How Ordnance Survey supports its military community - in recognition of Armed Forces Week and Reserves Day

OS Product Manager Kris Mackenzie explains how OS has made his role as a Royal Air Force reservist possible

Outside of work, I am known as AS1 Mackenzie - a Royal Air Force (RAF) Reservist. I come from a military family, and was an air cadet during my teenage years, as well as a member of the Officer Training Corps during university. I guess you could say I have always had a connection and an attraction to the military in some way.

After university I always toyed with the idea of joining the RAF full time but like many young adults, I was always unsure about what I wanted to do and achieve with my life. For many years I worked in the outdoor and running trade as this was something I was passionate about. I joined OS in 2018, as I used paper maps and the OS Map App when out and about in the outdoors. It was a love for its products which made it so logical for me to come and work at OS.

In 2018 I started to get an itch and felt like I wanted to challenge myself more. So, with the support of my manager at OS, I applied to join my nearest RAF reserve unit in Edinburgh – 603 Sqn – as an RAF Regiment Gunner. The regiment specialises in combat tactics, weaponry, fieldcraft and force protection. Essentially, we protect RAF assets and people on the ground to enable air operations to carry on.

OS has fully supported me being a reservist and I feel valued in this role. I give up one weekend a month to attend training and two weeks to attend an annual training camp to fulfil my annual reserve commitment. I am entitled to 15 days paid reserve leave which makes this achievable. I am very grateful to the business and my manager for their continued support to me being a reservist.

I have experienced so many different and new things that I would have not done if I was just a civilian, as well as experiencing it all with likeminded individuals. I have mobilised twice during my reserve career and each time OS has been fully supportive. The first time was in 2020 during the Covid outbreak, as part of a mobile testing unit, and the second was in 2023 to cold weather exercises in Norway with the regulars. One career highlight so far was being part of the marching troops at Her Majesty the Queen’s funeral.

I also recognise that I have brought skills into the workplace that have come from my military training. Being a reservist, which involves being in some high-pressure training environments, has given me a sense of purpose and confidence in myself and my own decisions. I also really value teamwork in the workplace; I like to ensure that everyone is heard and play to individuals’ strengths within that team.

Being in the reserves has made be a better person all round in both my career and my personal life and I am grateful for OS’s support in helping me achieve this.

Human resources adviser Grace Pasquale talks about how OS has provided her with the lifeline and career stability she craved

Last year, my husband retired after 29 years’ service with the British Army; I was officially a military spouse for 18 of those. Over the years I’ve been used to change; new homes, new schools for my children, new routines. One thing that remained constant throughout was my desire to build a meaningful career, something that was on the back burner until recent years.

Military life is unpredictable. Lengthy deployments, relocations, and last-minute changes of plan are part of the package. Traditional 9-to-5 jobs don’t often accommodate the realities that military families face. I’ve had to leave jobs I loved because we were posted to a new base, and I’ve also had to take jobs I didn’t love so much because me and my patchy CV had little choice. It’s disheartening to start over again and again.

I joined OS three years ago, about six months before my husband decided to ‘pull the pin’, as they say. The first employer I’ve had which offered flexible hybrid working, OS has proved to be a lifeline for me - that’s not even an exaggeration - with genuine understanding of my homelife, and opportunities that have ignited my passion for the work I do in the People Team.

Flexible work gives military partners the freedom to pursue a career without sacrificing the needs of family. It means being there for our children during deployment when often we have a much smaller support network - if any at all - being far from family and friends. Hybrid working allows us to retain our identity and an all-important second income when we are faced with moving to a new place.

It’s not just about convenience - it’s about empowerment. Flexible work allows military spouses to contribute financially, maintain professional growth, and preserve a sense of purpose. It also helps employers tap into a resilient, adaptable, and highly skilled talent pool.

I’m grateful for the increasing number of companies that understand this and offer roles that fit around military life. With the right support, military spouses don’t have to choose between service and self. They can do both—and do them well.

Veteran and former submariner Jason Hopkins is a senior innovation and research scientist at OS. You can read about his experiences. 

Last year saw OS sign the Armed Forces Covenant and set up a new Armed Forces network. 

For further information about career opportunities at OS, please visit Careers.