Bechan Carpenter is our Head of IT – Pet, read her career story below!
What do you do in Admiral and how long have you been working here?
I've worked at Admiral for a year and a half, and have recently been appointed as the Head of IT – Pet, where I’m responsible for managing tech change for the pet business. Prior to this, I worked within the Cyber Security department as a Senior Project Manager.
My day-to-day responsibilities include communicating with stakeholders on progress, working with suppliers to deliver in line with a baselined project plan, running agile ceremonies such as stand-ups, retros and refinements, and working with multiple agile squads across the business.
How did you get into your role? What is your background?
I studied BSc Information Systems at university and always had a passion for technology, but when I left university I was unsure on what I wanted to do. So, I started my career leasing and selling aircraft engines for five years until I realised I really missed the technology industry, and decided to join a small start-up as a Project Manager and instantly knew this was my passion. I worked within the business for five years delivering travel software solutions before accepting a role within Admiral in the Information Security department, an area I always found interesting. After just over a year, I took the opportunity to join the Tech team as Head of IT - Pet.
What's the most exciting change or project happening within Pet?
The most exciting project I’m working on within the Pet business area is the selection and delivery of the IT and Claims solution to support the delivery of new products to market next year. This project involves the whole team supporting multiple activities, rolling up our sleeves and working together to deliver the best solution for the business.
Are there enough opportunities to grow and develop here?
Absolutely! The opportunities I’ve had here are incredible – the management teams are quick to recognise hard work and dedication and it makes me really proud to work within Admiral Tech. The opportunities to develop personally are equally as fantastic, with access to online training, dedicated calendar time to complete training and the opportunity to achieve a formal qualification. This year I completed my SAFE Scrum Master qualification to compliment my existing Agile and Prince2 Project Management qualifications.
Do you have a career-defining moment?
I would say my career defining moment was following my first job after university where I realised that I really missed the technology sector. I self-studied for my first project management qualification and was delighted to be offered my first role within a small start-up. This opportunity set the foundations for the career I have today, and the experience showed me that taking risks and moving out of your comfort zone can really pay off!
Do you have any advice for someone looking to join your area?
The main bit of advice I'd give is if you’re a strong communicator, enthusiastic and willing to learn, then don’t hesitate to apply for a role at Admiral Tech - you definitely won’t regret it. Remember that there are so many opportunities to grow and develop, so it’s key that the core characteristics for this sort of role shine within the recruitment process.
Take a look at our current vacancies in Admiral Tech.
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