PEOPLE WITH AMBITIONIt’s Different. It’s Personal. | www.ambition.co.uk

CONTENTS

About Ambition

Our Values

Why Diversity Matters to us

Diversity Events

Our Directors - Women at the top

Head of Diversity

Training and Development

Career Progression

Our People

Giving Back

Mentoring

Flexible Working

It’s Different. It’s Personal.

Global Ambition

Join the Team

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ABOUT AMBITIONAmbition is a leading, global, boutique recruitment business serving specialist markets in London, Australia and Asia. We access hard to find, high calibre professionals within Financial Services, Finance & Accounting, Business Development & Marketing and Business Support. We cover roles from entry level professionals to senior Directors and CEOs.

For more information about Ambition, please visit our website www.ambition.co.uk

OUR VALUES

PassionWe are passionate about who we are, what we do and the way we do it.

ResourcefulnessWe think creatively, working smarter, faster and harder.

Integrity We are honest, respectful and straightforward.

DriveAmbitious by nature, we are determined to excel and energetic in the way we apply ourselves.

Enjoyment Critical to our success, we strive to enhance the experience for clients, candidates and employees.

Our values reflect the professional behaviours that we believe in as an organisation. They are the standards by which we benchmark our decisions and actions. They underlie everything we do as a business and form the bedrock of our beliefs.

At Ambition we recognise and reward the people who have been nominated by their peers for upholding the VALUES above.

Every Friday values nominations are announced across the office and every Quarter the values champion receives their prize.

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WHY DIVERSITY MATTERS TO USThe recruitment industry, like many other industries, is struggling to retain strong female talent and there is a general lack of women in senior positions.

At Ambition, we believe that this needs to change. We are committed to doing everything we can to encourage diversity, starting with our own organisation.

Ambition’s UK business, based in central London, is proud to have a large number of talented female employees in our team.

In our London office, we not only have a middle management team which are mostly made up of women, but we also have a female Managing Director and Director of Professional Services - the two most senior positions in the business.

Globally, Ambition’s management team is currently made up of 50% men 50% women. We are a cohesive group of people who work collaboratively using our strengths to ensure the smooth running of the organisation.

Ambition is committed to fostering gender diversity in its workforce. The following illustrates the percentage of females throughout the Ambition Group.

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WOMEN IN PARTNERSHIP

DIVERSITY EVENTS

This exclusive discussion group brings together a small number of senior level professional women working within Partnerships to talk about key topics relating to Diversity and Inclusion.

The aim of the event is to create an open discussion on how we can work together to increase the number of women in senior positions with Partnerships.

As part of our committment to promoting diversity and personal development in the workforce Ambition run a number of events throughout the year.

To facilitate learning and broaden our employees’ knowledge, Ambition organises internal events throughout the year. External speakers come into our offices to educate our staff on various issues relating to diversity, inclusion and wellbeing.

Previous organisations that have taken part in these events include ‘Changing Faces’, who presented on the challenges experienced by individuals with facial disfigurements when looking for a job, and ‘Connecting with People’ who gave a talk on issues surrounding mental health in the city, in particular stress and anxiety.

Although these events are held for the benefit of our employees, we also invite key clients along so that those who are interested can learn alongside our consultants.

BROADEN YOUR MIND

Women with Ambition is an exclusive networking series for career focused individuals across Professional Services and Financial Services, hosted by Ambition in our key office locations across London, Asia and Australia.

Since it was launched in 2006, the Women with Ambition series has given professional women and men the opportunity to interact with their peers in a social setting whilst providing insights on professional and career issues.

Previous topics covered in Women with Ambition include: • Confidence inside and out!• The value of mentoring for women• No flex please, we’re British.

WOMEN WITH AMBITION

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OUR DIRECTORS - WOMEN AT THE TOP

“Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy and if you think it’s easy to get ahead then you will be sorely disappointed!”

Andrea Williams is the Managing Director of Ambition UK. She works from home every other Monday.

“Over the years I have received some great advice. Some has been about motivation, drive and getting ahead in your career and there have been others on how to get the best out of the people you work with.

All of it has been valuable - even the advice you don’t agree with can help sometimes! I am always open to hearing others’ points of view as it is often not the most obvious of your contacts that has the best advice for you.

I think it was Gary Player (the great golfer) who said ‘the more I practice, the luckier I get’ and this has always stuck with me. I am not a great one for quotes, but this message reminds us all that the harder you work the better your chances are for success. Nothing

worthwhile ever comes easy and if you think it’s easy to get ahead then you will be sorely disappointed!

I am motivated mainly by doing the right thing and doing the best job I possibly can. I find that individuals with high personal standards will strive to be the best they can be and money and all the trappings of success are simply a nice by-product - not the end goal.

I have met and worked with many people who have the accumulation of wealth as their main driver and this works for some of them, but it is not something that has particularly driven me. I strive to achieve because it’s important to me - and because I’m competitive!”

Andrea Williams

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“I first joined Ambition in 2007 as an Associate Director of Finance and Accounting and was later promoted to Director of Professional Services.

After 2 years of working full time I decided to reduce my hours to 4.5 days a week. This works well for me as I am able to dedicate my working hours to the business and still have the opportunity to pick up my children from school, attend their sports games and have their friends over for playdates on a Friday afternoon. Reducing my hours has enabled me me to maintain a good work/life balance.

I have stayed at Ambition as I have been able to develop my career and grow the business in a supportive and professional environment.

Ambition focuses on quality and relationship building which is a refreshing change in the recruitment industry which is often incorrectly portrayed as an industry that is only interested in making fees.

I enjoy working with a high calibre of candidates, clients and consultants and I feel loyalty to both Ambition and to the people that report in to me.”

Nicky Acuna Ocana

“Ambition focuses on quality and relationship building which is a refreshing change in the recruitment industry”

Nicky Acuna Ocana is the Director of Professional services at Ambition UK. Nicky has 2 children and works 4.5 days a week.

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HEAD OF DIVERSITY

Sally works closely with Ambition’s clients to assist them in ensuring that more women are progressing into positions of authority within their businesses.

The stategies we put in place to achieve this range from creating networks and mentoring platforms to planning events to help move the gender equality agenda forward.

Ambition has recently undertaken qualitative research working within our clients across Professional Services & Financial Services to establish what we can do to have a positive impact on gender equality.

Based on the results of this research, we have created specific training which is tailored to our clients’ needs, focusing on the following topics:

• General diversity overview – what an inclusive diverse culture is, what it means to the business, and why it is important.• Mentoring and Sponsorship programmes • Flexible and agile working • Building networks • Attracting broader, more diverse talent • Retaining your female talent• Making your interview process diversity-friendly

We have also partnered with various external organisations to work together to increase the number of women in senior positions and maintain a strong talent pipeline.

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Sally Clare is the Head of Diversity at Ambition. In this unique role Sally works closely with Ambition’s clients across Professional and Financial Services to help them with the challenges their businesses face in regards to gender diversity.

TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

“I have been working for Ambition since 2007. During this time, they have truly helped me to develop my career by financing my payroll management degree, something I wouldn’t have been able to finance by myself.

Ambition is a company which enables you to achieve your goals and develop yourself professionally. The people here are so pas-sionate about what they do, they are determined to excel and are generally so supportive of each other.”

Sarah Parkinson- Payroll & Benefits Manager

Ambition is committed to developing our employees’ careers by providing various methods of training.

As a junior consultant you will engage in a structured tailored training programme with other consultants at a similar level to you. The training is undertaken by our own Principal Consultants and Managers, offering expertise and guidance from experienced professionals who have previously worked in a similar role.

As you progress within the organisation the training evolves and the delivery altered depending on your personal goals and level of experience. This facilitates the opportunity to exchange ideas with individuals from different business streams in a collaborative manner.

We also provide internal training globally in which one of our global high achievers run Skype sessions to share knowledge and expertise with our consultants in the UK.

In addition to the above, external trainers are also invited in on an ad hoc basis to help our consultants to achieve their potential and fill any specific gaps in skills or knowledge.

WHAT OUR EMPLOYEES SAY:

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CAREER PROGRESSION

The ‘People’ (management) path caters for those who want to develop their people man-agement skills and focus on building & leading high performing teams.

The ‘Sales’ (fee earning) path allows you to concentrate on billing, whilst gaining recognition for being an exceptional, high achieving and specialist recruiter in your chosen market.

Unlike most recruitment firms, we give our consultants the choice in how they progress their career within our Group. We offer three transparent career paths allowing colleagues to map out their careers from day one, but with the flexibility to change emphasis depending on individual circumstances.

CAREER PATHS Finally, the ‘Specialist’ path that recognises

people who want to focus their career in niche areas such as Business Development, Client Services, Candidate Services or Project Management.

Regardless of which structure is right for you, you’ll find plenty of opportunities to rapidly accelerate your career at Ambition.

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Marguerite, Sarah, Michelle and Anne have all worked at Ambition for over 8 years and have been able to progress their career within the organisation.

“I first joined Ambition in 2005 as a consultant then quickly progressed into a senior role and then was given the opportunity to be a manager. I didn’t think the role fitted me well so decided to return to a true billing role.

When I first came back from maternity leave I worked 4 days a week then later upped that to 4 ½ days. Ambition has such a wonderful culture and people. This is something that has always appealed to me hence why I’ve stayed so long.”

Marguerite Clooney - Principal Consultant

Michelle Allen - Principal Consultant

I have been at Ambition for over 10 years. The company has changed quite a bit during my time here but our culture and values have remained. I have stayed at Ambition because I enjoy the market I work in and want to be working for the best.

Ambition have really listened to me - I didn’t want to do a managerial role and they respected that and looked into different career options for me which has enabled my career to develop in the direction I want.

OUR PEOPLE

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GIVING BACK

Ambition’s charity partner is Career Ready. Career Ready provide a structured career programme for sixth form students who do not have access to the business world. Ambition supports students throughout the whole programme with workshops, mentor programmes and internships.

Ambition employees are encouraged to take part in Career Ready activities and to become a mentor as part of their Partners in Business programme.

We also support a number of different charities throughout the year with dress-down days, cake sales and sports challenges.

Birthday charity donationAs a birthday gift, Ambition not only gives employees their birthday off as an extra holiday but also makes a donation to a charity of their choice.

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MENTORINGMentoring is a valuable part of an individual’s development. We foster relationships both internally and externally to ensure that any employee who would like a mentor is given that opportunity. Two employees share their experiences of mentoring below.

Adam Silver - Managing Consultant

Olivia Kelly - Senior Consultant

I’ve had a mentor for 2 years and the experience has been really valuable to me.

The main benefits to having a mentor is having someone I can rely on for advice about work related topics,

My mentor has worked in a very niche market like myself, so it’s nice to be able to talk to someone outside of the business who understands and can give me advice on how to be successful.

it also gives me the opportunity to review and reflect upon what I have been doing so that I keep improving.

The best advice I’ve received from my mentor is to look at my desk as my own business.

Ambition really do encourage everyone to have mentors because they understand how beneficial it can be.

I’ve had a mentor for around two years and the best piece of advice I have received from my mentor is to really push for what I want and to speak up if I don’t agree with something.

I decided to become a mentor myself because I had experienced first-hand how valuable it can be and I wanted to give back to someone else in the business.

I have really enjoyed being a mentor and being able to pass on my skills and knowledge that will hopefully help my mentee to develop their own career. It’s nice having that input and knowing you’re making a difference.

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FLEXIBLE WORKINGIn 2015 Ambition opted to give our employees the opportunity to work flexibly. Staff can start anytime from 7am – 9am and finish any time after 5pm.

This gives our people the option to start their working day either earlier or later than usual to best suit their outside committments. Some of the employees who have opted in share their experiences below.

Ruksana Uddin - Senior Consultant

“I work from 9.15 to 4.15 from Monday to Thursday and Ambition have been so supportive.

The flexible hours scheme is really valuable to me as without it I wouldn’t be in the position to work.

It enables me to maintain a successful career whilst also being able to do the school run in the mornings. Having Fridays off also gives me the chance to spend more time with my children which is really important to me.

Richard Williams - Financial Controller

“Ambition is definitely a supportive environment for a dad. They encourage their employees to keep their work life balance, which is great as there isn’t any pressure to stay late, whereas in some other companies its frowned upon when people leave at a certain time.

Working flexible hours means I finish work earlier, which allows me to pick my son up from nursery and spend more time with him in the evenings. The new scheme enables me to move my day forward and spend more time dealing with our Asia offices in the morning.”

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“My family lives in Pakistan and we have a time difference of 5 hours. Flexible hours enables me come to work early in the morning (I work 8-5) and finish early which means I can speak to my family back home before they go to bed.

Also, on Fridays I go to the mosque for my Friday prayers. Ambition lets me take my break between 2.15 – 3.15 so I can go and perform my prayers with ease as the mosque in central London is very busy if I go during the usual lunch-time hours.”

Waseem Abbas - Network Support

Martyn Draper - Associate Director

“I became a Dad for the first time in July last year and my son started nursery in August. This has required a decent amount of time juggling in order to make sure that drop-offs and pick-ups are achievable.

Ambition’s approach to flexible working has allowed this to be far more stress free than it could have been and has also allowed me to spend more time with my new family which, at the moment, is really important to me.”

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Energetic, supportive, hardworking and fun are just some of the words our people have recently used to describe our culture.

These aren’t just empty phrases but ones we believe have real meaning, their importance supported by the regular employee survey’s we conduct across all our offices.

Our recent Group Culture Survey highlighted that 99% of our people are proud to work for Ambition and 97% would recommend Ambition as a great place to work. The number one reason people like about working in the Group was ‘the People’.

We are a very values driven business, we aim to embody our PRIDE values. To help people settle into the organisation and learn about the culture, we have created the Ambition Ambasadors who are buddys to our new joiners in order to help them settle in so they always have someone to talk to.

We also have an internal mentoring platform, enabling all employees to request a mentor to help them improve and develop.

Ambition organises a range of internal events throughout the year, such as quarterly nights out, Christmas and summer parties and have our very own netball team, the “Ambition Aces” who are always keen to welcome new players!

Here are just some of the internal activities we organise throughout the year:

Card, cake and flowers on birthday End of quarter drinks Quarterly team nights out Dress down Fridays Christmas parties Summer parties Santa’s grotto for employees’ children Charity events National day celebrations (e.g. St Patrick’s Day, Chinese New Year...) Company netball team Company football team Annual charity fun run Wellbeing week Friday drinks

and much more....

IT’S DIFFERENT. IT’S PERSONAL.

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GLOBAL AMBITION

Whilst this provides exciting personal and career development opportunities, it also allows our business to grow and retain our people.

Furthermore, it strengthens our position in the markets where we operate.

These aren’t empty promises either. Over the last twelve months, we have successfully relocated staff members between our offices in Australia, Asia and the UK.

Ambition has offices in London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

JOIN THE TEAMIf you are interested in working for Ambition, please let us know! We currently have opportunities available at every level and office location. Visit our website www.buildingbetterfutures.com for more information on current vacancies. If you’re interested in having an initial, confidential discussion or would like to make an application please contact andrea.williams@ambition.co.uk

Ambition UK Ambition Group UK

uk_ambition ambitiongroupambitionuk recruiment

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We believe in giving our people the chance to move between our international offices.

You can also follow us on social media where we regularly post photos and updates about our internal and external events along with industry news and blogs.

BUILDING BETTER FUTURES.

London 13 Southampton PlaceLondonWC1A 2ALT: +44 (0)20 7404 4004

www.ambition.co.uk