Niamh McKenna, Chief Information Officer
I never started out wanting to be a technologist. I did a degree in Social and Political Science, but when I graduated it was really hard to find a job so I ended up in consultancy. It was there I learned how to code – and found I really enjoyed it! I spent a number of years working in a variety of technical roles across a range of business areas, from testing to running helpdesks. I think what kept me there so long was the variety. I never stayed doing the same thing for too long – so in a way it ended up being a series of really different roles rather than just one.
My last role before moving to NHS Resolution was running Accenture’s healthcare practice in the UK and I found I really enjoyed it – the sense of making a difference that we called “work that matters”. But I wanted to move into a role where I was able to do more. I wanted to be the one the buck stops with. So the role at NHS Resolution was a unique opportunity to help an organisation transform and be at the start and the heart of it. It’s a privilege and a pleasure to work inside and for the NHS.
Of course on my career journey there have been challenges, be that looking around a room and being the only woman or just trying to juggle family and work life when my children were young. The key for me was strong supporters – I have benefited enormously from mentors over the years who have pushed me and, most importantly, believed in me. It’s so much easier to succeed if you have someone behind you to catch you if you trip up on the way. And we all trip!
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