Leaders in NAB’s technology team, Nicole Devine and Dayle Stevens, are breaking down barriers with their Women in Technology program
Last year NAB proudly promoted three women to General Manager positions within its Technology and NextGen teams, breaking the mould of an often male-dominated industry.
It’s part of the organisation’s global roll out of its ‘total technology environment’ transformation.
A conversation between leaders Nicole Devine and Dayle Stevens is part of what inspired the pair’s first NAB ‘Women in Technology’ initiative, focusing on helping women grow personally and professionally.
In recognition of these efforts, they were awarded the inaugural NAB Chairman’s Award for Diversity and Inclusion.
NAB’s General Manager of Support Services Technology Dayle Stevens says that she was joking with her colleague Nicole about workplace policies 20 years ago, when they started thinking about how they could make the journey even easier for other women.
“The first year of the ‘Women in Tech’ program was completely focused on women, their development and building confidence,” Stevens says.
“Technology has something to offer everyone. We need programmers, but we also need other skill sets like engagement, governance and collaboration too.”
In the early days of her career, Stevens was one of few females working in the technology area, with roles ranging from project management and partner roles, to running a data and support team.
“I studied accounting at university. My graduate position was at a computer manufacturer in Sydney. On my first day I was building a computer and I’ve been in technology ever since,” Stevens says.
Stevens has seen great shifts in how many women are now in technology and also in opportunities for career development.
“The policies impacting gender in the workplace have drastically changed over the years,” she says.
“NAB offers flexible working hours, has a focus on diversity and inclusion and is passionate about its people. That’s why I’ve been here for ten years.”
A real turn came for Stevens when she transitioned from being a manager to a leader.
“I was being interviewed for a role and they mentioned that I wasn’t exactly a typical ‘tech expert’. I said that I had a different set of strengths for building great teams around me, and drawing the best out of people – I realised my job was to lead.”
Nicole Devine can relate to this journey. Starting as a Commerce Law student, she had never planned to work in technology.
“As a graduate I joined Accenture working in management consulting which involved coding,” Devine says.
“I had absolutely no idea what coding was and questioned what I’d done. Then I became interested in the business side and how technology can be used to enable strategy.”
Currently working as the General Manager Program Office and Commercial Management, Devine has also had several roles in technology, namely the Program Director for NAB’s NextGen Testing Services and Manager of Quality and Testing Group for Retail Bank Australia.
“The General Manager role for the NextGen program (NAB’s core banking platform transformation program) is extremely broad, encompassing running operations, governance and delivery assurance through to the commercial management of relationships with strategic partners, as well as sequencing and planning future releases,” Devine explains.
She has managed to balance these achievements with two career breaks to have children.
“I’ve had two lots of parental leave and also worked part-time since 2006. I’ve really liked the family-friendly work environment and the number of opportunities available, but the biggest positive for me is flexible working hours.”
Devine believes in taking opportunities when they arrive and setting boundaries by learning to say ‘no’ to anything that doesn’t fit those boundaries.
“I admired how my father achieved a work-life balance. He was a senior engineer at the local plant who also did a huge amount for the community and spent time with family.
“That’s how I want to live and what I want to value.”
Steven’s agrees that work can be a source of passion.
“That’s why taking the time to reflect on what you’re passionate about, and finding a way to bring that into your career is important for your happiness,” she says.
Written by: Thea Christie