Meet our people - Eleanor

Tell me about your journey to joining Accenture. 

I joined the Security practice as security analyst in February 2020, just before the pandemic took over. I studied Business Information Systems at University College Cork and then went on to complete a postgraduate degree in cybersecurity followed by a stint working in cybersecurity at another management consultancy. What attracted me to Accenture was the accelerated growth of the security practice, the opportunity to challenge myself further and work with global teams.

Tell me about the work you do?

I am a Security Delivery Specialist in the Accenture Security practice, and I am currently working with clients in the financial services sector to secure their infrastructure and improve their cyber resilience. Through this I am working to understand their current security threat profile and develop a roadmap to address the gaps identified and improve their security posture. My role is quite dynamic and can vary depending on the project or client I am assigned to. I enjoy the challenge that comes with working in cybersecurity and frequency of change across different project roles as I am constantly being exposed to something new.

What’s the most exciting project you’ve worked on and what made it so exciting?

I worked as part of a team performing a cybersecurity review for a large multinational company operating across several jurisdictions. This involved working with senior executives and stakeholders across the world to assess their security practices. Projects like these are always very interesting as you get an insight into all facets of organisational security, and through this you get to meet and interact with a wide variety of people. Through a series of tailor-made workshops sessions, we performed a holistic review of the organisation's security taking into account various policies, processes and architectural documents. This was exciting as I got to understand first-hand how different companies secure their most important infrastructure and provide recommendations on how they can further improve their security.

What’s a day-in-the-life like at Accenture? 

A typical Accenture can vary greatly depending on the projects you are assigned to, but most days start with coffee and checking my emails. With the advent of working from home, a lot of the day is spent on calls with clients and project teams to discuss progress and share updates. Once I get through my calls, I usually start to work through my to-do list of jobs. This could include researching topics and solutions, preparing for meetings, scheduling calls, facilitating workshops, developing reports, or gathering security requirements and materials to support client deliverables. I usually join some coffee catch ups calls with my teammates to virtually connect and talk about everything non-work related!

What do you like the most about working at Accenture?

The immediate answer would be the people element, whereby I have been very lucky to work alongside many fun and talented people. The support and care that I have experienced working on several projects with many different colleagues has been great. Knowing you are working alongside people who are at top of their respective fields and extremely passionate is also a plus from a learning perspective. Accenture has also consistently challenged me with opportunities to grow and challenge myself through leading different initiatives and entrusting me with various responsibilities. Sometimes it can be daunting taking on new challenges, but there’s a great support network and resources available to enable and advise you.

What advice would you give to someone interested in the work you do?

Reach out and connect with cybersecurity professionals and get involved with community events to learn more about the field and the potential opportunities available. Similarly, if you’re in college, attending the Accenture graduate events and class talks are great opportunities chat to our team members and learn about their roles to see if it might be the right fit for you. Security is rapidly evolving, and this presents new challenges every day that demand innovative solutions and fresh perspectives. My advice to anybody thinking about a career in cybersecurity is to remember that it’s ok to not know everything and have all the answers straight away; what matters more is your willingness to learn and take on new challenges.