Title: Head of Marketing and Innovation

Department: Group Life and Retirements

Joined TAL: July 2018

My career journey into life insurance was certainly unexpected. I also never thought I’d be leading a marketing function. But while the idea that I’d be working as Head of Marketing and Innovation was unforeseen, that’s the kind of opportunity that’s created at a company like TAL.

Before joining TAL, I’d previously spent my career working in population health strategy, having trained as a dietician. During my first stint at TAL, I started in the health services team, and worked on projects that help me develop skills in innovation, human-centred design and customer experience. This led to an opportunity in the ‘Member Engagement and Innovation’ team.

After a short break away from TAL working in the health insurance industry, I was approached to come back and apply for the role of Head of Marketing and Innovation. While I have a lot of innovation and strategy experience, marketing is a relatively new skillset for me. Despite this, I felt so supported to use my existing skills and leadership experience to step into a position that would stretch me in a new domain. I’ve been able to learn from specialists in my team and peers in other channels, rapidly gaining new knowledge. This is largely because everyone’s so willing to help with the common goal of generating great outcomes for our customers.

There are also so many great examples of other people at TAL who have moved into roles beyond their existing skillset and thrived. TAL gives people the opportunity to develop careers with both breadth and depth, with chances to deepen subject matter expertise but also transfer existing skills into different areas. I know the role I’m in now is only possible because people at TAL knew me, saw my capabilities and had faith that I’d succeed if given the chance.

This belief in me comes from my track record on diverse projects, both related to my role – like working on our health propositions, such as Headlight and TAL Health Connector—and entirely separate issues—like helping to create TAL’s first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP opportunity came about after I was fortunate to be sent on a six-week secondment to Alice Springs to support an Aboriginal organisation with the TAL community foundation. After this placement, I wanted to bring my learnings back into the business. I worked with other employees to see how we could bring Reconciliation to life at TAL. Beyond my usual role responsibilities, I was able to help lead the project from conception to launch, boosting my visibility across the organisation and being able to work with people outside of my typical sphere.

Working at TAL has shown me that when you work with people who believe in you, it creates a supportive environment for career growth and professional development.

Support for your professional development takes so many forms at TAL—from mentors and on-the-job learning to secondments and leadership programs.

Interested in applying?