Marion Shaw, Head of Data and Analytics, Chaucer Group

Describe your career to date

The first 27 years of my career were spent working in the localisation industry, translating software documentation and related material, into foreign languages. As part of this, I have been a software engineer and tester, a project manager, an account manager, a public sector tender writer, a process improver, and a data expert.

Working across such varied roles on complex projects gave me a solid foundation on which to build my data career and has provided me with a unique insight into how data integrates cross-division, cross-border, and cross-industry. It also equipped me with excellent and invaluable logic and problem-solving skills.

I joined Chaucer Group in 2022 as a Data Leader. Since then, I have had the pleasure of supporting, listening to, and learning from all parts of the business. 

I am an active member of the data community and promote data as being both an exciting industry to work in and one that can provide a good work-life balance. 

Alongside working on improving the morale in my team, my focus has been on opening as many avenues as possible into data within Chaucer and increasing diversity by using unconventional channels like apprentice roles and career changes. This enables people to understand that you do not need a science or maths degree to join the data community and gives a wider range of people the opportunity to become involved.

I regularly speak at events and conferences and advocate for more women to attend, participate, and present. I believe as data leaders we need to be visible and lead from the front, even if this is uncomfortable to do. It is hard to effect change, but we need to normalise it by doing it.

I was the first female chairperson at the Data Collective events and have signed up to chair the next one. I believe it is good for women to see that we can chair events, lead discussions, and be visible. We need more women to step up and pave the way and support others to do so.