Hear from our colleagues in ADS Consulting

Here at Sopra Steria, our Aerospace, Defence and Security (ADS) business designs, develops and deploys digital solutions to Central Government clients. The work we do makes a real difference to the client’s goal of National Security, and we operate in a unique and privileged environment.

We are given time for professional development activities, and we coach and mentor our colleagues, sharing knowledge and learning from each other. We foster a culture in which people feel valued and supported and have pride in their work for the customer, delivering outstanding rates of customer satisfaction in the UK’s most complex safety and security critical markets.

Andy, Danny and Shanila share their thoughts on working for ADS Consulting

How long have you been at Sopra Steria and what made you join?

I joined Sopra Steria as a Principal Solution Architect in August 2019 and then moved to Consulting in April 2022. I was looking for a change of company and liked the prospect of working with some previous colleagues who had also joined Sopra Steria. They’d told me Sopra Steria had a better culture and attitude towards their employees, which helped me make my decision.

How did you start your career?I started my career in the IT industry back in 1995. I had previously been a Research Assistant in engineering and programming and decided I wanted to move away from academia. I ended up in this role by gaining experience and taking opportunities that came my way.

What do you think makes Sopra Steria different from other companies in the industry?
Sopra Steria seems to recognise a large part of their value is the people they have working for them and realising they are their biggest asset.

Sopra Steria is recognised as a Great Place to Work®, what do you personally think makes it so great?
The support the company gives to individual’s work needs, place of work, equipment etc. and the opportunity to move around the company if you wish is great. There is an emphasis on development. Whilst making money and profit is important, here, it doesn't seem to be the only thing that matters. At Sopra Steria, the focus is on people and the business and profit follows.

What do you do at Sopra Steria?
I am a Consultant within the Technology horizontal within ADS Consulting, specialising in technical delivery management and secure cloud platforms.

What led you to this role?
I joined Sopra Steria after serving 23 years in the Armed Forces. I was drawn to Sopra Steria because of the reputation within the Secure client space and how highly those within that space spoke of the company.
My previous role within the Armed Forces was a technically-focused leadership role – which mapped across well to being a consultant. I had a varied history of different technologies, some of which were/are supported by ADS. I was looking for a role with variety which would give me the opportunity to meet lots of new people and work on rewarding projects whilst fulfilling my needs to stay in a technically-focused role. Being a consultant ticked those boxes.

What kind of projects are you currently involved in?
The bulk of my time is within the Secure client space. I am fortunate enough to work on some interesting, operationally-focused projects which have a real-world impact. I tend to work on projects which involve the delivery of highly complex, virtualised or physical environments used to test high end capabilities.

What do you enjoy about your role?
ADS Consulting is made up of about 40 people. However, there is a real sense of community within the team. It is not too dissimilar from being in the Armed Forces – everyone looks out for everyone, and I know that if I needed help, all I would have to do is ask and the offers would come flooding in. There is clear direction, however you have the ability to propose thoughts or ideas on improvement and these are taken on board and implemented.

How long have you been at Sopra Steria and what made you join?
I joined in June 2022. The interviewers were very personable and mirrored the Sopra Steria culture and values.

What led you to this role?
I started my career in Technology Management Consulting 6 years ago after graduating from University. I felt drawn to consulting and the possibilities of solving or impacting real life challenges through technology and digital innovation.
Over the years, I realised my strengths and affinity for business development and pre-sales specific work, and naturally shifted into the ideal role that allows me to practice both.

What do you enjoy about your role?
I enjoy the learning and networking – my role requires me to stay up to date on what’s new and constantly work with others to develop strategic plans and ideas.

What do you think makes Sopra Steria different from other companies in the industry?
Sopra Steria's people and culture – a number of professionals across Sopra Steria have first-hand experience with the challenges faced by our customers, having worked across those respective industries. This means we are best placed to deliver solutions and services that respond directly to those challenges.

Sopra Steria is recognised as a Great Place to Work®, what do you personally think makes it so great?
Simply, the people and work-life balance.

Two colleagues having an informal chat on a sofa

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