Sarah Shaw

Job:

Talent Brand Manager

Company:

Zuto

I’m Talent Brand Manager at Zuto, a Fintech transforming the car finance journey with simplicity and integrity. My role is to creatively amplify all the brilliant things our talented team members achieve. Raising brand awareness within our industry and attracting top talent to Zutopia is a fundamental part of my role, as is celebrating and sharing the journey of our Zutonites once they join us.

I am...

Positive

Creative

Strategic

The skills I use most in my job...

Communication – of all kinds. Whether that be digital, written, verbal or print. Communication is my passion and I’m committed to delivering effective communications with high value output.

Planning – it all started with a great plan. To do lists, digital sticky notes and my calendar are essential items I can’t be without. As is my content planner which tracks all external and internal communications that are scheduled across the business. • Relationship management – building effective relationships across the business is key to staying up to date on information, as well as finding out all the goings on which should be shared.

Stakeholder management – building effective relationships across the business is key to staying up to date on information, as well as finding out all the goings on which should be shared.

Creative design – optimising the use of our brand through creative design strengthens our messaging and emphasises Zutopia’s voice, values, and purpose.

The most interesting thing I've worked on in my career so far...

Our Zutonite dedicated event, IMPACT22. Bringing together our team of over 400 Zutonites to celebrate the impact we make together, reflect on our achievements and look forward to our next milestones, was by far one of the most interesting and enjoyable projects I've had the pleasure of being a part of. Utilising my skillset to gather information, support stakeholders, and deliver content in a creative way that excited and informed our Zutonites was key to the success of the event.

What inspired me into digital and tech...

Throughout my studies, media and its digital attributes were prominent, as were the developments within the technical industry and their impacts on the way in which messages are shared. However, it wasn’t until I joined Zuto and that I understood the technical industry and its involvement across so many other areas. The opportunity that I accepted attracted me to the industry, but it is the people and developments within Digital and Tech that have heightened and retained my interest. Upon reflection roles in Digital and Tech were not well promoted within the earlier years of my academic background, but instead traditional routes of academic development and subjects were well advised. This needs to change, as an industry we need to raise awareness of the exciting opportunities that the Digital and Tech environment present and make entrance into our market more accessible for all.

My educational background is...

After deferring my place at university for a year I accepted a role within Real Estate and gained my NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration. It was from here I decided to utilise my strengths within writing, and creative flair through a degree in PR and Media. I accepted my deferred placement the following year and completed my degree in 2016, during which I’d developed my passion for brand reputation, external and internal messaging, and the value they add to a business.

What advice I'd give to girls thinking about a career in digital and tech...

Do it! Roles within Digital and Tech are so exciting and vary vastly between sectors. Even since when I joined the industry (which wasn’t that long ago), the perception of a Fintech was far from what it is now. Zuto challenges the norm in everything they do, and challenges outdated perceptions and practices. My advice would be to find a culture that aligns with your ambitions and ways of working and you’ll quickly find your passion for the industry. I remember when I first began my role, working with our Tech teams was like learning a whole new language, but with a little bit of research and great support from our Tech team, I quickly formed a cheat sheet and soon I was reeling off technical terminology (and understanding conversations) before I knew it. I’m not a Tech expert, and I don’t need to be, my role now is to simplify and digest information so that others can understand and enjoy the journey we’re on together. Embrace the fast paced and fun industry that is Tech and Digital, it’s advancing at great pace and with that comes great opportunities to develop and advance your career.