Naela Khan | Recruitment Consultant
Department for Work and Pensions

Naela Khan brings 20 years of experience across the private and public sectors, with a passion for helping people build confidence, develop their skills, and achieve their career goals. She began her career in the telecommunications industry before moving into financial services, where she worked in a range of customer-focused and specialist roles, including Financial Crime Consultant, Mortgage Adviser, Insurance Adviser, and Protection Consultant. These experiences gave her a strong foundation in relationship management, stakeholder engagement, customer service, and delivering positive outcomes for clients. For the past 10 years, Naela has worked for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). Starting as a Work Coach, she later moved into Recruitment and Employer Engagement, where she has spent the last nine years supporting jobseekers to access employment, skills, and training opportunities. She is passionate about connecting people with opportunities that help them move closer to sustainable and rewarding careers, while building strong partnerships with employers, education providers, local authorities, and community organisations. A keen advocate for employability, social mobility, and lifelong learning, Naela has delivered more than 50 presentations, workshops, and webinars on Civil Service careers, recruitment, and employability. She has spoken at community events, colleges, universities, careers fairs, and conferences, helping individuals understand career pathways, build confidence, and recognise their potential. Her recent speaking engagements have included community leadership events, higher education careers programmes, research conferences, and employability events across London. Naela is particularly passionate about empowering women and championing digital inclusion. Working alongside local authorities, higher education institutions, and community partners, she has helped to deliver workshops focused on digital skills, career progression, entrepreneurship, and creating pathways for women to access new employment opportunities. She has also worked to increase access to digital skills training for local residents, recognising the vital role digital capability plays in today's job market. Outside of her professional role, Naela is a strong advocate for inclusion, diversity, and community engagement. She has led and supported numerous cultural and awareness events in the workplace, celebrating and promoting diverse communities and perspectives. She is also committed to charitable causes, particularly cancer research, and has participated in Race for Life events for more than a decade while supporting fundraising initiatives for Macmillan Cancer Support. In her spare time, Naela enjoys theatre, film, and community volunteering, including supporting local charities and food banks. More recently, she has developed a love for walking and hiking, taking on outdoor adventures that challenge her while allowing her to enjoy nature. She is passionate about helping others, building stronger communities, and creating opportunities that enable people to thrive.