Samar Shah, Head of UK Partner Success

Describe your role

I’m the first point of contact at Unifrog for the majority of schools so, if they have problem or want something updated or changed, they come to me and I help get it sorted.

If you could be any superhero, who would you be?

Any superhero who can fly and get to places really quickly! I’d love to visit sunny destinations whenever I feel like it...

What does an average day as a customer success lead look like?

On a typical day I’ll come into the office, respond to emails, and make sure any other project work is progressing smoothly. I also answer the phones and help the rest of the team out whenever I can.

What advice would you give to your schoolgirl self?

Not to stress! I’d tell my schoolgirl self not to worry about the small stuff as it won’t actually matter that much in five years’ time - ignore the drama and hit the books instead.

What do you like the most about your role?

I love that my role can be really varied at times. Although the majority of day-to-day tasks are similar, the project work is very diverse. Also, I get to speak to a lot of teachers on a daily basis and find out how Unifrog is benefiting them, which makes me feel good!

Afeni Ohiro, Events Assistant

Describe your role at Unifrog

As Events Assistant, I would say I'm the logistical backbone of our team. I handle equipment orders, packing, and email correspondence and all at once! I work closely with the team to plan and organise events seamlessly. It's a rewarding role where I get to blend professionalism with a genuine sense of enjoyment in what I do.??

What gets you out of bed in the morning to go to work??

What gets me up and going every morning is the chance to work for an organisation that's all about levelling the playing field for students. It's not just about the events I help organise or the tasks I tackle; it's about being part of something bigger. Knowing that I'm contributing to creating opportunities for all students, regardless of their background, fuels my passion for what I do.?

If you could meet any celebrity, who would you choose and why??

If I could meet a celebrity it would most definitely be BEYONCE! She is simply the queen of music in my eyes!

How would your friends describe you??

My friends would probably describe me as a total drama queen, passionate, vibrant, ambitious, and warm-hearted.

Alex Smith, Account Manager

What gets you out of bed in the morning to start work?

The things that get me out of a bed are a loud alarm clock, a cup of tea made with two tea bags, and the feeling that I'm going to spend my day helping people to help other people!

What's your favourite Unifrog tool and why?

From a teacher's point of view, I love the ability to log Interactions. I have seen this put to so many creative uses, by Heads of Year, Tutors, Careers Leads, in PSHE, and so on. Its capacity to keep both students and teachers in the loop is phenomenal. When fully utilised, it does so much of the record-keeping that we know teachers need!

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I would have to choose a roast dinner. Yes, it's one meal, but you can mix it up! But I'd always have it with horseradish sauce.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Assume nothing. Always politely check.
 

Amy McCord, Graphic Designer

What motivates you to work at Unifrog?

If I’d had the tools available to me that Unifrog provides I think it would have made figuring out my life path much less stressful! I think it’s so important that young people have the information on the platform available to them, and in a variety of accessible ways, so they feel empowered to make the choices that feel right to them. I’m motivated by the idea that what I’m creating not only makes things more accessible, but hopefully makes people smile as well!

How has your background in TEFL helped you in this role?

Working with young people from lots of different cultures and walks of life has been a wonderful and an eye-opening process, but it also meant I saw a lot of inequality and frustrating barriers that people had to face. I think being made aware of these things make my design and artwork choices more empathetic.

What's at the top of your bucket list?

My brother bought me a skydive for my birthday but I’m yet to do it! So I have to get on that. I also really want to go to Japan.

What's the one film you think everyone should see?

I just love ‘The Lion King’! I think it affected so many of my life choices: the gorgeous animation inspired me to draw and create, the stunning landscapes made me want to travel. I also love cats, so there we go. I was adamant I was going to be a lion when I grew up until I was about six.

Angelica Bongat, Area Manager (Asia)

What do you enjoy most about living and working in Hong Kong?

There are so many things I enjoy about Hong Kong! I love the ease of getting around; you can be on the beach or in the mountains or the city within 30 minutes, and there's so much to do. The city is also a vibrant mix of cultures with people from all over – not to mention the food scene is amazing!

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learnt working at Unifrog?

I really appreciate the emphasis on creating a collaborative environment that you can grow in. The company as a whole is so supportive of its employees, whether it's by providing extra learning resources or workshops, or even weekly yoga sessions. They've also been the best bunch of people to work with and everyone is so nice and friendly.

Who was your childhood hero?

My mom was my hero! She's always been very supportive of my interests and hobbies growing up and allowed me to grow into them. She also lived in Hong Kong for almost 20 years and is a big part of why I decided to move here.

What gives you energy?

I get a lot of energy from exploring new interests. I like trying out new things and it's especially great when you find something new to enjoy. I recently started diving after getting my PADI open-water diving license and discovering new diving destinations has been really exciting!

Arash Khosravi, Sponsorships and Impact Lead

Describe your role

The role of Sponsorships and Impact Lead involves bringing together employers and HE providers with schools to provide Unifrog to as many schools as we can, regardless of their financial circumstances. My role also involves keeping track of our work around Levelling the Playing Field (supporting disadvantaged students to make the right post school choices for them) and maximising the impact we are having. 

Fun fact: this is my second role at Unifrog! You may recognise me as being an International Partnerships Manager previously before I took a career break for six months to go travelling.

What's your favourite Unifrog tool and why?

There are so many to choose from! It’s probably the Webinars tool though - I really like the fact that we are doing student facing webinars. This is such a great avenue for us to share information, give students exposure to universities, and help them find out everything they need to know - sometimes about things they’ve never even thought about! I really love the fact that over the Covid-19 pandemic, we’ve rolled out webinars to help students in new ways.

What's the best concert you've ever been to?

While in New Zealand in December 2022, we arrived in the city of Napier where one of my favourite artists was performing on the day we arrived: Jack Johnson. We didn't know he was performing until we arrived so we didn't have tickets booked. We did manage to find some tickets last minute (literally the hour before!) and managed to go to his outdoor concert which was incredible! He was definitely a bucket list artist for me to see live and it seemed it was fate that everything worked out to be able to see him, which I'll never forget! 

What's your party trick?

This has got to be my Rubik’s cube trick - I can solve them in under a minute. I’d always wanted to learn how to solve them and I had spare time on my hands in my first year of uni, so I got on YouTube and kept practising until I got it right. It took me about a month to learn and my personal best is 56 seconds - it always goes down well when I show it off! 

When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I was an only child growing up so didn’t have much entertainment - I got obsessed with video games. This was back when you played games off of floppy disks and it was all really new technology. All I wanted to do was be a computer games tester - for someone who spent their whole childhood playing computer games, playing games everyday forever sounded like the dream! Ready Player One would have been my dream world! Computer games testing wasn’t really a thing when I was growing up and it didn’t feel serious enough to be a career - it’s different now, but back then gaming was definitely more of a hobby than a career.

Caroline Collins, Head of Employer Partnerships

Describe your role at Unifrog

As Head of Employer Partnerships, I reach out to both national and international employers showcasing the Unifrog platform and helping them to raise their brand awareness with young people from a diverse range of backgrounds. I plan different opportunities in which students can engage with employers, such as webinars, and help collect information from our employer partners to populate the Know-how library, our Special opportunities tool, and our Apprenticeship tool. It’s a very exciting time to start this role as it’s a brand new part of Unifrog, so I’m looking forward to seeing how this area develops and the employer partnerships we create!

How has your background in social enterprise and higher education helped you in this role?

Before starting at Unifrog, I worked as a Partnership and Engagement Manager at Enactus UK, a youth social enterprise charity which works with university students. My role involved building and delivering partnership plans to ensure that the corporate sponsors achieved return on investment. This role involved exciting opportunities such as working with Amazon’s Black Employee Network to build 1:1 mentoring opportunities, creating virtual work experience weeks with Schroders, building grant funding opportunities with SAP and Sodexo, and helping to change Unilever’s graduate recruitment processes based on Enactus student feedback. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with the Careers and Employment Service at the University of Derby.

Both experiences have built my awareness of employability skills, which are vital for the world of work, and what activities I can create with partner employers to help young people build these. I’m excited to bring my experience to Unifrog and continue to support young people to make the best decision about their future.

If you could meet any celebrity, who would you choose and why?

It would definitely be Helen Bonham Carter! With all of the incredible films she has been in like ‘Harry Potter’, ‘The King’s Speech’ and the Netflix series ‘The Crown’, she’s bound to have some brilliant stories to tell!

What's the one film you think everyone should see?

I'd recommend watching ‘Monuments Men’. It's an absolutely incredible film with George Clooney, John Goodman and Bill Murray to name a few. It's about seven museum directors, curators, and art historians from the Allied Forces coming together in an effort to protect, recover, and return priceless artefacts damaged or looted by the German army in World War II and is based on a true story. Make sure you add it to your must-see list!
 

Catarina Rodrigues, Head of Video

Describe your role at Unifrog

As Head of Video I’m responsible for producing, filming, and editing video content for the Careers, Subjects, and Know-how libraries alongside our talented content team!

What gets you out of bed in the morning to go to work?

My favourite part of the day is my morning walk to the office, where I mentally go over the list of things I have to do. I appreciate the tall buildings reflecting the sunrise light, and the faces that greet me at the office with a huge smile. A new day begins! 

When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Growing up in a big family meant having lots of kids around that I could convince to participate in my amateur short films - from remakes of High School Musical to mobster stories. 

My dream has always been to direct films and I’m incredibly grateful that I get to live my dream whilst helping people achieve theirs. 

Would you rather be able to teleport or time travel? Why?

This is an easy one to answer - definitely teleport! You don’t mess with time travelling, unless you’re Hermione of course. I would love to be able to visit my family and friends around the world at the bat of an eye!

Catrina Dorrell, Internal Communications and Events Lead

Describe your role at Unifrog

As the Internal Communications and Events Lead, my role is to develop and implement Unifrog’s internal communications strategy, making sure that everyone at the company stays well-informed, and optimising the way our employees communicate with one another. I’m also responsible for organising and executing all of Unifrog’s internal events, such as whole company team days and regular office socials, to make sure our team has some well-deserved fun alongside all the amazing work they do!

How has your background in psychology and human resources helped you in this role?

I think that my background in psychology and human resources has given me a lot of insight into different communication styles, and that so many aspects of a business depend on good communication between employees/teams. I love getting to know other people, so I tend to be quite in-tune with what teams want out of company events, and what adjustments I need to make so that everyone can have a good time.

What book do you always recommend to other people?

I am a big book lover, and have a mile-long list of books I could recommend. But I think that my most recommended book is ‘The Trauma Cleaner’ by Sarah Krasnostein, which is a biography of Sandra Pankhurst’s extraordinary life. It’s one of those books that has stuck with me for its ability to make me laugh and cry!

How would your friends describe you?

I think that my friends would describe me as loyal, a good listener, and a dog lover. I’m very protective of the people I love and always have words of advice should my friends need some – and I am absolutely obsessed with dogs!

Charley Fowler, Area Manager and UK Education Lead

What do you find most exciting about being a Unifrog Area Manager? 
 
I love the excitement when a new partner school comes on board, and we have the first strategy meeting to establish their goals with the platform. It's exciting to help schools take a step back and think about what beneficial changes using Unifrog can bring to their CEIAG programme. Additionally, my partner schools are spread across the East of England and London, and I find it really exciting when I discover cute coffee shops in places that I never would have visited if it weren't for my job. 

As our Gatsby Benchmark Champion, how do you help schools meet the benchmarks? 

As Gatsby Champion, my role is to be as clued up as possible on all things CEIAG policy related. With my partner schools, I'll support them in various ways with this. Often, we'll go through their CEIAG plan with a fine-toothed comb comparing this with the DfE's guidance on meeting the benchmarks. Many of my partner schools are working towards achieving CEIAG awards, so I'll help them by applying my knowledge of how Unifrog relates to the benchmarks and the assessment frameworks for the awards they're applying for.  

How has your background in teaching helped you in this role? 

Before Unifrog, I was an RE teacher at a secondary school in Camden, London. Teaching gave me first hand experience of the challenges schools face in a variety of areas, as well as the positive impact good careers education can have on students. Teaching develops your resilience and your ability to empathise with others. All of these things drive me to do a really good job of supporting my partner schools as an Area Manager. I enjoy addressing the variety of issues my schools face relating to careers and destinations, and I love celebrating their successes using Unifrog to combat these. 

What’s your favourite song and why? 

Tough question! I'm all for a girl power anthem. ‘Fighter’ by Christina Aguilera is one of my faves.

Chloe Hayes, People Lead

What gets you out of bed in the morning to go to work?

I love my work and I get very excited about the variation of tasks I get to focus on that day, and the lovely colleagues I’ll be interacting with. Unifrog has a strong social mission, and so this is a huge motivator for me to be the best I can be every day and support our team with the wonderful work that they do.

All that being said, I have to admit that the immediate thought which often gets me out of bed in the morning is the promise of a hot drink!

How has your background in Human Resources in the university access space helped you in your role at Unifrog?

I’ve always worked in Human Resources within the university access and widening participation sector. It's given me a strong sense of personal mission, and also an understanding of some of the hurdles that employees might be facing at work when striving to achieve educational equality and to level the playing field for pupils of all backgrounds – it’s no easy task!

I also think my background in Human Resources has helped me to be able to form great working relationships with many different people across an organisation.

If you could meet any celebrity, who would you choose and why?

At the moment, I’d probably choose to meet Davina McCall, to have a conversation about all the fantastic work she’s doing raising awareness on different women’s issues and how they can affect you at work and in your personal life. She seems like an energetic and caring person to have around, and I actually think she’d be a great HR and people professional!

What gives you energy?

I like doing things that inspire me in my daily life that help me to feel energised and excited at work. The main thing that I love doing when I have a day to myself is wandering around a great art gallery or exhibition, with my earplugs in so that I can block out the world and focus on the art for a couple of hours. I always come out super energised.
 

Claire Crease, Marketing Lead

What gets you out of bed in the morning to start working?

I always try to get outside for a nice walk with a podcast before I sit down to work in the morning, so the idea of getting out in the fresh air is a good incentive! I live in Scotland though which means that my routine is regularly spoiled by the weather, and on those days, a big cup of coffee and a good breakfast does it for me. 

What do you like most about your role?

I really like that I get to shout about all of the great work Unifrog is doing. The projects I'm involved in are so varied, and I appreciate that I get to mix critical thinking and strategy with more creative work. It's nice to flex both of those muscles at once!

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

This is such a cruel question, but if I have to choose one thing, I'll go with meat-free 'pepperoni' pizza. I stopped eating meat eight years ago, but at that point, meat-free alternatives weren't quite there and I spent a while feeling deprived of good pizza toppings. Now that I'm able to get my hands on a good slice of 'meaty' pizza, it's my go-to.

What gives you energy?

Engaging with the arts in general gives me energy, but especially live theatre. The performing arts were a massive part of my life when I was growing up, to the extent that becoming a performer was a viable career choice for a while! Although it's not the path I chose for myself, seeing a live show still gives me such a buzz and always leaves me on a massive adrenaline high. I took a solo trip to London last year and, because I had no supervision, I saw about six shows in four days. I didn't sleep for weeks after that...

Clare Stevenson, Account Manager

Describe your role

I haven't been at Unifrog for very long, but I've already received amazing training and support from the team. Essentially, my role is to enable partner schools and colleges in my region to maximise the value of their subscription to the platform. It's so important to understand each partner's specific goals and provide the necessary training, resources, and support to staff and students to help them achieve these.  

What made you want to work at Unifrog?

I love the ethos of the organisation and it's mission to raise aspirations for all students, regardless of their background. I was the first person in my family to go to university back in the early 90s, and I wish I could have had even a fraction of the access to the information and support that Unifrog provides.

I love that Unifrog is a B Corp with an incredibly positive culture.

I also used the Placements tool during my previous role for a large secondary school, coordinating over 150 student placements for sixth form students each year. This element of the platform made such a difference to my workload, so I was confident it was a platform that I could really get behind, and I know its potential to be transformative in helping partners manage their entire careers programme.

What would your perfect weekend look like?

My perfect weekend would involve at least one lazy morning when I'm not on the clock. Also, my daughter has recently moved away to college, so time spent with her at weekends will be incredibly precious to me. I love country walks with my family and our Schnoodle Cooper, via a pub for lunch perhaps. I enjoy catching up with friends and the occasional concert or theatre trip.

Who was your childhood hero?

I was massively into George Michael and Wham when I was a child. I had posters plastered everywhere in my bedroom!

Coralie Colmez, Co-Founder

Describe your role

I'm one of Unifrog's founders, so over the years my role has included pretty much everything from Sales to Data analysis to HR. I've passed on all my management and leadership responsibilities to other people, so these days I get to spend all my time on what I like the most, which is developing the platform. 

We look at ideas from wherever they come, including teachers and students at our partner schools and everyone in the team, and decide which ones we want to go forward with. I then work with Alex (the co-founder) and our lead programmer Stu to make them happen! I focus mostly on our products that involve using data, whether that's information from outside sources like UCAS or job market predictions, or usage stats from the platform. 

What advice would you give young people?

Always ask yourself what it is that you really want, and then do that instead of doing what the world expects of you. And remember that the decisions you make are very rarely permanent, and you can change your mind and your life at any point.

What book do you always recommend to other people?

I love reading, so this could be a long list, but one of my favourites is ‘Station Eleven’ by Emily St John Mandel, which is about… a pandemic - so recently, people have been a lot less enthusiastic when I recommend it to them! Her writing gives the book an addictive other-worldly feeling, and it has a very lovely message about the importance of art. 

What does your ideal weekend look like?

Sleeping in indecently late, sun all weekend, a good party, and the perfect level of hangover.

Dan Seamarks, Video Producer/Director

What's the most exciting thing about being a video producer and director?

The most exciting thing about my role is filming such a diverse range of people and locations. One week I could be at the Royal Opera House and the next, on a Navy aircraft carrier! I love hearing people’s stories and what it takes to do their roles. 

What gets you out of bed in the morning to get started on work?

After a few snoozes of my alarm and a big cup of coffee, I’ll get cracking on organising shoots, editing footage, or travelling to shoots. I feel very lucky to say that I never have that Monday morning feeling, as I love my job and the variety it brings, therefore I always wake up looking forward to the day ahead! 

Which actor would you get to play you in the movie of your life and why?

I’m a big fan of nostalgic, old-school films so it would have to be Robert De Niro or Marlon Brando. However, it's safe to say my life in film would be nothing like the films they’ve been in!

What’s your karaoke song?

Name any ABBA song…

Dave Nicholson, Account Manager

What made you want to work at Unifrog?

As one of a relatively small number of students at my secondary school who went onto university, I've always felt very aware that the platform needs levelling in terms of students being able to access resources to inspire their decisions for their future. When I became aware of Unifrog and what it offered, I felt slightly jealous I didn't have access to it myself at school age! I was very excited at the prospect of working with schools to offer the platform to their students and supporting them in doing that.

Describe your role at Unifrog

In general terms, I am responsible for trying to make sure that all our Partner Schools in Warwickshire and Oxfordshire (and slightly further afield!) can get the most out of Unifrog.

This means speaking to schools new to the system and helping them use the system to make their lives easier than before they started using Unifrog, and also working with longer term partners to ensure that they are maximising what Unifrog can offer them. This could be new features, an area of the platform they would like to use to support their Careers aims going forwards or simply refreshing them on something they might have already seen.

If you could be any superhero, who would you be?

I think I'd be Spiderman. Sometimes people get down on lil' Spidey because he can't do much apart from shoot webs and react quickly, but I'm a goalkeeper in football. so those reactions would definitely lead to me playing in goal for England. I think the web thing would be very useful for when I'm feeling lazy and want to grab something across the room. Being someone like Superman would be far too much pressure as well.

What's your favourite thing to do outside work?

I'm a big sports fan but I wouldn't honestly say I enjoy following York City FC these days. I love playing cricket on a warm summer day and having a few drinks afterwards. I am also a fan of quizzes - I do a lot of pub quizzes and am part of a quiz league - so I'm reasonably likely to be able to pluck some obscure knowledge out at any given moment. A weak claim to fame is that a clip of me went slightly viral when I appeared on Pointless on the BBC, and not for embarrassing reasons, fortunately.

Ellis Joseph, International Partnerships Lead (Asia)

What's the most surprising thing you've learnt working at Unifrog?

Something that really surprised me how diverse my colleagues' work backgrounds are. People on our team have previously worked as teachers, content creators, and prison wardens! It's opened my eyes to the vast range of skills and experiences that can contribute to creating a positive impact, and I find it really inspiring.

Your team is based around the world – how do you make sure you keep in touch?

We’re flexible! Being spread across the world definitely comes with its challenges, but that’s nothing a little bit of technology can’t help with! We schedule most team meetings during overlapping working hours, and also understand that we sometimes need to adjust hours to accommodate for different time zones. It's a collaborative effort, and it works!

When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Finding my calling definitely took some exploration. As a child, my dream job went from Red Power Ranger to police officer, and then I had a doctor phase! Looking back, it seems the common theme was a desire to help others in some way. It's interesting how that's translated perfectly into my role at Unifrog, where I get to support the Unifrog mission of levelling the playing field for international students.

What does your ideal weekend look like?

My ideal weekend is a balance of activity and relaxation. Saturday would be a full-on adventure day. I might search for a challenging hike, or squeeze in a refreshing run to clear my head. Lazy Sundays are for relaxing and catching up with family.

Emily Kay, HE Partnerships Manager

How has your background helped you in this role?

Previous to this role, I worked in the central team of Ark Schools supporting students across the network to secure, select, and succeed in their next steps. Having spent years trying to pull together all the data, we decided to use Unifrog across the network which was truly game changing! After that, I was an Operations Lead at Beam, an organisation supporting people experiencing homelessness to find work or a new home. Beam's service is really bespoke based on the needs of each area. A combination of my experience in education plus tailored partnership work has put me in a great position to support our university partners.

What's your favourite Unifrog tool and why?

I love the 'Recording what you've done' tools in Unifrog. In previous roles, I've had the opportunity to facilitate some absolutely amazing trips and guest speakers but often found students struggling to remember the details of these when they created applications. I have an absolutely terrible memory myself so I find this highly relatable! These tools helps log everything in one place.

What always surprises people when you tell them?

I took dance lessons between the ages of 6 and 16 years old and took part in several shows at Sheffield's Crucible theatre. My costume highlights included a fish in our under the sea show and a radish in Mr McGregor's garden for the Beatrix Potter show. I've since lost all my dance talent but I'm trying to work on my flexibility again.

What advice would you give your younger self?

Don't cut a full fringe. It won't work.

Gemma Neale, Head of UK Sales

What made you want to work for Unifrog?

I’ve known about Unifrog for a number of years and I’m really passionate about the mission to level the playing field for all young people. I’ve previously mentored some students who have used the platform to help them to make decisions for their future and it widened so many opportunities for them. It is also really exciting to be part of something that is constantly changing and adapting based on the needs of the schools we work with.

What's your favourite Unifrog tool and why?

This is very hard to choose! I love all the resources available on the Know-How library. Whether you want to learn about the costs involved for studying abroad, how to support your local community, or understanding how protests work… there’s all the information you could possibly need! I also would have loved to have access to the Special Opportunities tool when I was at school; it’s so useful to see all of the summer schools, scholarships, and internships in one place.

If you could meet any celebrity, who would you choose and why?

It would be great to meet Jodie Comer. It’s amazing how she can master speaking in so many different accents. I’ve recently watched the National Theatre Live performance of ‘Prima Facie’; I was absolutely gripped all the way through.  

What's your favourite pizza? 

My all-time favourite would have to be the ‘Manca’ pizza (mozzarella, poached pears, honey, and gorgonzola) from my local pizza restaurant in Norfolk. But otherwise, anything with pineapple!

Greg Brown, HE Partnerships Manager

What does a good work day look like to you?

The great thing about working at Unifrog is that every day is different and we are constantly innovating! As a University Partnerships Manager I’m often travelling, so when not on the road at conferences or fairs I really enjoy working from home in the peace and quiet. Plus, I always get to choose the 'office' music!

A good day will involve meeting with Unifrog partners, which requires me to be flexible with timing – I could be speaking with people in India in the morning, Europe at lunchtime and the USA in the evening!

What’s the most exciting thing that’s happened to you whilst travelling for work?

A couple of years ago I was in Singapore visiting some Unifrog schools and I decided to take a trip to the ‘Treetop Walk’ in MacRitchie Park. I knew there were lots of macaque monkeys around but I didn’t bet on just how aggressive they could be. As I was crossing the bridge I saw them sizing me up but decided to take a selfie on the bridge anyway. Just as I was looking at the screen, I could see a big macaque monkey charging at me from behind! It jumped on to my shoulders, reached into my bag and tried to grab my stuff. Thankfully I’d seen it coming so turned around quickly and fought him off. He was obviously after the Unifrog booklets in my bag…even the monkeys are keen!

Where are you living at the moment?

A few years ago I moved to Copenhagen from London. I love living here and because Copenhagen is a lot smaller (and quieter) than London, it means you’re never too far from the beach or forests as well as the city centre. The best thing is the freedom to cycle around the city. Danes are obsessed with cycling, and there is even a word - ‘Copenhagenize’ - which describes making a city better for getting around by bike. The food is also amazing and although I’m not that into seafood (which is a big deal here) there are plenty of delicious pastry shops and ice cream stands to keep me happy. If you need an excuse to visit, just google ‘Nyhavn Sunset’.

You grew up in Northern Ireland - what are your favourite things about it?

Northern Ireland has a unique charm to it which is hard to find anywhere else. It’s a small place with a real sense of community. If you meet another person from Northern Ireland elsewhere in the world, then you’ve an instant friend. Despite its small size, it has amazing scenery, from rugged rocky coastlines to sprawling mountains and lakes. The slower pace of life makes it a lovely place to relax when I’m home visiting family and the food always goes down well - an Ulster fry with potato and soda farls, Fifteens and Yellowman honeycomb! 

Helen Clifford, Partner Success Lead

What made you want to work for Unifrog?

I had just finished a PhD and wanted to stay in the education sector, but move more towards outreach and access. I had only just started the job search but when the role with Unifrog came up I was really keen to apply, and it worked out really well! Unifrog’s social mission is really important to me, and I love feeling that I’m a little cog in an organisation that’s making a difference to people every day.

What does an average day as a Partner Success Lead look like?

Busy! We get lots of emails and calls to answer helping our partners to get the most out of Unifrog, as well as solving any tricky technical issues for them.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I can never say no to noodles, so I'd probably choose pad thai! 

What’s your karaoke song?

I’m not a big karaoke person (don’t tell anyone), but I have learned from past experience that Uptown Girl is never a good choice because the chorus always goes on for far longer than you expect and requires some serious breath control!

Jack Mead, Video Producer and Director

What does an average day as a video producer and director look like?

I'm quite new to the role, but I'll be going out on shoots quite often to university as well as partners located across the UK and beyond, directing our stars to give their best and most natural selves during the shoots, and capturing some (hopefully!) beautiful B-roll whilst we're at it. When not on shoots, we're in pre-production mode – onboarding new clients as well as organising and selecting the best footage before our amazing editors do their work.

How has your background in producing and directing helped you in this role?

Having been self employed, running my own small production company and simultaneously freelance filmmaker for other companies, I've had the opportunity (and necessity!) to do a bit of everything, from creative production to editing and even marketing and social media. So I think that's given me a lot of confidence to continue trying new things and always aiming to be creative and adaptive. Meeting new people and listening to their stories is the best bit of the job, so I can't wait to get out there on my first shoot very soon!

What's your favourite song and why?

Oh my, that's a difficult one! Sorry, too hard, but a shortlist? A Beatles song ('Get Back'? ‘In My Life’?), a motown song ('Try a Little Tenderness'? ‘Natural Woman’?) and a hip hop tune ('Juicy'? ‘Dead Presidents’?). Apologies, but a shortlist was still really hard!

What advice would you give to your younger self?

Don't be too afraid to try things, go and see the world, and try to learn from other people more experienced and (probably) wiser than you!

Jacob Lovick, Area Manager

What does a day in the life of a Unifrog Area Manager look like?

The day breaks. I open one eye, then the other, grinning and chuckling in anticipation of another day of evening out the playing field for school students. I crack my fingers over a warm cup of Earl Grey and delve into the treasure trove of a fresh inbox, hands warmly embracing the keyboard and brain whirring into action. I field enquiries about adding tools to schools’ accounts, demonstrating the platform to those few, those unhappy few, who aren’t yet Unifrog subscribers in North London, East London, Essex, Suffolk, and some parts of South-West London (not including Kingston-upon-Thames). I’ll have strategy calls that change lives, days, moments, with intricately curated advice and feedback. Perhaps I’ll swing by the office, for unlimited free tea and unlimited croissants on Mondays and Thursdays. Then, I tread satisfied, once again, to bed. Satisfied in the knowledge of an Area that has been well and truly Managed.

What part of your job do you find most challenging?

Concise answers. Though it is perhaps possible to be too enthusiastic about the services and benefits that Unifrog can offer a partner school, I often struggle to keep my answers tight and focused to the specifics of the question that’s been asked. I find myself stood at the top of a mountain of metaphors with a dizzy head and wondering how I’d got there. But I hope that, like a Sherpa, my love for the tools that we offer, the range of things available and my willingness to help, will overcome this mountain, and get teachers to where they want to be.

What’s the funniest thing that’s happened to you when you’ve been visiting a school?

The teacher that greeted me at the school reception with the phrase ‘Robert! Great to have you back!’ I had never been to this school before, and my name is not Robert. He took me around the school, introducing me as ‘Robert!’ to absolutely everyone, far more than was necessary. He even once or twice stared at my name badge, which clearly read ‘Jacob’, before proceeding to call me ‘Robert!’ twice or even three times in the following sentence. I then stood up in front of his colleagues, having been introduced as ‘Robert!’ by the same man, and began with the phrase ‘hello everyone, I’m Jacob’. Ashen-faced, the teacher stood and left the room. I didn’t see him again.

What about you always surprises people when you tell them?

I also do a lot of writing and comedy outside of my work for Unifrog. People tend to find this extremely surprising.

Jane Twine, Events Lead

What does an average day as Events Lead look like?

An average day as Events Lead typically involves working across a range of teams within the organisation to make sure we're on track with the planning process of our events. This includes running planning meetings, thinking about what in-person events would be most useful for our audience, choosing topics to cover, researching venues, contacting speakers, creating schedules, communicating with our attendees and much more – all with the overall aim to ensure our events are as useful and ‘plain sailing’ as possible! 

What motivates you to work at Unifrog?

I feel strongly about the importance of levelling the playing field for young people and the positive impact this has on society as a whole. At Unifrog, we deliver a range of different events to create opportunities for teachers, advisors, employers, and HE providers to get together in person and explore how they can best support young people to achieve their next steps. I find it incredibly rewarding to play a part in helping young people make informed decisions about their future at what can be a particularly daunting time in life! It's also a real pleasure to work alongside colleagues and partners who are dedicated to making a positive difference and constantly striving for better. The team at Unifrog is an inspiration! 

What's the one film you think everyone should see?

I recently rewatched ‘Donnie Darko’ which is an absolute classic. A mind-bending rollercoaster of a film that everyone should watch.

Describe your dream burger, pizza, or taco!

I used to be convinced that the more pizza toppings the better, but I've since learned the beauty of simplicity when it is done right. The stuff of my dreams would be the humble margherita with a sourdough base, buffalo mozzarella, fresh basil, and topped with some rocket and shredded parmesan. If I can smother it in garlic and chilli oil and pair it with a lime margarita then that really is the dream!

Jess Wells, Head of HE Partnerships

What do you like most about about your role?

This is going to sound super clichéd, but the best thing is definitely meeting new people! As a HE Partnerships Manager, I work with universities across the globe and there is genuinely nothing better than getting to know them, and finding out exactly how Unifrog can support them in achieving their objectives.

What's your favourite Unifrog tool and why?

My favourite is definitely the Special Opportunities tool! I imagine everyone always says this, but I wish I had access to all of that information in one place when I was at school. I think collating important info around widening participation schemes and scholarships is super useful for any student considering university. 

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you want with you and why?

I'd definitely want my favourite lip balm; I imagine my lips would get pretty dry in the heat and I'm literally never without it. My dog Muna would also have to be there because she's great company and is pretty well-versed in keeping creepy-crawlies away. And maybe my dry robe so I can enjoy some comfort after a swim in the surrounding ocean.

Build the best ice cream sundae!

I'm a sucker for rum and raisin, so that'd have to be the base. Then a layer of Ben & Jerry's Cookie Dough, and topped off with a dollop of raspberry ripple. Maybe with a sprinkle of peanut M&Ms and Milky Way Magic Stars. I'm not sure if that sounds amazing or totally hideous actually.

John Hillis, Employer Partnerships Manager

Describe your role 

I'm an Area Manager covering Leeds down to Northamptonshire - that's about 250 schools and colleges. When I started in 2015 there was just a small group of us doing everything from admin, accounts, sales and marketing, and training teachers. Now there are around 50 of us! My day usually involves demonstrating the platform to potential partners, training teachers/staff, arranging webinars and CPDs, all from home at the moment until the occasional dog bark or doorbell interrupts the little grey cells!

What's your favourite Unifrog tool and why? 

Apprenticeships and MOOCs. I know that's two favourites, but I've always been passionate about both since joining Unifrog. Both my sons did apprenticeships, and the value of MOOCs is something I've always promoted.

What book do you always recommend to other people? 

The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson, Tell No One by Harlen Coben, and the Bible, by you-know-who. Something for everyone there!

What's your ideal weekend like? 

Walking in the Lake District. I've gone at least once every year since I was 17, apart from the last year due to the pandemic, and 2001 due to the foot and mouth outbreak. I've been lucky to see the Brocken Spectre recently, and the Hale-Bopp comet in 1997. I think I've done most of the Wainwright walks several times.

What's the most unusual thing you've ever eaten? 

In South Africa, we had snake, crocodile, and impala at a BBQ. The snake was like chicken as was the crocodile, and impala was like fillet steak.

Julia Jaworska, Partnerships Lead (Europe)

What motivates you to work at Unifrog?

I've always wanted to work for a company that has a positive social impact, especially on kids and young people. I've benefited enormously from studying internationally and having the right people around me to support my choices. If I could have also had the tools that Unifrog provides, some of the most stressful parts of this process would have been so much easier and simply more fun!

Knowing that the work we do supports young people in making the best choices for their future is what's great about working here. On top of that I really love the culture at Unifrog and working with people from all over the world which is what I get to do as part of the International Team! 

What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learnt working at Unifrog?

The amount of tools and resources on the platform blew me away! Unifrog is so much more than just a destinations platform – it can help students learn about different cultures, acquire new skills, and broaden their horizons in so many ways. The 'if only this was around when I was at school' feeling is strong!

What would your perfect weekend look like?

On a weekend my favourite thing to do is to go for a hike in the Scottish highlands and have a picnic with a view. I've not bagged many munros yet, but you have to start somewhere! Having a drink in the pub after is also a must. Then I'll have a lie-in on Sunday and cook something nice. And if I have a long weekend – I try to travel somewhere I haven't been yet!

What would your superpower be?

Being in a couple of places at the same time – like enhanced teleportation. I do have family and friends in a couple of different countries so it does seem unfair not to be able to be everywhere, always!

Kai Feltham, Senior Account Manager

What gets you out of bed in the morning to start work?

I’m very much a people person, so the thing that gets me out of bed is the enjoyment I get from bothering other people! I’m not very good in my own company, so whether it’s with a teacher or a colleague, I look forward to that first conversation.

What’s your favourite Unifrog tool, and why?

My favourite would have to be the UK Universities tool. When I was at school, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I applied for a couple of things, and then panicked the month before I was due to start uni and pulled out at the last minute. Then, I went and did my own research to find what I really wanted to do. So I know that if I’d had access to the UK Universities tool when I was at school, it wouldn’t have been as stressful a process.

If you could eat only one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I’m a lover of proper fresh pasta. If money was no object, I’d eat out as much as I possibly could, so I’d choose pasta from an Italian restaurant. I love seafood as well, so I’d probably go for a dish with salmon, prawns or mussels maybe.

What’s your favourite way to spend a day off?

I’m quite a busy person and rarely have a lie-in. So my ideal day off would be getting up around 8 or 9am, having a strong coffee, and probably going for a walk around Gunnersbury Park and doing some dog-spotting. I’d go along to the football in the afternoon - I support Wycombe Wanderers, for my sins - then in the evening, I’d see live music at a venue like Brixton Academy or The Roundhouse. And finally, I’d round it off with a couple of drinks, probably regretting some of my decisions the next morning.

Kathryn Donnelly, Account Manager

What made you want to work at Unifrog?

I was a teacher before this and I loved Unifrog - I thought it was an absolutely brilliant platform. But the main motivation for me is to ‘level the playing field’ for students, giving students who aren’t in privileged positions the opportunities to learn what is available to them. I worked in the north east in a deprived area, so I was able to support those students as a teacher, but now I can help students nationwide by working for Unifrog!

What does an average day as an Account Manager look like?

An average day involves helping lots of teachers via emails and video calls. It’s great because I get to speak to so many people across my region. I’m just about to book my first face-to-face school visit too, which is exciting. 

What book do you always recommend?

I was an English and Film Studies teacher, so I recommend L'Étranger by Albert Camus - it’s amazing - or Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises. Both a bit miserable, I’m afraid.

Build the best ice cream sundae

This is so difficult! My dream sundae would be chocolate-heavy, as I’m a bit of a chocoholic. I think peanut butter ice cream on the bottom, maybe some chocolate sauce… Ben & Jerry’s cookie dough ice cream… then some more chocolate sauce… lots of whipped cream (a must), nuts, and some more chocolate sauce. And maybe some more chocolate ice cream in there.

Kelly Lake, Senior Account Manager

What part of your job do you find most challenging?

The thing I find most challenging is actually also one of the things I enjoy the most - it's the fact that no two schools do things the same way. I currently work with around 190 different schools and colleges and each one of them has their own method, their own standards, their own individual goals and challenges... so there's no way I can take a 'one size fits all' approach. It makes my job really varied and I enjoy working with my partner schools to find the best way of supporting them.

Would you rather be able to teleport or time travel? Why?

Both! If I had to pick one I'd say time travel. I have always loved history, I find it fascinating to think that if just one thing had happened another way then our entire lives could be totally different. But it's easy to forget that being an historian is partly about being a storyteller - re-telling and interpreting the events of the past based on sources there's often no real way to prove or disprove. 'History is written by the winners' as the famous quote says, so I'd really like the chance to go back and see things as they actually happened and learn the stories and perspectives of the people you never get to hear about in class.

What have you ticked off your bucket list so far?

Walking over hot coals. My friends arranged a firewalk at their wedding reception a couple of years ago. It was optional and I spent the whole day completely certain that I wasn't going to join in. Then the time came and it occurred to me that I wasn't likely to get the opportunity again any time soon so off came the shoes! It was awesome actually - even though your logical mind knows it must be safe because other people have done it and not been hurt you still have to convince yourself that stepping onto the coals isn't going to end badly for you. I felt amazing once I'd done it!

What about you always surprises people when you tell them?

The fact that I have a collection of swords and knives tends to raise eyebrows! I used to be pretty handy at using them too, a group of friends and I worked in street theatre together and used to choreograph sword-fights for the shows or for demonstrations at events. I never meant to collect them, it all started with me keeping a prop. Then I bought a replica at a local English Heritage event one summer and the numbers have been slowly going up ever since - mostly from people giving them to me rather than me taking shopping trips. I even have a replica Roman suit of armour in my loft! So yes, that tends to surprise (or possibly worry) people.

...that or the fact that I'm a big Sylvester Stallone fan...

Kim Anderson, Area Manager

How long have you worked at Unifrog and what have been the biggest changes in that time?

I'm pretty old school at Unifrog, joining the company way back in 2015. I can remember the early days when we only had three tools. Unifrog is constantly developing and improving so there isn't just one big change. I guess the main change is that there’s now too many of us to all fit around one desk at Team Day!

What’s your favourite tool on the Unifrog platform? 

It's like asking which is my favourite child! The UK university tool will always be a stand out winner; it never fails to impress people when they see it for the first time. It also makes me wonder how I made a decision on university back in the day, basing my decision purely on the  pictures in prospectuses. Other than that the Subjects library - in particular the 'Geek Out' section - as it’s jam-packed full of cool stuff. I would definitely have loved it as a student.

What part of your role do you find most challenging? 

Getting hold of teachers! You guys are always so busy that trying to find time to speak to a teacher is like trying to pin down water. 

What’s your favourite film and why? 

Film would be my specialist subject on Mastermind. I'm such a geek - surely no-one can have a favourite? I probably have a favourite in every genre. Growing up with a big brother definitely formed my taste, starting with The Goonies, Rocky and Lethal Weapon (I didn't say it was good taste!). But now being a mum, you don't really get a say, although Moana and The Lego Batman Movie are actually surprisingly good.

Leah Broadstock, Account Manager

What made you want to work for Unifrog?

I hadn't actually heard about Unifrog at first; however, when I did a bit of research, I very quickly found real-life accounts of how great of a company it is to work for! I love the drive and ambition the company holds and the goal of social inclusion, having worked with individuals previously who had experienced exclusion all of their lives. I found it refreshing to hear how much Unifrog care about their employees (and mean it!) and the opportunities available to have an input on the future movements of the company, taking consideration of all the eclectic views and opinions from the diverse workforce.

How do you make sure you keep in touch with the rest of the team when you’re working remotely?

Slack is a godsend and I love that you can get quick answers from your colleagues without blocking up their email inbox. which feels a lot more overwhelming when the numbers add up! I also love the informal/social side it allows when you need a five-minute conversation about something irrelevant to work to give yourself a breather! Naturally, video calls are also a major tool facilitated day to day, and it's nice that you get to see people's faces whilst having more important conversations.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Pasta, pasta, and more pasta! I think I was actually a piece of penne before I was born as I feel joy in my soul when I eat it! Any pasta dish (with a side of garlic bread of course) and I'm a happy girl, although my friends often call me Garfield as I am partial to a good lasagne. I've made myself very hungry now...

What's the one film you think everyone should see?

This is SO hard – how could anyone choose just one? It's completely dependent on the mood I'm in! I'm a sucker for a rom-com anywhere where they go abroad and fall in love, and if it includes Adam Sandler, I'm completely sold! ‘Just Go With It’ and ‘Blended’ are two of my favourites from him. However I can re-watch ‘Dirty Dancing’ endlessly and never ever get bored.

Lucy Lundstrom, Area Manager (Americas)

Describe your role at Unifrog

As the International Area Manager for the Americas, I get to work with our current partner schools to make sure they are having the best Unifrog experience possible while also connecting with prospective partner schools in the region. That means that I’m often communicating with teachers and counselors, giving demos, and running training sessions for the platform.  

How has your background in education helped you in this role?

Before I started at Unifrog, I was an English language teacher for nine years in Latin America and the US. My students worked so hard and had incredible aspirations, but didn’t always have great access to information about the opportunities that might await them outside of high school. I noticed that applying to universities seemed like an overwhelmingly stressful ordeal, or students would often just apply to nearby schools that were familiar because they didn’t have the tools to sift through the many, many opportunities that were available to them globally. I really believe in Unifrog’s mission, and I like to think that my background in education has provided me useful experience to empathise with and better understand the needs of students, teachers, and counselors who are contending with the sometimes challenging process of higher education applications.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

This is such a hard question! I love where I live now, in Colombia, but I would ideally like to be somewhere close to the mountains where I can get outside and enjoy nature easily! I’d be deliriously happy to live in a cosy alpine cabin with beautiful views and maybe a lake to swim in nearby! 

What's your party trick?

It’s not much of a trick, but mine would probably be immediately gravitating toward all of the animals in the host’s home and disappearing into a corner somewhere to befriend them!

Matthew Jones, Area Manager

Describe your role as an Area Manager at Unifrog

Every day is different and there is no ‘normal’ or ‘repetitive’ week. As I cover north west England, north and mid Wales, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man, I travel quite a bit. One day I can be over in Enniskillen in Northern Ireland, the next in Greater Manchester (take a look at a map of the UK - it’s some distance)!

There’s no normal 9-5. Some days I’m on the road at 5.30am or catching a flight over to Belfast at 6am and not walking back through the front door until gone 9pm later that night! Whilst demanding and often very tiring, it’s also exciting, rewarding and most importantly, doesn’t bore me to death! I enjoy the role as it keeps me on my toes and at the end of every day I feel like I’ve achieved something.

You've lived in Anglesey all your life, tell us your favourite fact or thing about what it's like to live there?

Bar two brief stints elsewhere yes, I’ve lived in Anglesey my whole life! When I was 16, I left Anglesey and joined the British Army as an Electronic Avionics Technician in Harrogate. But it wasn’t what I anticipated and I left after 12 months to go back into education and work towards university.

Anglesey really is such a beautiful place to live and many of the teachers I meet love coming over to Anglesey in the summer! What I most love about it is it’s a great place to bring up my daughter (who’s now two)! It has everything - from my family and friends, beautiful beaches, countryside, the mountains of Snowdonia just round the corner and the cities of Liverpool and Chester within a short commute.

What made you want to work at Unifrog?

So, it’s quite an interesting story. I was at home (set the scene) doing some work when I got a call from a friend (and now colleague Tom) asking if I was interested in speaking with his boss regarding a possible job. Out of interest I accepted and Alex, Unifrog’s co-founder, set up a Skype call to show me what exactly Unifrog was.

At the end of the call, Alex asked me for an answer. In my mind I already knew I was going to say yes but I didn’t want to look overly keen and asked for a few days to consider his offer. The next day, I called Alex to accept and made my way to the old office in Bethnal Green on the Saturday afternoon to start training for the following week - dedication!

Seeing how fantastic Unifrog is for supporting kids to make the right choice, to really broadening their horizons and how they can make their aspirations a reality is what sold the job to me. When I joined the army, I wasn’t aware of half the options available to me. I made a naïve decision at 15 without really considering all my options. So you could say what made me want to work for Unifrog is the fantastic product, Alex and Coralie’s vision and my own experiences from having made uninformed decisions!

What do you do to unwind?

I love spending time with my beautiful daughter Raya and dog Baxter (yes, named after the dog in Anchorman!), whether it’s family days out or just a walk with a pit stop to the park. A simple walk is the best thing ever, with Raya jumping up and down in muddy puddles (all parents will be able to relate). Other than spending time with family, I’ll have the occasional day out with friends watching football - from the lunch time kick-off to the evening kick-off and every match in between!

Mhairi Drysdale, Recruitment Lead

Describe your role at Unifrog

My role as Recruitment Lead is to attract and help select candidates to join the Unifrog team, and support them throughout their recruitment process. I also onboard all new starters to ensure they have the best start possible to their Unifrog careers.

What's your favourite thing about your role?

I really enjoy getting to speak to lots of candidates, getting to know them, and hearing what excites them about Unifrog. It's great to get to work across all the teams at Unifrog, understanding the hiring needs in different teams and the briefs for new roles. I also really enjoy thinking about how we can continue to make recruitment processes better to ensure all candidates have a really positive experience.

What do you spend money on unreasonably, but very satisfyingly?

It's going to have to be my fancy gym. It really is a splurge but it's one I get so much from. The coaches are amazing and make every workout fun. The only way I can justify the cost is that it makes me very happy and I miss it when I don’t go. I never thought I'd say that about the gym!

What book do you always recommend to other people?

I am not a huge reader, but I do enjoy reading about the human body. I studied biomedical sciences, and although I have forgotten most of it, I do like to every now and then dip back into the subject. ‘The Body’ by Bill Bryson is a book I really enjoyed reading. It has chapters on all the different parts of the body, and diseases that can affect them, so I would recommend that to anyone wanting an easy to read science-y book!

Mitchell Purnell, Area Manager

Why did you decide to work for Unifrog?

When I first researched Unifrog, I was drawn to the idea of working for a social enterprise with a product that I could be genuinely passionate about. Then I saw Unifrog's apprenticeship content and search tool in action, which completely sealed the deal! When I dropped out of college, I spent weeks trying to search for, and get my head around, apprenticeships. Something I hear a lot is ‘I wish this existed when I was in school’, which is exactly what I was thinking when I decided to work for Unifrog!

Describe your role

My main priority is making sure my amazing partners in the South West utilise all that Unifrog has to offer; not only with platform usage, but also by taking full advantage of our wider network. There really is no such thing as a standard day or week. I run staff trainings, strategy meetings, best-practice CPDs, conference talks/workshops and network meetings. Essentially, I do whatever is required to make sure staff are supported in providing students with the very best careers education, across the South West.

A lot of miles, a few too many fast food restaurants (for the free Wi-Fi) and plenty of work, but I love it.

What's the best thing about working with teachers?

The best thing has to be when you mention something that sparks their interest and sends them off on a passion-fuelled rant. No matter how tired they may be at the end of a long working day, one trigger conversation shows just how passionate they are about what they do, and why they do it. Plus, they’re super competitive if chocolate is on the line!

Please tell us two truths and one lie about yourself.

• I represented Bristol in the UK Junior Tiddlywinks Championships 2002 and came a very respectable 3rd place.
• I hit my peak of stardom at the age of 12, when I directed an award-winning series of short films based on climate change.
• I had chicken pox three times as a child, much to the disbelief of my local GP.

Param Patel, Finance Lead

Describe your role at Unifrog

The role of People and Finance Assistant has a few parts to it. There's the ‘people’ side, which involves helping maintain employee holiday and absence records, booking hotels, and making sure the office is run smoothly – so the HR side of things. And I also support the finance team to manage our bank account, make payments, and respond to enquiries on the email account. So there’s two very different sides to the role, which means every day is a bit different too!

What gets you out of bed in the morning to go to work?

It might be a little bit clichéd, but working for a company like Unifrog that has a strong aim – to make sure everyone has access to the information they need to make decisions about their future – gets me up in the morning. It’s great to work for a company with a social goal.

On top of that, everyone I’ve met at Unifrog has been really nice and helpful, which helps get me up in the morning too.

 When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I genuinely had no idea for most of my life! When I was 14 or 15, I thought I wanted to be a sports journalist. Then I realised how much I enjoy geography and so I studied that for my degree. But above all, I always wanted to do work that was meaningful, which is how I ended up here at Unifrog.

What about you always surprises people when you tell them?

When people first meet me I think I come across as quite quiet, but I’m very passionate about some of my hobbies. So if you ever see me watching a football game in a stadium, you’d be really caught off guard about how much I get into it! I go crazy if we score a goal. And another thing that surprises people – I have not eaten cake since it made me sick on my tenth birthday!

Rob Cannings, Area Manager (Europe)

What does a day in the life of an International Area Manager look like?

As International Area Manager for Europe, my day is usually one of two very different scenes. I spend about 7-10 days of every month visiting a different European country, or sometimes two! During these trips, I get to visit our fantastic partner schools and help them integrate Unifrog into their curricula, train staff how to use the platform and most excitingly introduce it to students. I also get to visit schools that we don't yet work with to demonstrate the ways in which Unifrog could help them deliver better careers and higher education guidance for their students. When I'm back at Unifrog HQ here in London, I do all of the above remotely via video chat, recharge and put the finishing touches on the plan for the next trip.

How has your previous experience in Higher Education helped you in this role?

Five years of working in careers and employability services across three different London universities was a great foundation for understanding the environment I now find myself in. In particular, my role at The London School of Economics gave me the opportunity to work very closely with graduate employers from a variety of sectors. This means that I've been involved with helping to shape the future of young people - in one form or another - for a long time now. On a more day to day level, when you've run countless presentations, seminars, and workshops for 18-21 year olds, standing up in front of students a couple of years younger to do something similar doesn't faze you quite as much as it could!

What’s the best thing about travelling as part of your job?

Forgive me for the obvious answer, but as a massive foodie I can't look beyond that. So far in 2020 I've been lucky enough to enjoy ravioli in Rome, gyros in Greece, pastéis de nata in Portugal, and bacalao in Barcelona - do I get extra points for alliteration? - and that's just off the top of my head. As a big football fan, I've also tried to take in a game as often as possible too. I've got to games at the San Siro, Estádio José Alvalade and El Madrigal so far this season. Bonus points for anyone who can name the teams that play in those venues without resorting to Google!

What was the first album you bought?

Being the youngest of four children, I was lucky enough to get some excellent hand-me-down cassettes - yes I was born in the 80s! - from a very young age. I vividly remember dancing around my room to The Prodigy when I was way too young to process the lyrics... I can't remember the first album I bought, but the very first piece of music was a single - Cotton Eye Joe, by Rednex. Thankfully, it didn't lead to me buying whatever God-forsaken album that song featured on. For some extra narrative detail, I also remember that during the trip to Our Price in Torquay to pick up that particular banger, my sister purchased the far more respectable Gangsta's Paradise by Coolio. For shame.

Robyn Langdon, Events Lead

Describe your role at Unifrog

My role at Unifrog as the Events Lead is to run the virtual events on the platform. This could be from arranging webinars for a small group of students and/or teachers/counselors, straight through to organising large virtual exhibitions attended by 1000s of students from all across the world. I love the process of planning various events, from the event conception, to the end goal of the event being a great success. I really enjoy having lots of events going on at once, and means that the humble to-do list is my best friend!

What gets you out of bed in the morning to start work?

Usually, my dog or a small child! I'm not a coffee drinker, but luckily I'm a morning person, so that certainly helps. But also really enjoying my job; I'm new to Unifrog and already love working here. The days go by quickly and it's a really friendly place to work. I was a bit worried I'd find it difficult working remotely from my home in Plymouth, but that hasn't been the case at all! You can tell that everyone is really proud to be working here and helping make a difference.

If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

I have this conversation more often that I'm happy to admit and it changes regularly! At the moment, it would have to be pizza, but it must be one cooked properly in a wood-fired oven. There's nothing more disappointing than a sad oven pizza!

What's your party trick?

I can make a turtle out of the metal covering of the cork ('muselet' is the official name) from a champagne bottle. My brother-in-law is French and passed on the wisdom!

Shameel Wahid, Finance Manager

Describe your role

My role is really interesting because of how much variety it has. It includes everything from payroll - making sure everyone gets paid correctly - to managing and accurately reflecting Unifrog’s cash flow and financial position. On top of that, I’m also working on some exciting projects around making our financial processes more efficient and automated through the use of technology and a lot of Excel! 

What made you want to work at Unifrog?

There were two things that really stood out to me about Unifrog. The first was its mission; being a part of an organisation that helps students make some of the most important decisions in their life really resonated to me. The second was its culture; Unifrog’s online resources showed how important culture was to the company and what it stood for, and that mattered to me.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you want with you and why?

The first two items I’d want would have to be a duvet and a pillow - I really need my sleep, no matter where I am! And the third would be an autobiography of someone else who’s been stranded on an island. I think it would reassure me to know they’d survived it!

How would your friends describe you?

I think my friends would say I’m calm, indecisive, and forgetful. I’ve lost count of the number of times they’ve had to remind me about something! When it comes to making small decisions, I tend to overthink (it might be my economics background that leads to analysis paralysis). But if all hell breaks loose, they’ll turn to me to stay calm!

Siân Phillips, New Partnerships Lead

What's your favourite thing about your role?

I enjoy reaching out to schools and colleges and helping to grow the Unifrog community! I was inspired to join Unifrog as I strongly believe in our mission to level the playing field for all young people by helping them find their best next steps. It's so exciting when a new school decides to join us, as I know the impact the platform is going to have on their student's futures.
 

What part of your job do you find most challenging?

The role can be very busy! Day to day, I'm responding to enquiries from schools, writing campaigns highlighting different platform features, working with our Area Managers to organise demonstrations, and reaching out to schools about our Sponsorship programme. 
 

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I would choose Barcelona! It's such a cool city, full of culture, great beaches, and lots of dogs! I love it so much I'm actually getting married just outside the city in August 2024!

What’s your favourite thing to do outside work?

I like exploring new places with my partner and our rescue dog, Isla (featured in my photo at our first doggy yoga session).

Siri Minsaas, Head of International School Sales

What gets you out of bed in the morning to go to work?

Before joining Unifrog, I was a teacher and worked in university access for many years, so helping students find their next step and figure out what they want to do in the future has always motivated me in the mornings (that, and a breakfast of berries and cereal).

What's your favourite thing about your role?

I love getting to work with colleagues and support schools all around the world. I'll catch up with colleagues in Colombia, hear how schools in Hong Kong are getting on, and talk to teachers in Cyprus - it's super varied, and feels like I've travelled the world in the course of the working day!

Where is the best place you've travelled to, and why is it your favourite?

I went to Sri Lanka a few years ago, and it was absolutely incredible. It's really easy to travel around the island, so you can take in all of the stunning beaches and mountain landscapes. We swam with turtles and saw elephants and leopards. The food was so delicious – I'm still dreaming about it! 

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I wouldn't want to mess with the time-space continuum by saying too much to my younger self, but I'd say that it's okay to not have a plan, or for your plans to change. I didn't know where in the world I wanted to live, what I wanted to do with a politics degree, or what job to do after teaching, but not knowing exactly what you want to do just gives you an opportunity to try new things and figure out what works for you!

Stephen Rodwell, Head of People and Finance

Describe your role as Head of People and Finance at Unifrog

As my title suggests, I lead on two main things at Unifrog: managing our cash flow; and recruiting, retaining, and developing a happy and effective team. We think we do a pretty good job at making Unifrog a great place to work (hopefully you can see that from our reviews!), but part of my role is to make sure we're always thinking creatively about how to improve – whether that's introducing new perks and benefits, streamlining our internal processes to make them super efficient, or supporting everyone to find their best next steps for professional development. We try to take ideas from everywhere, especially our own team, to continue to make Unifrog an even better place to be.

When you first started, what struck you about Unifrog?

It's a great team of people who support one another and celebrate each other's successes; everyone is eager to help and push the platform forward. It's also inspiring that we have a group of experts in Higher Education and post-16 opportunities who are helping lead the discussion about the future of young people.

As a former teacher, why do you think that what Unifrog is doing is important?

Although I worked in a primary school, I know that my Year 1 pupils would still have loved exploring the different careers on the platform! Every year my class made a ‘Book of Dreams’ where each child drew a picture of what they wanted to be when they were older. In a way, Unifrog is just a grown-up extension of that! Even from a young age, giving children ideas about what careers are out there is hugely important in shaping their aspirations.

If you were stranded on a desert island, what three items would you want with you and why?

A corner sofa, the Beatles discography, and a lifetime supply of cheese. What more could you want?

Thomas Ayling, Post Production Manager

What does an average day as a Post Production Manager for Unifrog look like?

On an average day, I’m usually editing new videos and checking in with the team to provide support on projects before they’re sent to our partners. I could be working on a range of projects, from profiles for our Careers, Subjects, and Know-how libraries, to marketing videos or courses. There’s always something different to focus on, which keeps things really interesting!

What’s your favourite Unifrog tool and why?

Ooh, it has to be the Careers and Subjects libraries. As a video editor at Unifrog, it’s my job to transform interview footage into stories that are easy to understand and engaging for young people. It’s always interesting to hear personal journeys, and I love shaping those stories in a way that might spark something in someone watching. I also really enjoy our Courses tool as we get to create fun motion graphics for trailers and explainer videos, and there’s plenty of room to be creative.

What advice would you give to your younger self?

I’d tell my younger self to take more risks and that it’s okay to not have everything figured out. The important thing is to really commit to something that excites you, even if it's not the perfect or final choice.

Which reality TV contest/programme do you think you'd win?

I reckon I’d have good run on 'Takeshi's Castle'. I’m hoping all those hours watching it growing up have trained me in the art of foam boulder evasion.

Tom Yeaman, Head of Data and Insights

When are you at your happiest?

I'm at my happiest when I'm solving problems. Luckily, I get to do this everyday at Unifrog! My role requires me to get stuck into a wide range of problems; I’ve spent time analysing Unifrog usage data to help inform the training we run with partner schools, as well as building automated processes to keep our accountancy software and sales data synchronised. It’s really exciting to be a part of an agile, social mission driven company, where I have greater responsibility and influence on how we achieve our goals. 

What motivates you about your role?

Everyday, we help students make better decisions on their futures - which is pretty motivating in and of itself. Also, I find I'm at my most motivated when I'm working as part of a team. Due to the ambition of the company I'm often collaborating with smart colleagues to solve big problems - meaning I start each day with a spring in my step!

What is your favourite hobby?

That’s a difficult one, but I would say trekking. My wife and I have trekked across Spain, in the Himalayas & through the Costa Rican jungle in the last few years. My legs are still recovering from a 25km walk to Kew Gardens, maybe more of an urban hike than a trek!  PS: my photo was taken near the summit of Acatenango, a dormant volcano in Guatemala.

If you had a superpower, what would it be?

Being able to fly would be hard to beat. It would be enormously satisfying to be able to shave five minutes off my trip to Tesco (oh, and travel the world of course!)

Yoanne Tong, Partnerships Manager

How has your background in teaching helped you in this role?

Teaching involves a lot of explaining new concepts, breaking down complex information and answering questions - which is basically what I do in my PSL role at Unifrog! My background is in TEFL in private language institutions, which means that keeping all students happy and satisfied was really important - likewise we want to make sure our partner schools feel 100% supported. Finally being on the international team means that I get to work with schools around the world - which is fantastic because in the TEFL world, I was used to working with teachers and students from everywhere!

How do you make sure you keep in touch with the rest of the team when you’re working remotely?

It’s pretty normal for us as everybody on the team lives in different cities/countries! The most difficult part has been the time difference, but we have weekly team meetings, regular socials, and I meet with Arash every day to catch-up. I also love Unifrog’s modern approach to working - we are just trusted to get on with it!

When you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up?

I was never obsessed with one particular job - I think I wanted to be something different every week. A pop star, a vet, a teacher, a lawyer... I was quite a restless child and always wanted to learn, do, try something new! 

When I was a teenager, my secret dream job was to be a travel writer or journalist - it kind of still is! I really enjoy the process of writing, especially sharing experiences or giving advice, and I find it very therapeutic.

Where is the best place you've travelled to, and why is it your favourite?

Can I have a top three!? I did a three-week trek in the Himalayas a few years ago, and it was just incredible to wake up in the Himalayas and walk five or six hours every day, passing through the tiny mountain villages and the occasional Buddhist monastery! In the same trip, I also spent three months in India, which was just an insane, chaotic experience - the colours, the noise, the smells… everything was a real shock to the system, and the people are so unbelievably kind! 

Finally, of course, Colombia - not just because I lived there for four years! You will never find such an amazing range of landscapes in one country - from crystalline Caribbean beaches and arid desert, to dense Amazon rainforest and coastal Pacific jungle, to Andean mountains and páramos… it’s a nature-lover’s paradise!

Zoe Mackenzie, People and Development Manager

What made you want to work at Unifrog?

One of the reasons I was keen to work at Unifrog was its social mission. It’s quite important to me that my workplace has a wider social purpose. When I had my interview, the staff on the panel were just so friendly too - and having now met the team at the Team Day, I can confirm this goes for everyone else!

What’s your favourite thing about your role?

The best part of my role is the fact that it’s so people-facing. I really enjoy getting to know people, so it’s great to have a role where I get the chance to chat to the whole team, learn what they do, and work out how best I can support them.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I think I’d choose to live in Tasmania. In 2020, before the pandemic hit, I was travelling around Australia with a friend and we stayed with a family who lived there. It’s the most beautiful place you can imagine. There’s loads of independent art going on, vineyards, beaches, and freshly grown food. The family I was staying with had a boat, so we even went lobster fishing, caught a lobster, and ate it on the same day!

The one caveat is that I’d have to bring all my family and friends with me, as Tasmania’s a bit of a distance from the UK!

Which reality TV programme do you think you’d win, and why?

I’m not sure if this counts as reality TV, but I definitely think I could win Pointless. I always used to watch it when I was coming home from school, so I’ve got a good knowledge of the different categories that might come up. You have to do it in pairs, so I’d go with my housemate - she’s got the pop culture sorted, and I studied geography at university. So if the right categories came up, I reckon we could win!