Meet the inspirational women at GOSS

Being a female in what is usually a male-dominated tech industry can be difficult for many women to be heard or to even have a voice. Here at GOSS, we are proud to say we are an equal opportunities employer and celebrate diversity in our workplace. As part of our 'Meet the Team' blog post series, we've recently caught up with some of the inspirational females who work here to learn what it is about GOSS they love and what advice they have for other women trying to establish a career within STEM. 

Sarah Konst

Head of Project Management

What do you do at GOSS?: I work alongside the rest of the Projects team to manage delivery of both internal and client facing projects. These range from website delivery through to fully integrated service and CRM migrations. It's a really varied role, and we're always looking at how we can improve, and streamline our processes to provide the best quality and value for our clients.

What is your greatest achievement so far at GOSS?: It's hard to pick on a specific achievement or project, however one particular project I'm proud of was the rollout of our Digital Platform to Chiltern and South Buckinghamshire District Councils (now Buckinghamshire Council). This project was a large programme of work onboarding two Councils in to a shared Platform. It involved various streams of work, integrations, and the introduction of a lot of change to their business, which I lead for a successful implementation that saw a large uptick in digital engagement with citizens.  This was one of our earlier Digital Platform projects and since this it's been great to see the Platform continue to go from strength to strength.

What's the best thing about working at GOSS?: There's two things I'd choose as the best things about working at GOSS, firstly is the variety of projects we get to work on - whilst there is a lot of commonality in our clients, each project has it's own set of challenges to tackle. Secondly, and more importantly, is the people - I've met some of my best friends at GOSS, I even met my husband at GOSS, but that aside the whole of the GOSS team are supportive, friendly, and approachable. Everyone is always willing to lend a hand, or answer any queries you may have.

Why should more women choose a career in the tech industry?: I think it would be great to see more women choose a career in STEM as it's a vast field with so much still to be learnt, and developed. There's still a lot of stigma in certain areas of STEM, and bringing more people in to STEM roles, regardless of gender, will help ensure people from varied backgrounds, genders etc. are all able to improve and enhance these industries for the better.

How does working at GOSS enable you to be confident working in a traditionally male-dominated industry?: I'm very fortunate that GOSS has a number of strong female leads across the business, and alongside that we are not treated any differently by our colleagues due to gender. If you have questions, or issues, you can always approach someone, and not have to second think about gender playing a role in affecting the outcome in how your query is dealt with.

How much do you think being a woman in business has changed since you started out?: I think things have improved for the better - it used to be much more common place for hearing about women being warned off certain companies due to them being male-oriented, and in previous years I've experienced meetings with third parties where external leads would attempt to only talk directly to my male colleagues when I was leading meetings even when responding to points I've raised. Fortunately this is becoming a thing of the past, and not something that needs consideration. It also used to be more uncommon to see females coming through for technical roles in the business, but again this has changed in recent years which is great and we are getting more interest from women wanting to move in to these roles.

What first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?: From a young age I've always been interested in how things work, and when I was starting out at secondary school we were lucky enough to have a desktop PC at home which opened up the ability to have access to a vast pool of educational software, and more formatively, the internet! I know this sounds silly, but it wasn't common to have a computer at home back in the late 90s! I then took an interest in IT at school, and carried that through to my degree. I've always liked problem solving and there's so much scope for technology in its various guises within STEM to help us enhance services. Plus it's an ever changing field with new discoveries and technologies always appearing. It was then a natural progression post-degree to try and find a role that allowed me to play some part, however small, in the tech industry.

Sarah Youen

Head of Creative 

What do you do at GOSS?: I lead an amazing team of front-end and creative developers, making sure our products and services not only look great but also feel intuitive to use. My role is a mix of design, user experience, and making sure everything we create is as seamless and engaging as possible. Basically, I get to solve problems creatively every day!

What is your greatest achievement so far at GOSS?: Redesigning our Digital Platform without a single complaint—because when a design truly works, people don't even notice it! That was a proud moment because it meant everything felt natural and intuitive for our users.

What's the best thing about working at GOSS?: Hands down, the people. Being surrounded by a supportive and fun team makes even the busiest days enjoyable. There's always someone to have a laugh with, and that makes all the difference!

Why should more women choose a career in the tech industry?: Because tech is for everyone! Women make up half the world's population, so why wouldn't we have a say in the technology that shapes our lives? The best products come from a mix of perspectives, and having diverse voices in the industry helps create better solutions for everyone.

How does working at GOSS enable you to be confident working in a traditionally male-dominated industry?: At GOSS, everyone's voice is valued, and I've never felt that my opinions were any less important because of my gender. We have women in leadership roles—including me!—and we're always encouraging more women to join the team and grow their careers here.

What does International Women's Day mean to you and why do you feel that it is important to recognise the day?: For me, it's a day to reflect on how far we've come and how much more there is to do. I feel incredibly lucky to have a career I love, but I know there are women around the world who don't have the same opportunities or freedoms. It's a reminder that we need to keep pushing for equality—not just for ourselves, but for future generations.

What first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?: MySpace! (Showing my age here.) Being able to customise my profile using HTML and CSS was a game-changer—I spent hours picking the perfect song, styling my list boxes, and making my page reflect my emo teenage self. It made me realise that tech isn't just about coding—it's a creative playground where you can bring ideas to life, and that's what hooked me.

Usha Elliot

Sales Administrator 

What do you do at GOSS?: Sales Administrator. 

What is your greatest achievement so far at GOSS?: Creating and Implementing a new Monthly Sales and Marketing meeting as well as weekly catch up meetings with the Account Managers.

What's the best thing about working at GOSS?: The company culture and people.

Why should more women choose a career in the tech industry?: Because its traditionally viewed as a male-dominated industry with over 50% of women abandoning technology careers by the age of 35 (according to a study, led by Accenture and Girls). More women should choose a career in Information Technology as it an exciting and rewarding place to be, where boundaries can be pushed and new skills learnt. Woman bring a different set of resources and skills which make them a valuable asset to the industry. However saying that it's a shame still in 2023 there isn't a standout role model who represent women in IT globally. It would be nice to see this change and woman leading this industry.

What does it take to be a successful woman in business?: You must have a passion for what you do, a hard work ethic and determination. There will be those who want to put you down, say you're not good enough and your goals are not achievable.  But the great thing about negativity is that it can fuel you on. It can push you out of your comfort zone and prove them wrong. You can be anything and do anything you put your mind to.

Dinah Russell

Accounts Receivable Clerk

What do you do at GOSS?: I'm the Accounts Receivable Clerk but also do other things within the Finance Department.

What is your greatest achievement so far at GOSS?: Reducing the outstanding debt quite considerably when I first started, reducing the number of days clients are passed the 30 days payment terms and designing various reports and templates in Sage (our accounts package)

What's the best thing about working at GOSS?: The people and relaxed atmosphere in the company.

Why should more women choose a career in the tech industry?: Why not?

How does working at GOSS enable you to be confident working in a traditionally male-dominated industry?: There is no biased opinions because I'm female, we are all treated the same.

How much do you think being a woman in business has changed since you started out?: Women are now more accepted in the traditionally male dominated work environments.

Beth Norman

Service Desk Manager

What do you do at GOSS?: I'm Head of Client Services. Our Client Services team work together to ensure a seamless experience for GOSS Platform users. This includes managing our support desk to provide guidance and help with troubleshooting, keeping our product knowledgebase site up to date, supporting clients with onboarding , delivering consultancy services, and training. Our goal is to enhance user experience, resolve issues efficiently, and maximize client success.

What's the best thing about working at GOSS?:  From the day I started at GOSS I was impressed by the level of trust and openness that exists across all of the teams here.

Why should more women choose a career in the tech industry?: Working in tech is a great opportunity for more women to be a part of shaping the future. Diversity in any workforce is beneficial to the business and the customers, so we need more women, and other unrepresented groups to be part of this industry to keep building diversity and feeding in new perspectives. Plus, tech is an industry where flexible work tends to be the norm which makes it great for a healthy work life balance.

What tips would you give to younger women trying to get into the tech industry?: Try everything and find out what excites you. There are so many different routes into this industry, you don't have to be a software developer to work in tech. Communication, teamwork, and critical thinking are just as valuable as technical skills for so many of the roles in tech. You might already have all the skills and experience you need to apply for a role in tech.

What does it take to be a successful woman in business?: Believe in your own abilities and own your success when it comes, however small each success might be. It would be lovely if gender biases were a thing of the past but sadly, they still exist in so many workplaces; developing resilience and learning to see setbacks as learning experiences is so important so that we can continue to advocate for equality.  A powerful network is also a huge benefit, surround yourself with mentors, peers, and allies who will support you on your career journey, and do the same for others, we all benefit if we keep lifting each other up.

What first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?: I'll be honest, I sort of fell into the tech industry to start with, it wasn't an intentional career move. What inspired me to stick with it was the amazing people that I've had the pleasure of working with over the last 20 years. I also love that nothing ever stands still, it's a rapidly changing industry and that means I'm never bored, there's always an exciting new challenge just round the corner.  

Julie Johnson 

Bid Manager

What do you do at GOSS?: Head of the GOSS Bid Team - so lots of deadlines!

What is your greatest achievement so far at GOSS?: Other than keeping our crucial G-Cloud framework presence relevant and attractive to new and existing customers, I would say getting us onto the Crown Commercial Service BOS framework a couple of years ago - it shows that as an SME we can and do compete with much larger corporates - we may not be the biggest supplier, however we deliver an outstanding powerful and innovative digital platform with fantastic customer service, whilst being both agile and flexible which enables us to meet our client's needs quickly and effectively.

What's the best thing about working at GOSS?: It's great to be part of a hard-working, fun and successful team. I love winning business with clients (new and old) and sharing how they use our solutions to improve their online services.

Why should more women choose a career in the tech industry?: Well for a start, we have so many excellent and relevant skills to offer - communication, leadership, resilience, creativity and innovation, to name a few!  Home-working can enable a more balanced juggling of work-life responsibilities, and regular face-to-face meetings and social events help to maintain those much needed team relationships.

What tips would you give to other women trying to get into the tech industry?: Just be yourself! Focus on and develop your skills. If a company doesn't value your skills, they are not worthy of you! 

What first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?: My degree was pretty technical (Geomatics), and it was a natural progression really as so much technology is used in that sector. I've worked offshore processing survey data, in technical support, sales admin, field sales, managed a sales team, and for the past 15 years or so, have focussed on bids. I can't write code but still have very valuable skills needed in this sector.

How much do you think being a woman in business has changed since you started out?: As one of the older women in the team, I really do think it has got much better. I remember all those years ago back in the 90s selling software to Public Sector IT Managers who were generally men running predominantly male teams,  and I just don't feel I was taken seriously.  Thankfully over the years, we have all moved with the times and now value a person's skills, knowledge and experience, which makes it so much easier to work well together.

Donna Lawrie

Business & Systems Analyst

What do you do at GOSS?: I am a systems and business analyst within the Client Success department.

What's the best thing about working at GOSS?: The level of support from your work colleagues.  Everyone is willing to lend a hand and support each other which is fabulous when you first join. 

Why should more women choose a career in the tech industry?: In a nutshell, we need more role models. It can be difficult for young girls to imagine what a career in tech would look like, and whether this would be a good choice for them. By choosing a career in tech, women have the opportunity to become visible role models and inspire future generations of women to pursue careers in technology.

What tips would you give to other women trying to get into the tech industry?: There are so many diverse roles in the tech industry, and each requires a different skill set. So don't be afraid to try different roles until you find one that works for you, or curate a role that utilises what you do, and how you work best.

What does it take to be a successful woman in business?: I believe you have to have a passion and love what you do. Additionally, you should be confident in your abilities and embrace that being female, is not a roadblock to success. Harness and share your perspectives with your peers, and create and encourage a culture where everyone, regardless of genders feels empowered to be the best version of themselves.

What first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?: Before moving to Plymouth, I lived in Edinburgh where a lot of my friends worked in tech.  Some as programmers, some as project managers. It has always seemed like a diverse career path, where despite it being challenging, no two days are the same and can be highly rewarding.

Kate Llewellyn 

Application Support Technician 

What do you do at GOSS?: I work as an Application Support Technician

What's the best thing about working at GOSS?: I love the enthusiasm from everyone at GOSS to nurture and develop your career. Since starting I've been actively encouraged to think about how I want my career to progress, and areas of the business I would like to learn more about. After showing interest in a particular area I've been offered opportunities to upskill in that specific department and utilise my interests to push my career forward. I'm really pleased to be in a company that genuinely supports open conversations about career growth.

Why should more women choose a career in the tech industry?: The tech industry is all about new ideas and innovation, and so the need for diverse perspectives is constantly increasing. Women make up nearly 50% of the global population, yet the tech industry remains largely male-dominated. This means that tech solutions to many of the issues affecting women - whether that's in healthcare, the workplace, or everyday/lifestyle - are being designed and solved primarily by men. Women bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and firsthand insight into challenges that directly impact them. By having more women in tech, we're not only making the industry more inclusive but also ensuring that the solutions being developed truly reflect and serve the needs of all users.

What tips would you give to other women trying to get into the tech industry?: It's going to sound cliché but just believe in yourself. Just because this is currently a male-dominated industry doesn't mean you don't belong, or you don't have what it takes. It can be intimidating at first, but my experience has been that almost all the people I have met working in this sector, men and women alike, have valued me for the skills and knowledge I am able to bring to the table.

What does it take to be a successful woman in business?: Success takes confidence, resilience, and persistence, and for women it sometimes means pushing through extra challenges. One challenge I've faced as a woman, particularly while juggling family responsibilities, is making sure my work is seen and valued. When you have a lot going on at home, you might not always be the one staying late for extra meetings or networking events, and sometimes that can feel like it puts you at a disadvantage. I've had to be really conscious about making my voice heard when I have the opportunity and throwing myself into projects that might be out of my comfort zone.

Finding an employer who recognises the benefits of flexible working is also worth its weight in gold. A woman who has to go on the school run, or might be dealing with morning sickness for example, shouldn't be penalised for these things. Having policies in place that allow for flexible working really has a positive impact on the contributions of these employees.

What first sparked your interest in working in the tech industry?: As a child I remember the joy of writing my first ever lines of code; I had a kids vetch computer with a single line screen and a short guide on how to write programmes in Basic. Back in the 90s we had little to no lessons at school in computing so as I grew up I just seemed to lose touch with it. It was much later, in my thirties, that I came across a 5-day coding challenge provided by a coding bootcamp company. I was immediately hooked again and went on to study a diploma in Full Stack Software Development with the same organisation.

I think that kids being taught coding skills in primary school now is an absolute game changer, especially for girls wanting to pursue it as an interest or higher-level study.