I find it hugely rewarding. The role aligns my leadership skills and knowledge with my personal values. Working with the Career Evolution team allowed me to embrace the opportunities the wider world presented and not be scared. It wasn’t just career development, the company’s support facilitated emotional and personal development too.”
