Meet Aji, Head of Product, Technology Change. She’s been with Tesco for 22 years, working her way from checkout.  She’s also involved in the Group-wide Women’s Development program. Here, she shares her empowering development story. 

I came to the UK in 2002 from The Gambia to study at university. I got a job in Tesco as a checkout girl because my parents couldn’t afford the university fees. I worked in-store for 3 years, all through university. Towards the end of my final year, I did nights to be able to study during the day and to get more money to pay for uni. I was lucky enough to graduate first class, which was fantastic.  

Then I applied for all sorts of work and because I’d studied computer science, an agency put me forward for IT roles. They don’t always tell you which company you’re going for. So, when I got there, I found it was Tesco! I told them, “I work here already.” So, they transferred me over from the store to the office. 

Over the years, I’ve had amazing managers who’ve been really flexible with my work-life balance. I blend my life with my job.  I mix it up, which means coming to the office at 9am after school drop-off and I’ll leave around 4pm for pick-up. Then I log on later because that works for me to catch up on emails and stuff. This works for me. 

I’m probably the only head-of that’s got women in the team doing shared jobs and part-time roles, because it’s one of the things I’m so passionate about – that work shouldn’t stop people wanting to get on with their lives or having kids – I’ve got 4!  

I just want people to understand that you can be a head-of, you can be a director, even with you working part-time and having 4 kids, because there’s no rule book that says you can’t. I genuinely want to prove a point that an immigrant, a person of colour, a woman who has 4 kids, can blend a high-profile job with her family. I’m not saying you’re always going to get it right. You make mistakes either way, but it’s doable.  

What I find with working mums that most people miss is we’re feeling guilty anyway! Guilty that we’re missing something for the kids, that people think we’re not doing enough... But because of that guilt, we put in extra effort on everything we do, especially work, because we don’t want anybody saying, “She’s not doing her job because she’s on 3 days a week.” Or, “She’s not doing her job because she gets to leave at 3.30.” This is what I wish leaders would understand, we probably do more than your average male, 9–5, because we don’t want anybody thinking they’re lowering any bar for us to fit in.  

So, what do I do? I head up what we call the Product team – part of Technology. I look after about 23 product managers. We work across an area called Technology Change, and work with very talented people who build software systems that allow suppliers to give us all their product data.  

Anything we buy and sell in Tesco comes through our systems. Our work helps to ensure that we’re always providing the best-quality products for our customers. We also look after systems for online, ensuring that how people search and browse works.  

I love the fact that the job I do has an impact. The fact that we’ve got millions of people shopping in the stores, and I know when they’re scanning a product through the till, that’s because of my team. I know when people are shopping online and they’re making a decision because they can see the product, that sits with us. The fact that customers are getting really great bananas, which aren’t squishy or mouldy, is because of my team.  

I love making an impact. That’s my purpose. Whether it’s in or out of work, my purpose in this world is to make a difference, even if it’s a little bit of a difference. 

When I came to the UK, my first job was literally washing bowls, I never thought that someone like me would ever get to the position I’m in now. For me to even think that I can get to a director level is huge. It proves to every other person, especially my girls, that it doesn’t matter what you look like or where you come from.  As long as you’ve got grit, you’ve got perseverance, you’re passionate about what you’re doing, and you’re willing to work hard for it, someone out there may see your potential.  

Tesco has helped me by entrusting that I’m someone who can lead a team, who can deliver value, who can increase revenue, who can build other leaders within the business. They’re supporting me, empowering me and giving me total autonomy to do that. Which means I then feel empowered to say, “You know what? I’m going to be even better.” 

I know people talk about role models. I don’t think I’m necessarily a role model. I like to use the term ‘real model’. I’m real. It’s not a role I’m playing. This is real. This is my life. You may not do it exactly the same way that I’m doing it, but it doesn’t stop you trying and doing it your own way.