Technology Solutions.
Bring technology to life.

I’m a Full-Stack Developer with the Information Systems department and currently working in the Client Relationship Management team. We deliver applications to help the firm service our clients, maintain records and win new business. Right now, I’m developing an application for the Marketing Campaigns team, which will help them plan, organise and measure the effectiveness of email campaigns to different client groups.

Before I started here, I had very little knowledge of the financial sector or the technologies used at Ballie Gifford. But there was such an obvious commitment to learning and development that I wasn’t worried –training and support is part of the culture here. Not long after I joined, I took the Investment Operations Certificate exams, which offered a good overview of financial services generally and Baillie Gifford's role specifically, as well as the regulations that govern the industry. It’s sparked an ongoing interest for me in investments, stocks and the market as a whole.

I really appreciated that the assessment process was people-led and not all about psychometric tests. There was an in-person interview, then an assessment centre, which was actually very pleasant! Throughout it all, there was a genuine interest in me as a person, and not just in my technical abilities. I met current staff and had some interesting, insightful discussions – it felt more like a pleasant conversation.

The world of technology is very fast paced. It’s fascinating to see new technology emerging and how it’s helping us solve problems and work more efficiently. That’s what makes this role so exciting at Baillie Gifford – we’re a business that’s always looking to improve our applications and processes. The firm constantly invests in our systems, so there’s always new projects to work on and new technology to work with.

My background wasn’t in finance or investment, so I was worried that I didn’t know enough to succeed in the assessment process. But at the interview they made it clear this wasn’t an issue and when I joined, the incredible training got me up to speed very quickly. Now, I’m into my first rotation, working on internal systems that support our investment department, including a research library that enables our investors to share and access research reports.

Together with four other graduate trainees, I volunteered to organise the firm’s Employee Networks Day, an event to promote and increase understanding of Diversity & Inclusion within the business. We had complete freedom to design the event, from arranging panel Q&As to inviting external speakers and sourcing branded merchandise. It was truly rewarding to see it all come together and a brilliant experience outside of my day-to-day responsibilities.

At Baillie Gifford I feel that managers genuinely care about me and my wellbeing. They put lots of time and resources into your personal development and continued growth, and there’s a wide range of both technical and personal training available, including online courses where I can study relevant topics at a time that suits me. It’s exciting to know this is an environment where I will keep learning and be challenged throughout my career, not just during the graduate programme.

I recently attended an event hosted by the LGBT+ Employee Network to kick-off Pride Month, where I met people from across the business and heard some really moving speeches from my colleagues. I’ve also joined BShe, a new employee-led network supporting all who identify as women in their career progression at Baillie Gifford. It’s exciting to help build something from the ground up and help the firm to become an even better place to work.

Before I joined Ballie Gifford, I worked as a Maths teacher. I had no prior technical experience so the opportunity to train in a technical role without requiring experience really appealed to me. It was clear that the firm looks at your potential and is keen to develop you as a person. The grads alongside me on the programme also come from a range of different disciplines with degrees in everything from Computer Science and Physics to Philosophy and Japanese.

The assessment centre was very well organised and the timetable was sent out in advance so we knew what to expect. On the day I was surprised to discover that it was only me and two others being assessed; any other assessment centre I had attended had at least ten other people. Being in a smaller group meant it felt like we were being heard and had the chance to really showcase ourselves. All of the interviewers were friendly and supportive, which gave a great impression of the culture.

Before joining I had huge doubts about my coding ability, as I had no previous technical experience. However, the graduate team project showed that my fears were unfounded: not only did I learn to code but I really enjoyed it! Working as a team of graduate trainees, we built an order simulation app to help the testing team move from manual testing over to automated processes. That involved using .NET Core, C#, Angular, Typescript, PL/SQL, Docker and Kubernetes, together with Git, Azure DevOps, Postman and Swagger – all of which were new to me. I learned so much, more than any course had ever taught me, and my confidence increased hugely as a result.

The firm is very generous in the way they look after their people. You can progress and do well while maintaining a healthy work-life balance – something that was challenging in my last career. The culture is genuinely open, friendly and sociable, too. Social events are a frequent occurrence here: I’ve butchered songs at karaoke, taken part in human-hungry hippos and sampled international cuisine at a Multicultural Network drinks event.

In Italy, I worked as a computer technician for eight years but saw little opportunity to progress. I decided to study in Scotland after I came to visit a friend and saw there were more technical jobs available here. In my final year of university, I applied for a lot of roles. Many of the interviews were quite dehumanising, but Baillie Gifford was different. They made me feel really comfortable. They were more interested in my personal experience, than all the technical details. They’re looking to get to know you and find out if you’re someone they can invest in.

I received a very comprehensive induction that included technical training on SQL, Palo Alto, VM Ware and Azure. There was also a lot of support to help us gain the Investment Operations Certificate. Studying for this qualification was really useful as I only knew a little about finance when I started. Our induction also included soft skills training, such as speaking in public, body language and the importance of words for effective team working. As we did a lot of our induction with the other Technology Solutions and Business Operations graduate trainees, it was a great way to get to know everyone on the different programmes.

Since joining Baillie Gifford, I’ve been involved in live jobs and received real responsibilities. One of the highlights was working on the Microsoft Edge Browser upgrade across 1500 computers. I was out of my comfort zone as the job lay outside of my experience and skill set. However, I got a lot of support from the team and time to write a background study on the topic. As part of the project, I helped write the policy for the upgrade – what it can and can’t do for the users. First, that had to be signed off, and then there were three phases of testing. In all, it took three months to complete, and now everyone in the company is using it.

One of the stand-out moments for me was when, a month into my placement on the Infrastructure Service Delivery team, we all went into lockdown. The decision in March was that we would all work from home with immediate effect, and the Information Systems department had a fundamental part in making this happen. I was really impressed by the firm’s contingency planning. There was already a well-communicated plan for the scenario, and we all knew our responsibilities.

Communication is crucial. Everyone says that but, when you work with massive systems and a wide range of technologies, many different people are involved, and you all need to be on the same page. You also deal with lots of people around the business daily, so you also have to be good at explaining things in both technical and non-technical terms.

I applied to multiple firms because I wanted to find the right fit, but Baillie Gifford really stood out. The whole interview process is very personal and, since I’ve joined, it’s felt like being a part of a family. My colleagues have made themselves available to answer questions I might have about certain tasks or projects I’ve been working on.

One of the most challenging aspects of the programme was getting to know all the internal processes at the firm. It takes time to learn how everything fits together, but there are always people on hand to help. My mentor is always keen to make time if I need to talk, either on a personal or professional level. There was also ongoing support from my programme manager, who I met regularly on each specific rotation. You’ll most likely get what you need if you ask the right questions of the right people.

Moving to Scotland was a concern, taking into consideration the weather, leaving family behind, and other factors. The support I received with the move made such a difference. I got some great pointers about finding a place to live and have made friends around the business which made settling in easier. Having lunch together was a great way to get to know people before I officially started at the firm, and catching up further and being involved in various social and charity events has only strengthened relationships with colleagues and given me the opportunity to meet and build further relationships with people outside BG. With Edinburgh, you get the best of both worlds – peaceful green spaces, as well as the buzz of a capital city.

Having completed the graduate programme and spent time on rotation with different teams in the Information Systems department, I’m now a member of the Infrastructure and Service Delivery team. During the programme, I had exposure to a wide variety of technologies and projects, which equipped me for the tasks within my current team. I’m still experiencing new challenges and training opportunities, as a result, I see myself developing over the long term here, and I look forward to being a part of the firm's long-term success.

I’ve had a varied career here so far and have been involved in many different things across different departments and areas of the firm. At Baillie Gifford, they give you the freedom to move around and experience new roles and functions. I like to push things forward and enjoy change, and I am delighted to have been part of such a progressive firm for this long.

I started as a graduate trainee, and since completing the programme, I have progressed from developer, to technical lead and then delivery manager. I am now head of applications and project delivery (client-facing systems) and responsible for driving optimisation, automation and digitisation by delivering custom in-house built applications and the procurement of best in class third-party software. Over the years, I have had to juggle work with bringing up two small children, and the firm has been really supportive and flexible whilst still encouraging me to develop and progress in my career.

My role has a wide range of responsibilities and a unique vantage point across the business because I work on projects firm-wide. I am involved in creating the future digital strategy, turning that strategy into action and driving the action points forward. I am also a people manager for a large area, and seeing individuals progress and their confidence build through time never fails to make me happy.

As part of my role, I attend various technical and financial conferences. One notable conference was in Silicon Valley itself, where I met with and talked to start-up companies, exploring what’s new in the marketplace to see what might be the right fit for Baillie Gifford. You don’t have to be here for ten years to get more involved in the strategy and development of the department. There are opportunities for everyone, including our graduate trainees, to contribute to focus groups on things like our web standards or our future technology estate.