Mums in Tech ft. Jo Walton

I am the Operations Manager at a tech innovation consultancy based in Leeds that builds AI-driven products, IoT systems and complex web platforms. My role is essentially about making sure the business runs well behind the scenes – everything from financial forecasting and resourcing to improving internal processes and supporting project delivery. A big part of my job is connecting the dots between teams, clients and leadership so that things move forward in a clear and sustainable way.

If you could sum up what it’s like being a working mum in tech in one sentence, what would it be?

Really challenging and relentless, but also rewarding – you’re constantly having to switch between two roles that both deserve your full attention, and you always feel like you’re not doing either perfectly!

How do you find a balance between your career and motherhood?

Honestly, I don’t think I have found a true balance. Most weeks feel like a constant adjustment – some days, work needs more from me, other days my children do. I think the idea of a 50/50 neat equilibrium is misleading. What has helped though, is being realistic about my capacity, and learning to let go of the idea that everything has to be done perfectly – yes my house is a mess most days through the week, but that’s OK as sometimes you just need to get through the week!

What has been your greatest challenge as a working mother in tech?

The mental load of managing two very demanding roles at once – being a mum and having a successful career is like having two full time jobs.  The constant context switching is exhausting. Tech moves quickly, there are lots of problems to solve and at the same time the kids require emotional energy, patience and presence.

You can go from discussing revenue forecasting or complex project delivery to navigating a nursery illness or bedtime meltdown within minutes!

What skills have you developed as a mother that have helped your work life?

There are so many transferable skills! Prioritisation, resilience, empathy, leadership, efficiency… and it’s all about being agile and adaptable, particularly in Ops!

When you were returning to work, what one thing helped you / would have helped you the most?

Understanding and flexibility from my employer. Returning to work after having children is a huge adjustment – emotionally, physically and logistically. Having the space to rebuild confidence and rhythm without feeling like you need to immediately perform at 100% would make a huge difference.

Practically, things like flexible working patterns and realistic expectations in the first few months are incredibly valuable.

What do you feel should be the top priority for employers who want to support working mothers better?

Trust and flexibility – flexible working and understanding around the realities of childcare, judging people based on outcomes rather than hours – those things make a huge difference. Most working mothers are extremely committed to their jobs, but rigid structures often make things unnecessarily difficult, and aren’t reflective of the post-Covid working environment.

Any final words of advice for other mothers in the Tech Industry?

Be kind to yourself – there isn’t a perfect formula for balancing it all and everyone’s circumstances are different – don’t always believe what you see on social media, raising children and building a career at the same time is genuinely hard, and most people don’t talk about how hard it is! I think we need to be more honest about the reality that you can have a fulfilling career and a family, but it’s rarely effortless and it often requires trade-offs.