At the recent Women in Tech Employer Awards, Sarah MacNeill, a Software Engineer at Starling Bank, was recognised as the Outstanding Woman in Tech. Her journey from university to becoming a leader in diversity and inclusion initiatives is an inspiring story of passion, perseverance, and innovation. As one of our valued employer partners, Starling Bank has consistently demonstrated a commitment to fostering a more inclusive and supportive workplace for women in technology, and Sarah’s achievements are a testament to that mission.
A career driven by curiosity and purpose
Sarah’s journey into technology began during her time at the University of St Andrews, where she initially pursued a Chemistry degree. However, an elective in Computer Science sparked a newfound passion for problem-solving and programming, leading her to switch degrees. Reflecting on this pivotal decision, she shares, “A few weeks in, I realised that, although it was difficult, I was having a lot more fun in my Computer Science class, so I convinced the Dean to let me switch degrees.”
During her studies, she explored Human-Computer Interaction and took on a teaching module where she introduced algorithms to a class of six-year-olds, reinforcing her love for both technology and education. Teaching became a recurring theme throughout her career, shaping her approach to mentorship and professional development.
Her professional career started with an internship at JPMorgan Chase (JPMC), where she gained practical experience in software engineering. After graduating, she joined JPMC’s graduate scheme as a full-stack Software Engineer in Glasgow, developing a strong interest in front-end development. Working in this environment gave her exposure to the banking industry’s technical demands, helping her refine her skills and broaden her expertise in engineering solutions at scale.
Seeking a new challenge, Sarah moved to Starling Bank, where she now plays a crucial role in the Developer Experience engineering team, focusing on internal tooling, training programs, and diversity initiatives. “Highlights from the past two years include building a bunch of internal tooling with a user experience focus, developing an impactful interactive training program to help engineers feel more confident with incident management, and getting involved with various diversity and inclusion initiatives,” she says.
Making an impact beyond code
Sarah’s contributions to the tech industry go beyond her day-to-day role. She has dedicated herself to fostering diversity and inclusion, particularly by breaking down barriers for women in technology.
One of her standout achievements has been her work with Code First Girls (CFG), a program that provides free coding courses for women. As a CFG instructor, Sarah has taught over 200 women how to code, mentored students into their first tech roles, and helped train future educators. “It’s so rewarding to see students go from having never written a line of code to producing fully-fledged websites, databases and programming projects,” she shares. Her commitment to making tech more accessible has also led her to teach at the University of Glasgow and volunteer with Make It Happen, an initiative introducing primary school children to programming.
At Starling Bank, Sarah has continued her advocacy through the #WithWomen network, a community that now boasts over 1,000 members. She played a key role in setting up the CFGDegree program at Starling, which provides women from non-coding backgrounds with free training and employment opportunities as engineers. The program has been a great success, with an expanding cohort and strong positive feedback from participants and their managers. “The CFGDegree programme at Starling has received great feedback from the participants’ managers and is running again this year with a bigger cohort based on that success,” she notes.
Overcoming challenges and creating opportunities
As a woman in tech, Sarah acknowledges the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry, particularly the feelings of isolation and the struggle to find role models. However, she has tackled these challenges head-on, seeking mentorship, taking on new challenges, and becoming a visible advocate for diversity.
One of her most rewarding projects at Starling has been the development of an interactive incident training session, designed to help engineers build confidence in incident management. Before her training, only 58% of participants felt confident in their skills; afterward, that number rose to 92%, resulting in a waiting list for the rota. “Not only was it rewarding to see people build their confidence, we were able to create so much interest for the rota that there was a waiting list to join!” she says.
Outstanding Woman in Tech recognition
Winning the Outstanding Woman in Tech award has given Sarah a moment to reflect on her achievements over the past five years. She hopes her journey inspires other women in tech to be ambitious, take on challenges, and share their ideas.
“Though I only graduated five years ago, I’ve achieved a lot, and I hope this can inspire others to be ambitious. Don’t let being early in your career stop you from starting projects, sharing ideas and getting involved with causes you care about,” she reflects.
Sarah attributes much of her success to the mentorship and support she has received throughout her career. She also believes in the power of reverse-mentorship, learning just as much from her mentees as they do from her. By fostering an environment of shared learning, Sarah continues to influence the next generation of women in tech.
Advice for women aspiring to succeed in tech
Sarah’s advice for women looking to thrive in the tech industry is simple but powerful:
Ask for what you want – whether it’s a promotion, a learning opportunity, or the chance to present your work. “It’s scary to ask but the awkward conversation doesn’t last long and it’s important that your manager knows what you want so they can help you succeed.”
Be your authentic self – you’ll do your best work when you’re passionate about what you do.
Take every opportunity – even if you’re not sure you’re ready. “There are so many resources and opportunities out there. Don’t be afraid to try things or put yourself forward, even if you don’t think you’ll get it.”
Sarah is a true role model in tech, not just for her engineering expertise, but for her dedication to lifting others up and creating a more inclusive industry. Her story is a testament to the impact that one person can have in making tech a place where everyone can thrive. With employer partners like Starling Bank, who actively support initiatives to advance gender diversity in technology, we hope to see more women like Sarah shaping the future of the industry.
