About Me
Balancing Passion and Parenthood: A Project Manager’s Journey to Flexible Success
My journey in Project Management started back in 2002 at a buzzing digital agency in Cardiff. Picture this: I had no technical knowledge, and the developers had a bet I wouldn’t last a month. Fast forward seven years, and not only was I still standing, but I’d worked my way up to Programme and Operations Manager. Turns out, proving people wrong is a bit of a superpower.
With no room to grow in Cardiff and not wanting to join a competitor, I made the bold move to London in 2011—a decision that transformed my career. I took on the role of Delivery Manager for Manchester United’s global digital platform, leading a team in Bulgaria while working closely with the client in Manchester. It was a challenge balancing teams across locations, but we made it work and had a lot of fun along the way. Building strong relationships, enjoying corporate days out, and embracing life in London—it was a thrilling new chapter that blended hard work with incredible experiences.
In 2013, I joined Precedent as Head of Project Management, leading teams across Cardiff, London, Edinburgh, and Hastings. I took on the challenge of implementing a restructured Agile process that had previously struggled to take hold. Through rewriting and guiding the team through this new approach, I brought the projects back on track and strengthened the workflow, allowing the agency to thrive.
In 2015, I joined Digitas (formerly LBi) as a Programme Manager, managing the global Helios program to launch digital platforms for Nissan and Renault. This was the most complex programme of my career—an ambitious digital rollout, supporting 270 digital sites in 100 markets worldwide. It was challenging yet immensely rewarding, filled with valuable lessons and incredible friendships. We had so much fun together as a team, navigating complexities and celebrating each milestone, so it was both exciting and bittersweet when I left for maternity leave in 2017.
In 2017, I welcomed my daughter, Rose, and from that moment, balancing a rewarding career with motherhood became my priority. I had always been passionate about my job, but I never imagined I could want to do anything different. Yet, my world was turned upside down—I suddenly had two roles I wanted to give my all to: being a mum and being a programme manager.
When I returned to Digitas after maternity leave, it felt like stepping into a new agency. The programme team I’d known had moved on, the company had merged with the Publicis Group, and the vibrant Brick Lane office had shifted to White City. On top of adapting to these changes, I was also navigating the challenges of being a new mum. But I embraced the transition, taking on the digital communication AMEX workstream and working with a fantastic team.
In 2019, when Covid hit, I made the difficult decision to take unpaid leave to spend time with Rose. My husband and I tried the “ships in the night” approach, working around each other’s schedules, but with Rose being just 2.5, she couldn’t understand why both parents were home and yet couldn’t be with them.
In 2020, as things started to return to a new normal, I picked up the Visa account, focusing on their European digital strategy. Working with a fantastic team, we delivered some great work—and I was reminded just how much I thrive in a collaborative, dynamic environment.
My son, Harrison, arrived in 2021. Following my second maternity leave, I returned to my role as a Programme Manager, working with the fabulous EE team. This time around managing both family life and a demanding profession was even harder. After a decade with Digitas, I returned feeling stronger and more empowered as a mum. This time, I decided to request reduced hours to spend the time my son, Harrison, needed. I advocated strongly for this, and while my request moved through various levels, the business ultimately felt it couldn’t support the arrangement due to the demands of client requests. Despite this, I was committed to my role and continued to work closely with the EE team, ensuring the teams across all work streams met their launch targets for 2023 and assisted with post-launch enhancements. By April 2024, I felt the time was right to step back quietly.
The Here and Now!
With Rose now seven and Harrison three, being fully present for my family remains essential, yet, my passion for project management is as strong as ever. With over two decades of experience, I realize that to continue my career while meeting my family’s needs, a flexible approach is essential. This led me to launch my own consultancy, allowing me to keep doing what I love—on my terms.
So here I am—janinetsoflias.com is live, and I can hardly describe the excitement I feel as I launch my own consultancy. I have loved every minute of my career; even on the difficult days, there were wonderful clients and teammates who made it worthwhile. Now, I’m thrilled to follow a dream I’ve held close since becoming a mother.
