What first attracted you to J&J?
The ability to achieve a high-level of job satisfaction!
Before J&J, I enjoyed working in pharmaceutical manufacturing for several years but then took my first leap of faith into sales within the pharmaceutical industry. It never really felt like the right fit for me, and I didn’t feel fulfilled or confident I had made the right move.
As a final try at sales, I decided to explore opportunities in MedTech and was successful in joining Johnson & Johnson as a Trauma Sales Specialist in the DePuy franchise (before it became DePuy Synthes).
When I moved to the Trauma role, for the first time since leaving manufacturing, I felt like I was being challenged and making an impact. I would go home after a day’s work in theatre with surgeons and feel like I’d really made a difference to them, to the patient, and to the business.
What has your J&J journey been?
A few years after joining, the full J&J Trauma department were divested out of the business to Biomet (now Zimmer Biomet) when DePuy merged with Synthes. This transition was an uncertain period of my career; I’ve always embraced change, but when someone has made that decision for you it can feel like your path is being dictated to you.
However, despite the unknown it worked out well. At Biomet, I quickly became established and enjoyed heightened visibility, which led to more opportunities, and I found I progressed into management positions quickly.
Despite success in Biomet and Zimmer, leaving J&J was never my choice. 7 years ago, when I learned of an opportunity back in J&J through the network that I had maintained, I was excited to explore the possibility of returning. I re-joined as an Orthopaedic Regional Sales Manager, then moved into Joints & Trauma Marketing Director, Trauma UK Sales Director, MedTech Education Director for UK & Ireland, and most recently Business Unit Lead for TECA S&S.
What makes you proud to work here?
As a woman, I think we generally take on a bigger remit of caring beyond ourselves, whether that is a mother, a daughter, or a partner. It’s important to me to work for a company that is a good cultural fit, and I’m proud of the progress J&J has made to support female colleagues.
I’ve been lucky enough to contribute to it myself, leading the UKI chapter of our employee resource group, Women’s Leadership and Inclusion (WLI) and supporting our organisational ambition to build an environment that empowers all women to achieve their ambition.
What advice do you have for those who want to join J&J?
A turning point for me in my career was linked to my self-belief. My mentor and now good friend helped me realise my potential and how J&J could help me achieve it. Until that point, I couldn’t see a clear career runway for me; I had young kids, was not in easy commuting distance of the office, and my husband had a busy and inflexible job and I felt as though I had reached a ‘glass ceiling’. Positive coaching from a mentor as well as visible role models, (seeing how other female leaders with similar responsibilities succeed and adapted) really helped me overcome that self-imposed barrier to go even further in my career.
My advice would be to take advantage of the mentors we have at this company. This is an organisation that is invested in developing talent and helping colleagues reach their full potential, regardless of what level they are working at. We have authentic, approachable leaders here that are keen to help, so invest time in making connections and developing relationships.