Cancer Research UK Tech Career Journeys: Caroline
1.?????What is your role at CRUK??
I Lead the Production team at CRUK. This is a central governance team within our design capability that looks after our digital presence. The team supports a network of content producers across the organisation to develop the skills needed to deliver user-centred digital experiences that meet best practice guidance. The team provides training, support and access to our content management system, which is the system our website runs on.?As Producers have a generalist skillset, they also support with the delivery of work across our Technology Products and can easily slot in and cover gaps within teams.
2.?????What is your background (industry/sector) and what brought you to CRUK??
I studied Psychology at University?and?after graduating I worked in a Sales and Marketing agency?that supported charities. As I?worked face-to-face with supporters, I often?discovered valuable insights into the products and services I worked with. However, I?struggled to share these insights with staff within the charities. This led me to discover?and seek out?user-centred design roles.
I was also?aware of and committed to CRUK’s mission and values and really wanted to work here. I was keeping an?eye open?for any opportunity?and when an internship came up within the Technology team, I jumped at it.
3.?????How are your skills utilised?at CRUK??
Looking after the team?generally?requires subtle?skills, in terms of?understanding?challenges, problems?solving?and?supporting?team members in their work. There are people at all levels within the team, so I try to create a safe environment where people feel comfortable?enough?to try things out and learn from?experience.
Forward planning, in terms of?what the team needs to?be doing?and how it can?best deliver value to the organisation as a whole requires strategic thinking, diplomacy?and accommodating?varied and different?viewpoints. I spend lots of time facilitating conversations, creating visual communications and synthesising data to create recommendations and influence decision making.
4.?????How do you feel being part of CRUK helped?to?develop your career??
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?Within 4 years, I’ve gone from being an intern to leading a team in CRUK. I think one factor that has enabled me to develop at pace is that I have consistently been given new challenges when I?asked?for them. My managers have always invested?time and energy?in me and supported me in any way they could. Within the Design team,?we can spend up to 20% of our time?on activities we think will benefit the charity and service users. I’ve often used this time to take on work that I think is valuable and will enable me to learn new skills. Working with kind and talented people has?meant that many are more than?happy to invest in others and share their skills. All of the above has?created a?really?supportive environment which is conducive to learning and has been a huge part of?helping?me shape my career.
5.?????What is your favourite thing about being part of CRUK??
The first day I joined CRUK I sat down with another intern and our buddy for the week. We spoke about our own experiences with cancer and why it meant so much to each of us to have the opportunity to work for CRUK. I’ve met so many genuine, kind and supportive people at CRUK. Career wise, I have always been made to feel like my opinion matters and?I have been?encouraged by people at all levels to share my perspectives?with decision makers, regardless of hierarchy. The people are what have always made CRUK stand out for me.
6.?????What would you say to somebody thinking of joining CRUK??
Look, I’ll admit I’m a little biased. I’ve been spoiled here. I’ve been empowered to do work I believe in and had the chance to work with amazing and talented individuals in a flexible and supportive working environment. If that sounds like the type of place you’d like to work, I think you’ll be happy here.
I mean come on, beating cancer, who can’t get behind that?
Chair at Ada. National College for Digital Skills
2 年Loved reading this! Good on you!