Rebecca Reynolds Jones

‘I've never been prouder of the impactful work I'm delivering and the leadership I'm able to provide’

Part of the Tech Women Celebration 50 – a curated list of some of the most inspirational women working at all levels of tech

Driven by a profound passion for technology and a commitment to contributing positively to the world, I excel in high-growth scale-ups and environments focused on operational maturity. My career is distinguished by a relentless pursuit of innovation and automation technology solutions, consistently striving for exceptional service delivery by aligning brilliant, passionate teams with overarching organisational goals. I thrive in remote global working environments with diverse cultures, adept at fostering collaboration and achieving shared objectives across geographical boundaries. My expertise spans critical areas, ensuring robust data and cyber security excellence underpins all initiatives. Enabling mature operations, IT support excellence is a fundamental aspect of the comprehensive technological frameworks we deliver. I also advocate for continuous learning and leadership, perpetually seeking to refine and advance these frameworks to empower workforces and secure digital assets. My motivation is deeply rooted in connecting people with purpose, driving both individual and collective success within the evolving tech sphere. I feel very fortunate to bring these to work every day.

What do you consider to be your biggest achievement to date?

My most significant career achievement unfolded in 2023, culminating a two-year journey that saw us orchestrate a highly complex organisational spin-out. This wasn't merely a transfer of assets; it was a complete disentanglement and re-establishment of an entity, with myself at the helm of all IT and cybersecurity considerations.

What made this particularly challenging, but ultimately rewarding, was the simultaneous 5x scaling of our operational presence during the transition. This required an intricate balancing act: setting ambitious yet achievable delivery targets, defining clear success factors, and implementing a rigorous change management approach.

We navigated numerous complexities, including integrating a new, geographically dispersed workforce across diverse time zones. This presented unique challenges in fostering cohesion and ensuring seamless communication and decision-making in a remote-first environment. It was actually these hurdles that became invaluable learning opportunities. We emerged with a profound understanding of how to cultivate truly cohesive working practices and manage exponential growth within a highly complex landscape.

This achievement stands out not just for its technical scale, but for the profound lessons it imparted in leadership, resilience, and the power of a unified team. Keeping the team motivated during what was a fragmented period of uncertainty was vital, and challenging. It underpins my belief that true success is found not only in realising our goals, but in the growth and learning experienced along the way, for the whole team, not just me.

What is the most significant challenge you have overcome?

From the outset of my career, I've developed a robust resilience, particularly given my academic foundation. At the University of Exeter, I was one of just two women in a Computer Science cohort of 120, an experience that, rather than being a hindrance, became the bedrock for navigating and thriving in a predominantly male-dominated industry. It instilled in me an early understanding of how to confidently assert my perspective and contribute meaningfully within such environments, without ever feeling phased by my gender.

While I've always been a tenacious character, the journey hasn't been without its internal challenges. Climbing the ranks outside the traditional corporate giants can sometimes foster a subtle sense of inadequacy. Yet, through the invaluable guidance of exceptional mentors, supportive managers, and encouraging colleagues, I've had a solid realisation: true value lies not in external validation or corporate pedigree, but in one's mindset, the aptitude to tackle problems creatively, and an unwavering desire to learn and progress. This has been instrumental in overcoming moments of self-doubt and building unwavering confidence.

I've learned to reframe moments of professional tension not as disagreements, but as opportunities for constructive debate and deeper understanding. Combatting a natural tendency to be conflict-averse, I am very proud of this. It's in these collaborative challenges that my innovation has flourished.

I am at my most comfortable when empowered to lead, guiding teams through complex challenges and fostering environments where everyone feels empowered to contribute their best. Today, I've never been prouder of the impactful work I'm delivering and the leadership I'm able to provide.

Tell us something about yourself that people would find surprising

Aside from my family life, where I live with my two sons who keep me extremely busy (Mums of boys - are you with me!?) - I find every opportunity to be outdoors, nurturing mine and my family's wellbeing - whether we're away in our campervan, Dora or walking our sausage dogs, fresh air and exercise are the hallmark of a strong healthy mind.

I’ve enjoyed years of sailing, representing the country across the world in different classes of boats - something that has instilled a true sense of teamwork and team ethics in me - it was an invaluable experience.