Satisfy the senior software package engineering director at Workvivo
A software package engineering chief at one particular of Ireland’s quickly-increasing start-ups, Andrea Graham tells us about her profession and the best competencies she has figured out alongside the way.
New knowledge from LinkedIn and the Globe Economic Forum (WEF) highlights that women of all ages are underrepresented at leadership ranges.
The data implies that just 24pc of C-suite positions are held by women of all ages in Eire. Globally, the info also highlighted gender gaps in certain industries, with gals earning up 32laptop of application and IT products and services positions, but only 24pc of leadership roles in just this sector.
One particular senior chief who seeks to amplify women’s representation in tech is Andrea Graham, senior application engineering director at Workvivo. This Cork-dependent start out-up is acquiring software for personnel communications.
Soon after performing at Dell EMC as a program engineer, Graham joined Workvivo as 1 of the early products crew hires. She commenced as a senior software program engineer and workforce lead and progressed up to her recent director position.
‘If something’s not performing, we adjust and adapt’
– ANDREA GRAHAM
She instructed SiliconRepublic.com that she fell in like with software program progress when she did her degree in organization info units at College Faculty Cork before starting off her job at Dell EMC.
“It was a good place to aid me grow the two professionally as an engineer and personally with excellent staff useful resource teams and prospects.”
In the early times of Workvivo, Graham expended a large amount of her time doing software growth. Now as a director, her days are put in major her workforce and pivoting to their demands and the requires of the organization.
Graham also has a MBA from Munster Technological University, which she reported has specified her a “fundamental comprehension of how to consider and operate strategically”.
“We’ve a phenomenal group and the priority for me is making certain that they and all engineering actions work competently and efficiently. I direct and am liable for the software program advancement and software program quality assurance groups and am seriously involved in the direction of the product or service doing work closely with our CEO, CTO and director of product or service,” she explained.
In 2020, Workvivo introduced 100 new jobs for its headquarters in Cork, acquiring secured €14.7m in Series A funding before that year. And just previous month, it elevated a even further €20.8m to fuel the future phase of its journey and continue producing its platform.
The business now has 300 client organisations in much more than 90 international locations, with clients which includes Amazon, VMware, Cubic Telcom, Bupa and Netgear.
Graham claimed for the reason that the organization is escalating promptly, it is very important to have a solid emphasis on approach and make certain the staff can reach its goals.
“My part is a blend of strategic and operational. We obsess over our consumers and delighting them with every single element we supply. If something’s not doing the job, we modify and adapt. We have above a million users on our platform and do the job with some of the world’s biggest brands, and so it’s important that we supply fantastic new attributes although making sure platform security.”
Variety in tech
Although the recent facts on the management gender gap in Eire and close to the planet is stark, Graham explained she has been “very fortunate” at the two Workvivo and Dell EMC.
“The sector is quite a distance from a 50/50 gender break up, significantly in application engineering, even so I do imagine this is altering,” she said.
“For me, the most significant obstacle is publicity and encouragement at the early instruction years. I’m a major advocate for females in tech and have been associated in wonderful initiatives this sort of as CoderDojo, STEM Aspire and IWish exposing and encouraging pupils at main, secondary and 3rd amount into STEM. There are so several amazing occupation options in tech and it is essential to get the word out there and distribute consciousness.”
Further than gender variety, Graham is also particularly passionate about accessibility, specially when it arrives to creating products for employees all around the earth.
“For us, it is crucial to assure each individual worker can really feel the good affect of Workvivo regardless of variances in qualities. The Workvivo platform can be easily navigated with monitor audience and by way of keyboard. We produce all our features with field conventional WCAG 2.1 AA rules in thoughts.”
Leadership learnings
As a director doing work in the tech industry, Graham could be noticed as a potent purpose design for gals in tech. But whilst she was climbing her have occupation ladder, she reported there had been loads of men and women together the way who experienced a good impression on her.
“My dad constantly encourages me and has a good ‘why not give it a go’ perspective when it will come to trying something new,” she stated.
“I’m mastering from my awesome colleagues just about every working day, but in distinct our co-founder Joe Lennon has been an amazing supporter of mine. I initially met Joe whilst researching company details devices and was in awe of his successes.
‘No need for a blame tradition. Make guaranteed to rejoice the crew successes too’
– ANDREA GRAHAM
“From an engineering perspective, Joe taught me how to definitely split down the obstacles and that there is constantly a way to achieve a thing – you just preserve seeking. In a typical sense, he’s normally encouraged me to shoot for the stars with my aspirations.”
Now that she is a senior leader in tech, Graham has her have takeaways that she has learned. It starts with advocating for teamwork.
“We have a quite sturdy crew ethos of ‘we’re all in it together’. We pull with each other when we need to have to and if some thing goes incorrect, we’re open, we’ll repair it and we’ll get the job done with each other to figure out how to prevent it happening again up coming time. No will need for a blame lifestyle. Make certain to rejoice the staff successes as well!”
She also said that trusting the people today you work with and providing them autonomy is significant. “Listening to what men and women truly have to say is also critical. It is vital to make good interactions with your colleagues to facilitate an environment where they really feel relaxed sharing with you.”
For budding software program engineers just starting up out, she recommended understanding as a great deal as feasible and that operating in a SaaS atmosphere is a excellent area to begin.
“There’s terrific exhilaration and it will equip you with the competencies to function anyplace. There is constantly a way to do a little something, no will need to reinvent the wheel – Stack Overflow is your friend!”
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