At Sopra Steria, we have always valued diversity and we’re lucky enough to have a great team of female leaders and mentors, each of whom have their own stories to tell about overcoming challenges and creating opportunities that have shaped their careers, and their lives.
The next in our series of short interviews is with Georgie Rosagro, Partner Manager, National Security. She is passionate about promoting different pathways into a career in technology, having gained a degree in creative writing herself. This discussion will showcase her thoughts on bringing individuals from diverse backgrounds into a career in technology and her commitment to being a mentor, having received so much support from her own.
Tell us a bit about yourself and what your day-to-day looks like
I’m the Partner Manager for our National Security clients, which is very varied and incredibly rewarding. I work with our key accounts to ensure they have access to the technology and subject matter expertise to deliver on their critical projects and look strategically at our future needs. Managing supplier relationships is very important to long-term partnerships, and negotiation is a part of my role. I also engage with many teams across the business, particularly the Commercial team where I lead the ISO44003/4 collaboration with our small to medium enterprise (SME) and start up community. Having a background in recruitment, I also support the teams in their resourcing needs and strategies.
Tell us a bit about your experience and pathway into the technology sector
My journey within the tech sector has been a bit of a zigzag. I completed my degree in 2012 in creative writing and thought that journalism was going to be my career! I gave it a try and ultimately ended up in recruitment, within the defence and IT sector, so that was my first exposure to a career in technology. I come from a family of males, all of whom work in the IT sector, and was brought up with an Ubuntu PC, so when I made the jump to Sopra Steria it wasn’t too alien.
Why do you think it is important for more women to join the tech industry?
I think that it is about perspective. Everybody male, female and people from diverse backgrounds offer a different lens to the problems which we face when developing solutions for our customers. The struggle for females in particular, can be around having the confidence to make your voice heard. Sometimes the voice in your head saying ‘I don’t deserve to be here’ can be quite loud.
Even in 2024, 99% of the meetings that I attend, I’m the only female in the room. This can be a blessing and a curse, but having a strong mentor and male allies in your organisation to support you is really important.
What do you see as the main challenges facing women in technology today, and how do you think we can overcome them?
Being a mum of two little ones, flexible working is often viewed as a challenge for people within the technology sector. The pressure of returning after maternity leave can be daunting when you are working in a male dominated industry. Confidence is a daily battle, but especially after you have spent nine months at a changing table rather than a boardroom table!
I overcame this by being open with my colleagues about my challenges and asking for help when it was needed. Sometimes this can be viewed as a weakness, but Sopra Steria and my manager have always been incredibly accommodating to my personal needs.
What initiatives have you been a part of to support the progression of women in the tech industry and break gender bias in the workplace, in terms of equal opportunity?
I’m on the committee of Sopra Steria’s Womens Inclusive Network and run our allyship programme. I have worked with colleagues from across our Aerospace, Defence and Security business to put together a charter of what it means to be an Ally and the behaviours that is expected in the workplace.
I took this programme of work and presented to the Home Office at their DDaT women in tech conference. It was so rewarding to share my experience and help shape their allyship programme. When I reached out to other organisations, it seemed we all faced the same challenges so collaborating across the business and industry will help move the dial to a more inclusive workplace.
The allyship programme is important to me, my male colleagues who have supported and championed me have really helped give me the confidence to progress in my career.
What is your vision for the future, and how would you like to shape the experience for women in tech?
I really want to fly the flag for the alternative careers within IT and show that you don’t need a degree in computer science or be a coder to make an impact in this industry. Technology is always changing and the next generation of females joining, will not remember a time when tech wasn’t there to make their life easier or make something more accessible. We are all users, and there are all kinds of functions that need skilled people to support from product development to service, there is a role for everyone who has a passion about our industry.
I also commit to being a mentor, as I have received so much support from mine, so I want to be able to do the same for others. This is about creating opportunity, spotting talent, championing flexible working and always making time for people who need it.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in the industry?
The things that seem scary are often the things that you learn the most from and help shape your career progression. Take the opportunities that come to you and put the work in to understand the things you don’t know and invest in your strengths so you can excel in the things you’re good at.
Something I learnt as I have progressed is to always be authentic, IT is largely a people focused industry and it is the things that stand out about you which are most valuable. Trying to be something you aren’t is exhausting!
Head to our website to find out more about our Diversity & Inclusion vision and read more about our celebration of women in the tech industry.