Jobsharing for sustainable success
In our most recent episode of Jobshare Stories, we had the pleasure of speaking with Heather McNaughton and Caroline Pusey, a phenomenal job share duo whose partnership spans over 14 years across the civil service and now into the education sector. Their story is a testament to how job sharing can unlock professional potential, support personal wellbeing, and drive systemic change.
From Bunkers to Boardrooms: A Unique Origin Story
Heather and Caroline’s journey began in the Ministry of Defence, where they worked opposite shifts in a 24/7 operational role during the Iraq War. That intense environment laid the foundation for a deep professional trust. Years later, after returning to work post-maternity leave and wanting to work part-time, the idea of jobsharing grew - and the rest is history.
Their career together has included roles as Deputy Directors, Directors and Directors General in the Ministry of Defence and Department for Education, and last year they left the Civil Service to pursue a new opportunity as Chief Operating Officers of the River Learning Trust, overseeing operational delivery for an academy trust with over 30 schools.
Caroline Pusey (left) and Heather McNaughton (right) are long term jobsharers - showing the jobsharing at senior levels creates a win win for individuals and organisations.
Why Job Sharing Works – And Keeps Working
What’s kept them together for over a decade? As Heather puts it, “We’re stronger together than apart.” Their partnership has allowed them to:
Progress faster professionally than they might have individually.
Maintain a healthy work-life balance—three days of high-impact work, two days fully dedicated to personal life.
Continuously evolve their ways of working, adapting to new roles and challenges.
They’ve refined their job share model year after year, ensuring it remains fresh, effective, and aligned with their values.
Supporting Health Through Flexibility
Heather’s story is particularly powerful. Living with MS, she credits job sharing with enabling her to manage her health while continuing to thrive professionally.
The ability to work fewer hours, combined with the support of a trusted partner who notices when she’s pushing too hard, has been vital.
This isn’t just about flexibility—it’s about resilience.
As Caroline shared, “Nobody’s more interested in your role than your job share partner, but nobody’s more interested in your personal resilience either.”
Driving Change in Education
During their time at the Department for Education, Heather and Caroline championed flexible working in schools, developing toolkits and supporting ambassador schools to spread best practice. Now, they’re implementing those same principles in their current roles, proving that job sharing isn’t just a policy—it’s a powerful lever for retaining talent and improving outcomes.
They believe job sharing can be especially impactful in teaching, offering:
Built-in support for teachers and leaders.
Richer learning experiences for students through complementary skill sets.
Greater retention of experienced educators.
The Mechanics of a Successful Job Share
As ever in our podcasts, we asked Heather and Caroline for their top tips and advice on jobsharing. They emphasised the importance of:
Communication: Tactical handovers twice a week, plus deeper strategic check-ins each term.
Coaching: Early joint coaching helped them align values, navigate challenges, and build a resilient partnership.
Adaptability: They don’t split the job—they share full accountability, flexing responsibilities based on strengths and context.
Reflecting on the impact of the coaching they had early on in their jobshare career, they noted that it not only supported them to overcome some of their individual challenges, but also set them up for long term jobsharing success. This is certainly something we see in our work at The Jobshare Revolution coaching – pairs who partake in our coaching programmes not only build stronger relationships, they also develop their individual capabilities too.
Best of Both Worlds
When asked to sum up job sharing in one sentence, Heather said: “It’s the best of both worlds.” It allows professionals to pursue ambitious careers while living full personal lives—whether that’s parenting, managing health, or pursuing passions.
Heather and Caroline’s story is a masterclass in what job sharing can achieve. It’s not just a flexible working arrangement—it’s a strategic, human-centered way of working that benefits individuals, organisations, and society.
If you’re considering job sharing or want to embed it in your organisation, their journey offers inspiration and practical insight. And if you want to hear more stories like theirs, check out the Jobshare Stories podcast wherever you get your podcasts.
To find out more about jobshare coaching from The Jobshare Revolution – get in touch.
Or check out our website and LinkedIn for more information about how we support individuals and organisations to transform through the power of jobsharing.
