I’ve had a varied career journey; after leaving university in 2007 I started the first chapter of my career in newspapers and public relations. I soon realised my initial passion hadn’t transitioned through to the day job - so I moved on… My next move was as Project Co-ordinator at Leicester PepsiCo Walkers Crisp factory – this was where my spark for Operations was ignited and its been growing ever since.
I’ve spent 11 years working at PepsiCo mainly in roles spreading Europe & Sub Saharan Africa, both in Operations and Supply Chain. A very male dominant environment. I’ve held roles in Quality Assurance, Manufacturing Operations Support, Performance & Systems and most recently leading the ESSA Analytics & Communications agenda across end to end Supply Chain.
This year I am making a big transition out of ESSA, Operations and the UK. My new role is taking me Global and over to the United States. Careers are like chapters and this is the start of the next one for me. Everyone should always be planning for what’s next; growing and developing.
My real passion is transformation, the digital era is a great enabler for this. It presents a unique opportunity to help shape the future of the industry and for women. Agile skills are key to opportunities within this new environment. Be agile and resistant and take advantage of opportunities to grow.
The most valuable things in my career development have been Networking - failing to network holds people back. Networks are key for building your internal profile, while also providing opportunities to broaden your influence both inside and outside your organisation. Mentoring - don’t be afraid to ask for a mentor / mentors. A mentor can be a fantastic sounding board to help you through challenges you may encounter in your career. And finally, be a change agent. Be curious – get information for yourself and help others. ‘We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them’ Einstein. To survive and drive change need to change ourselves by adjusting how we work with others so we can be effective and lead by example. Set an objective for change; how do we / I become integral to the process? Align objectives to cultural objectives – don’t go against the grain.
The best way to encourage greater diversity is to challenge the status quo. If your place of work doesn’t have a gender diversity plan in place, be the change agent and make one happen. I am a STEM and LEAD Ambassador for PepsiCo, I’m passionate about helping to drive change and supporting women to break down barriers and propel their careers forward. It's about changing that status quo by embracing what makes diverse perspectives unique and overcoming the doubts that keep you from reaching your full potential. That said, the journey to gender diversity must include everyone, not just women. For too long, women have been talking to women about these issues. We need to make it a priority to bring men on our journey with us. Gender diversity should visibly be part of the agenda.
Diversity is the measure – inclusion is the skill.
If you don’t think you have any unconscious bias watch this clip and see if anything resonates:
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