Introducing the next blog in our I Belong series where we give you a peek into what working at Admiral is like, meeting our fascinating and inspiring colleagues from around the Group. Meet Rachel...
I was the first person from my family to go to university. When starting out I didn’t know jobs like mine existed but after 12 years at Admiral, full of exciting opportunities, I’m now Head of UK Advanced Analytics.
My growth at Admiral has been organic and I’ve developed within the data space, progressing through the various opportunities available to me. I joined Admiral straight from university as a Pricing Analyst and spent my first few years gaining experience and working in different areas of data and analytics, before moving onto Direct Memory Access (DMA) which led me to my current role, combining data science and DMA.
What’s been you biggest challenge?
A lot of the time people think of big life events when asked about challenges, but sometimes it can be the small things that challenge us. When we talk about the difference in socioeconomic groups it could be the way things are worded, the expressions used and understanding how you can break into that world. It can be daunting if you’re from a different background and difficult to make the connections and relationships that perhaps come naturally to people from a similar background. It took me a while to adapt to that. Overcoming that challenge is in small steps, piecemeal, bit by bit, over a period of time until you’re at the other end and it all begins to make sense. Having a supportive team definitely helps too!
Who were your cheerleaders?
There are so many, which is why I love Admiral! I’d shout out to Rhodri Charles, Head of UK Motor Pricing. I’ve worked with him for a long time, and he has always been supportive. It was so good to have a supportive manager, particularly in the early years of my career. It’s examples like returning from maternity leave with my first child, I was nervous about being treated differently but it was a great transition and a really positive experience. Everything I needed in terms of flexibility was taken into account, and I found my place within the team again effortlessly.
What’s your favourite thing about working at Admiral?
It’s an easy one for me. It’s the organic progression and endless opportunity to take on new challenges and move around the business. You never get bored!
