Mums in Tech – feat. Marie Hemmingway

As part of their ‘Mums in Tech’ series, MotherBoard caught up with Marie Hemmingway, Principal Asset Management Consultant at AtkinsRealis.

The purpose of this ‘MotherBoard’ content series is to highlight incredible working mums within tech & data, as well as individuals and businesses that are supportive and progressive within their approach to creating more inclusive tech & data teams for women.

Firstly, can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your current role?

Hi! My name is Marie Hemingway, I’m a Principal Consultant helping organisations design and implement technology to make the best investment decisions. I primarily work in Defence with clients who are adopting Decision Support Tools to maximise performance, mitigate risk and optimise spend across their asset base. I’m currently the technical solution architect for a major programme, so the focus of my time is spent setting the technical vision and unlocking the talents of our fantastic teams.

If you could sum up what it’s like being a working mum in tech in one sentence, what would it be?

Highly stimulating but very, very busy!

“Being a working mum in tech is highly stimulating but very, very busy! ”

How do you find the balance between your career and motherhood?

I am very fortunate to work for an organisation that value outcomes over face time. I work part time, highly flexibly and predominantly remotely. This means I’m able (much more than most) to focus my time where it’s needed on any given day or in any given week – whether the need is work driven or family driven.

So my work life balance is somewhat fluid which suits my role, family and me very well 😊

“Parenthood has helped me re-evaluate just how precious my time is… I am much more willing to say no to the things I don’t care about doing or don’t serve my goals. Helping me focus on where I add most value.”

What has been your greatest challenge as a working mother in tech?

Undoubtedly, navigating other people’s assumptions and expectations with respect to my role and responsibilities as a woman (in a field and sector with systemic underrepresentation of women).

Although it definitely feels like things are changing for the better, every now and again I do find myself having to educate individuals on their bias!

What skills have you developed as a mother that have helped your work life?

Way too many to name! Definitely my top 3 would be:

• Prioritisation – I have a much better appreciation after becoming a mum of what needs doing first, who needs to be doing it and if it needs to be done at all.

• Time management – Parenthood has helped me re-evaluate just how precious my time is… I am much more willing to say no to the things I don’t care about doing or don’t serve my goals. Helping me focus on where I add most value.

• Negotiation – Living with a 4-year-old is like partaking in a never-ending negotiation. As a parent I now have a default mindset when I go to work of ‘How can we create a win-win?’.

When you were returning to work, what one thing helped you / would have helped you the most?

When I returned to work (with a previous employer) I was still breastfeeding with no dedicated access to a private, safe space to express breastmilk. Which made my return to work unnecessarily stressful, uncomfortable and frustrating.

It would have been incredibly helpful to me if my previous employer would have proactively understood the basic needs of women at work during pregnancy/maternity and return to work. And made sure what was in their influence was fit for purpose.

“I try my best to work hard AND parent loudly so people know working mothers can lead, can valuably contribute and can also be a parent. The more people that do this, the more we can disrupt the reality that parenthood creates a workplace motherhood penalty and a fatherhood advantage.”

What do you feel should be the top priority for employers who want to support working mothers better?

Introducing truly flexible working AND equally enhancing paid parental leave regardless of gender.

Any final words of advice for other mothers in the Tech Industry?

Technology is changing the world and I think we can only do that well if we have diverse teams of people, that feel psychologically safe bringing their best ideas to create our future solutions.

I try my best to work hard AND parent loudly so people know working mothers can lead, can valuably contribute and can also be a parent. The more people that do this, the more we can disrupt the reality that parenthood creates a workplace motherhood penalty and a fatherhood advantage.

Please feel free to join me in parenting loudly 😊

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