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Amy Sparrow - Head of Product Marketing at Technology from SAGE

We caught up with Amy Sparrow, Head of Product Marketing at Technology from SAGE to find out about the impact she's had, what independence means to her, and how she's been supported to make the change to hybrid working.

Hello Amy. Tell us a bit about yourself. Where are you from and what did you do before joining SAGE?

I grew up in Hertfordshire but have lived in East London for the last six years and spend a lot of time walking in Victoria Park! Before joining SAGE, I worked in marketing for financial and professional services and was responsible for marketing the company’s new software products.

What’s your current role at SAGE and what does it involve?

I started as a Marketing Manager working on SAGE’s online course platform SAGE Campus, but I’m now the Head of Product Marketing for Technology from SAGE, a portfolio of digital services. My current role is to create and implement a product marketing strategy across the full portfolio of services from our technology businesses, Talis and Lean Library, to build product awareness and generate leads in the library market. The digital services in the portfolio all make learning and research easier, so part of my role is also to increase student and faculty usage.

I like the fact that you’re able to make an impact in your role at SAGE regardless of seniority. In the decisions I make and the work I do I can clearly see the outcome within the business and the impact my work makes.

“It’s not a one size fits all view of career progression, and this has led to more opportunities for me to learn, progress and ultimately be more fulfilled by my work”

When working on SAGE Campus I undertook market research, including a fact-finding trip to the US, that directly informed the change in strategy to offer an institution-wide subscription to the platform – when previously we had only offered single courses to individual researchers to purchase. This change in strategy helped grow SAGE Campus revenue and led to an even bigger increase in the number of learners taking our courses.

In fact, on that US trip, I also met with Bala Sundaram from the University of Massachusetts, which later became one of the first institutions to subscribe to SAGE Campus.

Tell us one thing you like about working at SAGE?

The independence! There is a lot of trust between colleagues which allows you to be independent at work. You have a lot of ownership over your work, and obviously, you’re accountable for this, but there isn’t a culture of micromanagement.  

You get the freedom to go off and try things; for example, I had an idea to host a dinner with Academic Deans to build relationships and test the latest messaging of SAGE’s Ocean initiative with them, which hadn’t been done at SAGE in that way before. I was fully supported in this and ended up running the event from start to finish, with senior leadership at SAGE attending.   

What is an unexpected perk you’ve enjoyed since joining SAGE?

I joined in December 2018, and right from the off, there were opportunities to travel, attend conferences and go campus calling to meet customers. You’re trusted to be a representative of SAGE even if you’re relatively junior, which is really nice. The pandemic has meant there has been less travel in the last few years, but I recently attended the Charleston Library Conference in South Carolina, and it was great to catch up with colleagues from the US, as well as meet some new faces.

How have you found the change to a hybrid working?

I’ve moved teams and departments since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the initial support from IT and facilities was great; for example, I got an office chair sent out, and equipment such as screens were organized quickly, so my reports and I felt really supported at a difficult time. There was also a clear understanding of people’s different situations, whether that was those who had children and were home-schooling or junior employees working from the same room as their flatmates. I also felt empowered to look after my mental health. There are lots of resources available on the company portals plus the employee support groups. 

I like the fact that we have the flexibility to work from home or the office and can plan our days to suit our lifestyle and still meet the needs of the business. The office is such a great space to work in though and it is lovely that we are encouraged to come in through good initiatives such as the regular lunches, anchor days, and SAGE Fests — full-day informal get-togethers where everyone has the opportunity to join social groups and take part in activities like face painting, quizzes, and even Tai Chi!

How has your job or career changed since joining SAGE?

Normally you think of career progression as climbing the ladder, but I’ve been supported to take some sideways moves to get experience in different departments. Since joining I’ve worked in Product Innovation, Library Marketing, and now my current role in the Technology from SAGE team. It’s not a one size fits all view of career progression, and this has led to more opportunities for me to learn, progress, and ultimately be more fulfilled by my work.

Tell us about a recent project you’ve enjoyed working on?

The biggest and most exciting project I’ve worked on recently is the rebranding and launch of the new Technology from SAGE brand. I got to work with an excellent branding agency and multiple in-house teams at SAGE to launch a new microsite, brand message, and the supporting campaigns. Working collaboratively with so many different parts of the business, including design teams, UX teams, marketing, and corporate communications to see the end result come together was invigorating.

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Chris Burnage