I’m a Senior Product Engineer at Waitrose, here’s why I’ve stayed 5 years

Ever wondered what it takes to become a Senior Product Engineer? Jamie, Senior Product Engineer, takes us through his inspiring journey from a secondary school computer club to a leading role within the John Lewis Partnership.

In this blog, Jamie shares how an early passion for tech, nurtured through hands-on projects and diverse industry experiences, paved the way for a successful and fulfilling career.

From balancing work and family life to leading impactful projects, Jamie offers a candid look into the world of product engineering and the unique advantages of working at Waitrose and the John Lewis Partnership.

Let's dive into Jamie's story!

How I got started on my journey to being a Senior Product Engineer

My journey into tech, and being a Senior Product Engineer began during secondary school where I joined a computer club, mainly driven by my enthusiasm for video games. The club provided an opportunity to experiment with HTML and JavaScript while working on projects such as developing a newsletter website for the school. This experience sparked my interest in computer science, leading me to pursue the subject at university.

I really thrived with it at university and took it further by doing a placement year at 3M where I focused on e-marketing. This involved designing email campaigns, redesigning the company’s website, and integrating it with its content management system. Following this, I spent a summer developing rail track measurement software, which offered valuable insight into different roles and projects within the industry.

After graduating, I joined IBM, where I worked for nearly eight years in various capacities. My initial role was in second-line support for a critical application requiring 24-hour uptime. I then transitioned into application development, working on three separate projects, and eventually leading a team on the final project. I then moved into a role at the Partnership which is where I currently am.

Why I chose the Partnership to work

During the time of my daughter's birth, I was still employed at IBM but a significant factor in my decision to transition was the need to reduce my extensive commuting. As many parents can attest to, those moments with your child are so precious, and I really wanted to spend as much time as possible with her. When the opportunity to join the Partnership with Waitrose in Bracknell presented a practical solution by offering a location closer to home, I was eager to join.

Outside of practicality, the technology stack at the Partnership, which included modern Java versions, and exciting technologies with Spring Boot, Kubernetes, and cloud-based development, was particularly appealing to me. My previous roles had primarily involved legacy systems, so the prospect of working with cutting-edge technologies was a major motivation for applying.

Lastly, the Partnership’s values and ethics resonated with my personal beliefs. Unlike traditional profit-driven companies, the Partnership’s mission involves reinvesting profits into the organisation and the community. The role also offered a range of benefits, including competitive pay, a pension plan, partnership discounts, and subsidies for learning courses, as well as discounted tickets to various events and attractions like Thorpe Park and Wembley Park.

The most impactful assignment I’ve worked on at the Partnership

Currently, I am working on the final stages of a multi-year migration project focused on enhancing the customer login and registration experience. This initiative was part of our broader transition to cloud infrastructure, specifically from a legacy on-premise application to AWS. While the initial migration provided a foundational shift, it was clear that it didn’t represent the long-term solution we envisioned. Our goal is now to transition to industry-standard protocols to deliver a more user-friendly, secure, and extensible experience. This upgrade aims to enable customers to log into various areas of the Partnership with enhanced security and flexibility.

From my perspective, this project has been a significant opportunity for professional growth. Having stepped into a lead technical role around the time this project commenced, I have had the chance to deepen my skills, build confidence, and demonstrate the value of the investment in my development. Leading the project and contributing to its direction has been particularly rewarding.

The project has also allowed our team to focus on improving accessibility and usability. We have worked closely with accessibility experts and real users to refine the login and registration processes, ensuring they are straightforward and inclusive for everyone, regardless of their abilities. Witnessing the positive impact of these changes has been really fulfilling for me.

As a working parent, this is how the Partnership helped my work-life balance

The flexibility offered by the Partnership has truly enhanced my work-life balance. When I joined I found how accommodating the working hours and location were particularly beneficial, especially as I managed nursery drop-offs for my daughter. On occasions when I was slightly late or needed to leave early due to nursery logistics, there were no issues. In my first week, I even had to work from home because my daughter was unwell and unable to attend nursery. This situation was handled with complete understanding which I appreciated.

Having been with the company for five years, I’ve rarely needed to work beyond standard hours unless by choice. This flexibility has enabled me to clearly separate work from personal time, allowing me to be fully present with my family. With my daughter now in school, the team and the Partnership continue to support a flexible schedule for activities such as school pickups, provided that team collaboration and work responsibilities are maintained.

A notable example of the Partnership's support occurred last year when my daughter required hospitalisation. During this period, which included a week in the hospital and a week of recovery at home, the Partnership provided exceptional support. My manager facilitated my time off without any additional questions or concerns, ensuring that I could focus on my family's needs without worrying about work. This level of understanding and flexibility underscores the Partnership's commitment to its employees' well-being.

One of my favourite things about working at the Partnership

Since joining the Partnership in July 2019, I have experienced a notable evolution in our work environment. Initially, the role was office-based in Bracknell, where I spent approximately eight months before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the shift to remote work, the Partnership adopted a hybrid approach, allowing flexibility between office and remote work based on team needs. Despite being geographically diverse, this model facilitated a balance between in-person and remote interactions.

As the engineering profession within the Partnership has grown and become more integrated, a need arose to recreate the team-building experiences that were prevalent before the shift to remote work. To address this, the Partnership has introduced quarterly co-working days. These events alternate between Central London and Bracknell head office locations, where back-end development teams, including partners and contractors, gather in the office for a day.

The co-working days begin with breakfast and a brief introductory talk, followed by regular work activities in a collaborative environment. The opportunity to meet colleagues in person, whom one may have only interacted with online, fosters a sense of community. The day typically includes informal side conversations, lunch, and social activities such as board game mixers. These events aim to enhance team cohesion and provide a platform for social interaction.

The success and positive turnout of these gatherings have been encouraging, with plans to continue them quarterly. Who knows – perhaps we could see you at the next one?

Want to join The Partnership?

If you’d like to join the team at John Lewis Partnership, then create a profile on the Hackajob platform or log in to your profile here. Follow what they are up to on their hackajob profile.

Like what you've read or want more like this? Let us know! Email us here or DM us: X, LinkedIn, or Instagram, we'd love to hear from you.