Head of Operations & Business Management

Katie Tune has been appointed as our new Head of Operations, taking over the day-to-day running from Paula Thompson, former Managing Director. Paula has now stepped into a wider role as Chief of Operations across Progress Education but will continue to work closely with Progress Careers.

Katie has been part of Progress Careers since January 2022, and her journey with us has been nothing short of inspiring. With a background in teaching, Katie opted for a change and began her journey at Progress Careers as a Careers Adviser in Lincolnshire. She quickly progressed to Regional Coordinator, before being promoted to Operations Manager in 2023. I feel really proud that I’ve been able to take my passion for supporting young people and grow it in different ways. Leaving teaching was daunting, but Progress Careers gave me the opportunity to find my niche. I’ve been really lucky to develop every year in a business that supports growth and change.”

Katie was first drawn to Progress Careers by the variety and flexibility the role offered, as well as the welcoming culture she experienced from day one, telling us that:

“I had my first chat with Paula, and it felt like such a breath of fresh air. That positive culture and the level playing field here really stood out, and it still does today.”

As Head of Operations, Katie will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day activities across Progress Careers. This includes supporting Operations Managers, Careers Advisers, and ensuring data, CPD calendars, and new projects all run smoothly. From supporting advisers in schools, to working with Paula on the bigger picture, and exploring new pipelines to help grow the business – no two days will be the same.”

As a Careers Adviser, I worked directly with schools that already knew us. Now I’m looking forward to going out to colleagues, councils and new schools to really shout about what we can do.”

With this new role, I’m excited to help make an even bigger impact on students’ lives”.

Katie’s own experiences across careers, teaching, and operations will be key to driving Progress Careers forward and have shaped her leadership approach. Having dyslexia has given her a unique perspective on learning and problem-solving:

“I’m delighted to hand over the day-to-day running of Progress Careers to Katie, which allows me to take on a broader role which will ultimately support more young people to thrive. Does your school need a careers partner? Drop our team a line and we can arrange a suitable date and time to discuss your specific school needs.

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