Women at the Heart of Technology: Stories of Success, Challenges, and Inspiration from Unit4

I am a Software Architect at Unit4, where I’ve been working for the past 13 years. I was born and raised in a small town in China where tradition ran deep, and still does. But from an early age, I was drawn to science and technology. Growing up, I often found myself excelling with ease, and for a long time, gender never even crossed my mind. I chose to study IT in college, steering away from the safer and more stable paths around me, driven by a vague but compelling sense of what the future could hold. I had barely seen a computer before I arrived at university. And yet, here I am, some 20+ years later, still working with tech, still writing code, and still excited to be part of this ever-shifting landscape, especially with the arrival of AI and the shadow of AGI on the horizon. I’ve long since stopped trying to be “the best”. Now, I focus on building systems that last. I’ve also come to see that gender does shape our lives, in ways both visible and subtle. But that doesn’t change what we can do, or who we can be. I know I can still do great things—and so can you. 

Iwona Murzyńska

I am an Engineering Manager at Unit4 with a graduate of Wrocław University of Science and Technology and a degree from the Faculty of Chemistry, specializing in Chemoinformatics. Based near Wrocław, I have been working at Unit4 for nearly 17 years, taking on various roles across multiple business and technical areas. I started my journey as an ERP system (TETA) consultant focused on HR, then moved into tools and administration. Later, I worked as a business analyst supporting various systems – including TETA, TETA Web, ERP Business World, Configuration Manager, Student Management – in administration/fundamentals areas, as well as procurement and sales modules within ERP. For the past four years, I have been an engineering manager responsible for leading 2-4 scrum teams. I’ve had the opportunity to work with several teams and services, and I currently lead the Critical Cloud Services squad, overseeing 14 cloud-based services. Privately, I’m a proud mom of two, passionate about winter hiking in the mountains, gardening, and perfecting the art of homemade pizza. 

Kirsty Dalby

I am an Information Security Compliance Manager and have worked at Unit4 for 12 years, starting as part of a UK focused compliance team, and moving into a global cybersecurity role. Cybersecurity is a diverse field, so I work in many different areas, but have specialized in managing our global ISO certifications, communications, and training, managing improvements and Unit4’s bug bounty process. I’ve come from a non-technical background, so I am always on a quest to learn and understand more to support my career. In my personal life, I am kept busy raising my two sons plus a new puppy, with my husband in Harrogate. When I’m not cheering them on a sports field, I enjoy cooking and baking, exploring the countryside and having dinner parties with my friends.

Thank you all for taking the time to join us for this interview. We are really looking forward to hearing more about your personal journeys and experiences. So, let us dive into the questions we have prepared for you. 

Question: Let’s start with something fun – what’s your favorite part about working at Unit4 that might surprise people outside the company?  

Kirsty: Unit4’s ‘Fusion’ policy “Work is not about where, how or when you work it’s about what you achieve” is an amazing part of working at Unit4. It gives me flexibility to work around my family activities, make time for the gym and other demands of life. It’s great to have such freedom and trust. 

Question: What first sparked your interest in technology, and what was that “aha moment” when you knew this was the right path for you and how did your journey eventually lead you to Unit4? Was there someone or something that helped guide you here? 

Iwona: The first spark that ignited my interest in technology came during my studies, when I attended C++ classes for learning programming language and encountered a problem that was difficult for me to solve. Eventually, I succeeded — and it became my first real challenge in the world of technology. The first of many! However, it was my previous manager who became my true motivation and inspiration. He changed the way I perceive different things, encouraged me to continuously pursue new goals, gave me the freedom to grow, and taught me to think critically and outside the box. These days, I find the greatest inspiration in the people I work with. Coming from different countries and cultures, each of them brings a unique perspective, set of values, and personality traits. Collaborating with them not only broadens my horizons but also helps me grow — both professionally and personally. 

Question: When you look back at your career path so far, what unexpected turns or happy accidents have shaped where you are today? What are the biggest challenges you face in your position, and how do you handle them? 

Jadwiga: I was following a different career path but wasn’t very happy with it. At that time my brother worked at Unit4, and the pandemic started, he worked remotely and visited me a lot. I got to see what he does and how the company operates, and I just really loved it. He sent a referral, and I had to learn a lot, but I got the job. I’ve been here since and I still love it. As for challenges, I think for me as a DevOps Engineer, the biggest issue is time. Very often something will break and will have to be fixed immediately. But that’s just additional adrenaline for the day! 

Iwona: I think the biggest challenge for me has been this: do not chase perfection, chase progress. Allow things to go wrong sometimes, and don’t be afraid to fall because that’s where growth begins. Another big learning and challenge for me, especially as a manager of a highly technical team working on Critical Cloud Services, is this: it’s okay not to know everything. It’s okay not to be the smartest person in the room. My role is not to have all the answers. My role is to empower others, to create space for people to grow, build confidence, and shine in what they do best.   

Question: How has Unit4’s environment helped you flourish professionally? Are there particular experiences, relationships, or opportunities here that have been especially meaningful? 

Kirsty: I’ve been able to grow a lot in my 12 years at Unit4, going from a UK focused coordinator role to a global security role. Unit4 has been great in giving me the opportunity to progress in my career and develop. My manager has been a champion of this, encouraging me to continue to develop my skills and knowledge in security, resulting in achieving my CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) and already planning my next certification. One of my career’s highs at Unit4 has been leading a project to expand the UK ISO certifications that I locally managed, to cover the entire organization. This took a lot of planning and collaboration across the company, but we happily achieved our milestone of global certification in September 2024.   

Question: What skills do you think are crucial for success in an IT role today? 

Lisa: The top four essentials in my eyes: curiosity, continuous learning, a commitment to quality, and a balanced relationship with AI. The first three have always been timeless pillars of success. The tech world evolves rapidly. New tools, frameworks, and paradigms emerge constantly. Staying relevant means having the curiosity to explore and the discipline to keep learning. Quality might sound like a given in industries like manufacturing, but in IT, it’s the sign of true craftsmanship. Clean design and reliable code aren’t just about function; they’re about responsibility at Unit4. And then there’s AI—the newest player in our toolkit. We must learn to harness its power wisely, as an aid to augment our thinking, not a crutch that weakens it.  

Question: If you were having coffee with someone considering a career move to Unit4 or the tech industry, what insight would you share that you wish someone had told you earlier? 

Jadwiga: I’d tell them that Unit4 really embraces the “People first, everything else will follow” value. That in the world where very often people have to sacrifice their lives for their jobs, I found a job where I don’t feel pressured all the time, I’m feeling really comfortable, and I get my job done without someone breathing down my neck all the time. The impact of taking care of your employees is huge and it’s the best investment you can make. 

Question: What excites you most about your future at Unit4 or in the tech industry overall? 

Lisa: There has never been a more thrilling time to work in tech. Lately, I often reflect on how fortunate I am to have chosen IT as a lifelong career, just in time to ride the wave of AI, one of the greatest paradigms shifts of our time. And it’s not just reshaping the tech industry; it’s transforming every aspect of human life. At Unit4, innovation happens daily. We’re not just keeping up with change; we’re helping lead it. There’s a constant stream of opportunities to work with frontier technologies and catch glimpses of the future being built. We’re not merely witnessing history; we’re part of making it. And that, to me, is beyond exciting.  

Kirsty: In the world of cybersecurity, there are always fast-moving changes and demands to adapt to them, such as with the rise of AI. However, this is also an exciting area to be as we balance defense with innovation, collaborating with wider areas of Unit4 to share insights and technological advancements. This means there are many different areas to explore and make a difference, which is exciting. No two days are the same and I’m constantly being challenged to change and adapt.