After completing a degree in Mechanical Engineering in Trinity College Dublin, Ellen spent seven years working for Jaguar Land Rover in the British Midlands before heading to Alliance Manchester Business School to complete my MBA in 2023.
This allowed her to pivot into the tech sector and a role at Stripe which I really enjoy!
How did you land your current role? Was it planned?
Networking had a big impact on my route into the tech sector and my current role. I knew that after my MBA I wanted to pivot out of automotive so I prioritized building my network within fields where my skills would be most transferrable, mainly consultancy and tech. On speaking with people from both, I found that tech was more aligned to what I was looking for in my career so I really focused on building those relationships. This meant that when roles became available I was top of mind for referrals – that was how I landed in Stripe! Also speaking to people who were already in tech helped me identify what roles I should be aiming for which was a huge help.
What are the key roles in your field of work, and why did you choose your current expertise?
Stripe’s core business is in payments processing and there are a wide variety of roles within that, from product engineering to sales to partnership management. I landed in my role as a Technical Account Manager as it married my people and project management skills with my ability to take technical concepts and make them digestible for non-technical stakeholders. It’s also a role with a lot of variety which is important for me.
What are you most proud of in your career, so far?
Being brave enough to take the leap to change sectors – it was scary to move away from a field I knew well but I have really enjoyed the new challenge!
What does an average work day look like for you?
No two days look the same – some days are focused on client catch ups and internal project meetings, others might be working on prep for major events such as Black Friday or I could be pulled in to solve an issue for one of our clients. I love the variety!
Are there any specific skills or traits that you notice companies look for when you’re searching for roles in your field?
The two skills that I think are essential to success in tech (and in most other fields) are communication and collaboration – you will always need to be able to share your ideas in a way that people can understand and digest and you will almost always be working as part of a team to deliver projects/solve problems.
Have you ever faced insecurities and anxieties during your career, and how did you overcome them?
In the past was insecure about the fact I don’t have a “traditional” background for tech – I’m not a software developer/computer engineer. However I’ve come to learn it’s one of my biggest assets as I bring a different point of view – a lot of the customers I work with are not developers either so I can anticipate the questions they will ask and the concerns they will have.
Entering the world of work can be daunting. Do you have any words of advice for anyone feeling overwhelmed?
Everyone was new once, and everyone is still learning as they go!
What advice would you give other women wanting to reach their career goals in technology?
Put yourself forward – volunteer to lead the project, get involved the initiative, be the voice who shares their opinions in meetings. Visibility is important so making sure other people can see the work you do is essential for success and progression, the extra push really helps in that.
