Meet Jess, one of our Project Leads
Meet Jess. Although officially a project manager here at Spiral, we have a few other names for how Jess applies herself across our collective outcomes. Part-scrum master, part-quality assurance, part-project manager, part everything else; Jess is part of the glue that keeps our team together along our pathway of delivery.
Jess studied IT and Health Science at university but never imagined these two qualifications and worlds would collide in quite the way they have.
“I remember reading the job description and it was almost beyond belief that such a company could exist and that they could be so kind. Everything it said about the people and the ethos is true - it’s such a lovely place to work”.
Having been used to working in larger organisations, Jess enjoys the smaller team aspect of Spiral and the way she gets to explore different areas of the projects while having more influence along the way.
Ask her what a typical day or week looks like and Jess can’t help but laugh.
“Every day is different and every week throws up new challenges. I find myself to be very busy. The pressures of the pandemic are immense and with the trial being responsive, the build constantly needs to change...you hear of working in an agile environment but this really is as agile as it gets.”
With new data needing to be analysed constantly, the goalposts keep moving, but Jess enjoys this way of working. It means she is always kept on her toes and knows that the rapid iterations that she is working across daily are being done to support saving lives.
As a self-professed high achiever, Jess cares deeply about her work and strives for excellence with everything she does. Having worked in roles in the past where she only saw a snapshot of a patient’s treatment and never knew how they fared further down the track, Jess loves how tangible the results are with Spiral and its software. She can see a project through from start to finish and gets a lot of satisfaction watching its impact on people.
Based in Dunedin, Jess works remotely for Spiral. With a 6-month-old to look after, she finds the flexibility of working virtually agrees with her. She’s even attended Zoom meetings with her baby in a front pack; managing both the needs of her daughter and the requirements of a meeting at the same time. She admits it can be a juggle but she wouldn’t have it any other way.
“We’ve made it work, Audrey has been so awesome and inclusive.”
When asked about what values she lives and works by, Jess expresses how important integrity is to her.
“When I say I am going to do something, I’ll do it. Trust is essential within all aspects of my life.”
Looking ahead to the future with Spiral and the role it continues to play in saving lives, Jess hopes to see it retain its ‘human touch’. She often receives feedback from those working with the software on the frontline. They’re grateful for not only the difference Spiral makes to their work but also the support that comes from Jess and the team.
Having just reached her one year anniversary with Spiral, it is fair to say Jess has packed a lot into her last 12 months with us. She always brings her best game to the table and plays an invaluable role in contributing to the completion and success of every study we work on.
Jess Wren, Project Lead at Spiral
