Role: Project Manager
Company: Liberty IT
Track Record:
What does your job entail?
I am a project manager working in Liberty IT. Liberty IT is a professional IT company, based in Belfast.
Our parent company, Liberty Mutual Insurance, is one of the world’s largest property and casualty insurance companies. While the majority of their business is in the US, a very significant portion is also worldwide.
My role involves managing a team of software engineers working on large scale software development projects using cutting edge technologies.
My day-to-day activities can range quite significantly depending on the stage of the project. This can be anything from meeting with key stakeholders to help identify project objectives to project planning and budgeting activities.
I currently manage a project which is focused on enhancing the user interface of a commercial insurance application to improve user experience.
Is it 9-5?
The average working day lasts eight hours, however, there are times when there is a requirement to work extra hours to meet project commitments or to attend customer meetings.
This is balanced out by the work life balance initiatives that Liberty IT offer, for example, I can work from home if I need to or leave for an hour in the afternoon to attend an appointment. I also have the option of starting work at any time between 8am and 10am.
How did you get into this line of work?
I have had a passion for technology since receiving my first computer, a ZX Spectrum, at the age of seven.
Learning the basics of programming while studying computer science at Alevel confirmed that this was the profession for me.
I was further inspired when a group of software engineers from a local company called Apion came to my school to talk about what it was like to work as a software professional.
When I successfully secured one of two places in their scholarship scheme which promised to fund me through university, the die was well and truly cast.
Outline your career to date?
I gained industrial software engineering experience at a very early stage in my career due to being awarded the Apion Scholarship while studying for my Alevels.
The scholarship involved a post Alevel gap year spent in full time employment with Apion and subsequent summer placements while at university.
I graduated from the University of Ulster in 2003 and took a graduate position with Liberty IT. My first eight years were spent working as a software developer.
I have held various technical roles from associate software engineer right through to senior.
The work over the years has been wide and varied and I have had the opportunity to work on various projects with exposure to a variety of technologies. I have also travelled to numerous customer sites in the US including Boston, Seattle and San Diego.
From a career prospective I have always been interested in IT project management.
I gained leadership and management experience while acting as tech lead on a number of projects in Liberty IT and this has aided me in moving into project management in the past two years.
Tell us about your qualifications/training.
I attended St Dominic’s in Belfast where I studied A-levels in computer science, biology and mathematics. Then I went to the University of Ulster and gained a First Class Honours B(Eng) in software engineering.
Over the years in Liberty IT I have had on the job training as well as attended numerous training courses and conferences to develop both my technical and soft skills.
What qualities are required for your job — personal and professional?
The software engineering industry is an exciting and dynamic industry where the qualities required to be successful in any role include not only technical ability but equally important are strong communication skills and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
In my current role it is important to have excellent leadership, organisational and customer relationship management skills.
What is the best advice you ever received?
Create your own destiny.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Food and music are two of my biggest passions and I like to spend my spare time attending gigs, eating out and cooking at home.
I recently completed a photography course and enjoy trying out my new found skills in particular when combined with my other favourite activity, which is travelling.
Tell us an interesting fact about yourself.
When I was nine years old I appeared on Blue Peter and played the theme tune on the tin whistle.
Who has inspired you most in your life?
I have taken inspiration from many people in my life but the person who has had the biggest influence on me is my mum, particularly for her compassion, strength and phenomenal energy levels.