Phil Jones is a senior consultant and business analyst in the UK. Drawn to CGI’s culture of continuous learning and opportunities for growth, he thrives on challenging himself by signing up for new projects and professional courses while learning from his colleagues. Outside work, Phil is an avid CrossFitter and loves spending time with his family.
Hi Phil – thanks for being part of CGI’s career stories series. Tell us about your experience working at CGI since you’ve joined.
In 2022, I was hired as a senior consultant in the business consulting team in the UK. It hasn’t been very long since I joined CGI, and I’ve already had the opportunity to work on several different projects. I started consulting on change management-related bids for our clients in investment banking and higher education, and my latest project involves working as a business analyst for a central government project.
It sounds like you’ve done a lot in a short time at CGI. Can you elaborate on the types of assignments you’ve worked on?
I’ve worked on several bids related to evidence-based change management projects, collaborated on a strategic learning and development offering, and worked on case studies across various industries to support business development.
My most challenging project to date has been helping to transform a client’s 30-year-old database into a modernized self-service portal. It requires collaboration between teams with different types of expertise – business analysis, coding, databases, etc. – and a lot of innovative thinking to ensure the portal fits our client’s modern business needs.
How do you develop your skills for such varied assignments?
There are many learning opportunities. Every time I work on a new project, I learn something new and build on skills I previously learned. Initially, it can be a little daunting to work on a project that’s new to me, but by being curious and asking questions, it turns into a valuable learning experience.
Otherwise, I’ve completed excellent training programs on our global learning platform, CGI Academia, to develop my skills in behavior-driven development, Agile methodology and business development.
Do you feel you have support from your colleagues and leaders to develop your career?
Absolutely. My manager encourages me to try different things by having me participate in varied client engagements and working on the operational side of those projects. There is also a strong culture of knowledge sharing. For instance, during weekly team meetings, a colleague introduces a topic of their choice, which can vary from personal interests to professional experiences to business-related topics. Through these meetings, I’ve been exposed to many interesting areas that are applicable to my work: blockchain technology, social work, presentation skills, etc.
My manager also pushes us to develop strong growth objectives and development plans tied to our professional and personal goals to help us maximize our potential and keep us motivated. One of my goals this year is to develop professional skills such as strategic thinking and influence; I’m really looking forward to it!
It sounds like you have a lot going on! How do you strike the right work-life balance?
Work keeps me busy, and outside of work, life is pretty hectic, too. I have a three-year-old son and newborn twins! I have learned to prioritize and manage a balanced life, including staying physically active. I block off time in my agenda to step outside, work out or go for a walk. I train and compete in CrossFit competitions and do a bit of running. I also judge fitness competitions. It sounds like a lot, but I need to keep moving! It keeps me grounded in my day-to-day life and helps reduce stress.
In the UK, as part of CGI’s global focus on health and well-being, we have very useful “lunch and learn” sessions covering a wide range of topics – nutrition, stress, family life, financial health, etc. I find these sessions very valuable in helping achieve overall work-life balance.
Well, Phil, it sounds like you lead a fulfilling life. Thank you for taking the time to share your career journey at CGI so far!
