One wonderful aspect of being in a small but growing business is welcoming new team members to the family.

Our newest Consultants, Claire Bonsignori and Alex Clutterbuck probably feel like they’ve been with us for months, they’ve settled in so fast. We caught up with them when they were still on week two to find out more about them, what led them to us, and what their hopes for the future are…

Alex’s story

Before Baxendale…
After graduating from Durham university in 2015 with a Classics Degree, I went on to complete the Teach First Graduate Scheme. As part of this programme, I obtained a PGCE from UCL and worked as a teacher in a challenging inner London primary school.
Following this, I worked in the education team of a social mobility charity supporting the delivery of a social action project that empowered young Londoners to make a difference in their community. During this time, I developed a passion for education and the third/public sector, realising the challenges these industries are facing. After working on the frontline and seeing many of society’s problems first-hand, I was certain that my work needed to make a positive social impact.

Her Journey to Baxendale Consultant…
I was attracted to Baxendale because their mission – to solve society’s most important challenges – aligned perfectly with my own. It was also clear that a Junior Consultant role would be an amazing challenge, where I could learn from experts and build on my previous skills in a dynamic and varied environment.
I am so excited about this career opportunity and have already been lucky enough to start work on a fast-paced health-care project. My main goal is to constantly put myself out of my comfort zone, to gain experience in all sectors and to experience something new each day. I can already tell that Baxendale, which already appears so supportive and inspiring, is the perfect place to do this!

Alex, on her first day at Baxendale

Claire’s story

Before Baxendale…
I recently finished my Master’s degree in Global Politics at LSE. I was lucky enough to be hired straight out of university to be thrown into the life of a consultant right away. The responsibilities and project work I was given were quite scary at first, but have been extremely interesting and rewarding so far.

Her journey to Baxendale Consultant…
Having studied politics and economics at university, I have always been interested in making a positive impact in the political and social life of the country I live in. In parallel to my studies, I gained some think tank and charity experience in my summer internships. Working for a local British charity providing healthcare services for the elderly showed me how charities can struggle, with limited staff and resources, to find the time and expertise to grow and achieve bigger things. This motivated me to want to work for an organisation that helps decision-makers and social enterprises make a difference in their local environment. I believe that working at Baxendale will allow me to provide this support and work towards positive social change. I am particularly interested in the public and healthcare sectors and I have been lucky enough to be exposed to projects in both of these areas from the start.

I am also excited about the idea of working for an employee-owned business, an aspect of the company that really shows in the way it is run and structured. We were given responsibility and a seat at the table from the beginning, and nothing makes you feel more welcomed in a new place of work than that.

Claire’s first day

Two Weeks as our new Conultants: what they’ve learned

You are learning from day one
You get to meet everybody in the team quickly and build meaningful relationships
The work that Baxendale does is so diverse that, even within a week, you are exposed to a broad range of projects, from the very beginning
The team puts their trust in you from the start, and are not afraid to give you responsibilities
One of those responsibilities might even be the daunting prospect of organising the office Christmas party…
You might even get to travel in the first week!
But even though they trust you, they are also willing to help and give advice. No question is a stupid question
Baxendale is an employee-owned company, which means that even though you are new, you are also a partner, and get to learn about the company structure and performance from the beginning
You are given the opportunity to articulate your own career goals and to get on to the projects that interest you the most
And you are made to fight your fellow Junior Consultant in a bake-off competition… (Alex won, with help from her gran)

Although we are not currently recruiting, we could be on the look out for new talents. If you’re interested in joining the Baxendale team, email careers@baxendale.co.uk to be the first to know when we are next open for applications.

Read Helen’s Junior Consultant Spotlight. Of course, she’s now a Consultant with us. Congratulations, Helen!

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