Powerful Women at SSE: Emmeline

I’m Emmeline, and I’ve had a varied career path before and in SSE. At SEE you’re not in one box or another, sometimes there are other things you want to try and opportunities to take. There’s an understanding that everyone’s career path isn’t always straight and can change. I did a degree in Geography at Oxford University and that set me on a path that has people and the environment at its heart. It’s what led me to do a Masters in the Environment at UCL and after I joined an environmental consultancy.

Unfortunately, I felt my role was justifying environmental impacts and that didn’t sit very comfortably with me. So, I moved to the management graduate scheme in a large water company. It was the right move, and I began to find my fit. It was there that I began to develop a reputation for getting things done and people management. This led to bigger and bigger teams which was a fantastic opportunity, but also came with the responsibilities of 24/7 front line operations. Your phone was always on. And ringing. I reached a point where I wanted to move into Transformation and test myself in a different industry where I could make more of a difference, and that’s when I was attracted to SSE.

I joined SSE retail, which is now OVO, and moved into SSE Corporate, and now into SSE IT. 

In the Corporate space I saw a lot of talented and accomplished women in senior roles, however in IT at the beginning not so many. There is definitely a cohort of female leadership coming through IT and we are working hard together in supporting inclusion and diversity. I would say that SSE is a very values driven organisation and looks to do the right thing by its people. It permeates everything we do, and in my five years I have seen a lot of change – people stand up for diversity which is changing the organisation. 

I think the breadth of what SSE delivers is a draw for many people. For me, it was the opportunity to be part of something bigger. SSE has totally widened my understanding of the energy industry and net zero and my ability to make an impact. Before I joined SSE, I knew a few people at the company and their feedback was always great – a good place to work and somewhere they felt at home.

Don’t get me wrong it’s a challenging industry right now, but I have had some great managers who have really believed in me and pushed me into new areas. SSE is also probably the first place I have worked where colleagues have become friends in and out of work. 

Right now, I’m back managing a team in IT Transformation where I have been given complete autonomy to set my own vision, and that’s what I love. I have been fortunate in having a lot of support at SSE, particularly from my mentor.

She’s a Managing Director and a female leader that has helped navigate SSE to where it is now. She has worked in different parts of the business, so I know that women in SSE can navigate and progress their careers in SSE, and I see no reason why I can’t do the same. 

At SSE, I am not only part of a family that is working together for the business, but I’m also part of something bigger. It’s challenging and these are not small roles I have been given, but it’s definitely fulfilling.