Sometimes you need more than a career mentor, you need a sponsor!In this episode of Leaders With Babies, we focus on finding a sponsor and why exactly they are so crucial for your career.So what is a sponsor? A sponsor is a senior leader who advocates for you, believes in you, and champions you at work and the evidence is very clear that having a sponsor makes a massive difference for the career progression of parents. Plus, it's also very helpful for when you need to have those tough conversations around flexible working.I chat with Leaders Plus Mentors Fiona Jackson and Radhika Bajaj to hear their real-life experience of finding a sponsor and how it benefitted their careers. Fiona is an award-winning expert in diversity and inclusion and Radhika is an experienced recruitment specialist team leader and both managed to find senior leaders to champion them early on in their career as working parents.They share practical advice on how parents - especially mothers - can find, manage, and leverage a sponsor to help progress their careers.We hope you enjoy our conversation.This episode was recorded during the COVID-19 Lockdown.Applications close 23rd March - take a bold step for your career and family today.The Leaders Plus Fellowship (cross-sector) is an award-winning Programme open to parents from all sectors who are progressing careers in leadership and management. Our Fellowship supports you to pursue ambitious roles whilst balancing home life, equipping you with the essential tools to thrive at work whilst still enjoying time with your family. Fellows get: access to a courageous community of peers who are also juggling work and parenthood expert guidance from your own dedicated career Mentor world-class training from industry thought leaders on developing your career support to deal with the practical challenges of being a working parent that arise day-to-day The Fellowship is open to all parents internationally who have children 0-11. Our Programme is inclusive and welcoming of all family set ups. We encourage applications from those who are traditionally underrepresented in leadership positions and offer online/ blended course options and hardship fund places to help facilitate this.