A career before the job title existed

Long before “data scientist” became a recognised career path, Jane McCarthy was already building one.

After completing a Bachelor of Science and Arts in 2005, at Monash University, Jane joined the graduate program at ANZ. Placed in a hybrid data analyst/data scientist role, she stepped into a profession that was still emerging and had little female representation.

“I hadn’t coded before. On my first day, everyone was writing SAS code. It was daunting — but I quickly realised it was a great fit.”

What began as hands-on analytics evolved into a 17-year career across credit cards, commercial banking, marketing and strategy — always anchored in analytical thinking.

Building foundations that scale

Over time, Jane recognised something critical: the real constraint wasn’t always the modelling — it was the underlying data capability.

She shifted her focus from pure analytics to strengthening data assets, engineering capability and governance — ensuring organisations had the foundations required to scale insights effectively.

“I kept thinking I’d leave when I got bored — but I never did. I even had the chance to work overseas for a year.”

That systems-level thinking now defines her leadership, giving her a unique perspective on how data can transform businesses.

Leading in a Data-Driven era

Today, as Head of Data and Insights at Flybuys, Jane leads the strategy and stewardship of data for more than 10 million members.

Working across finance, marketing and member experience, her role sits at the centre of business decision-making — particularly as AI rapidly reshapes what’s possible. She says ” It’s one of the most exciting spaces to be in. Whatever the future holds, it will definitely be data-driven.”

Representation, confidence and backing yourself

Having entered analytics at a time when few women were in the room, Jane understands the quiet impact of representation.

“You notice when you don’t see many people like you around you. Sometimes the biggest barrier isn’t capability — it’s underestimating yourself.”

Her advice to students and early-career professionals is simple: master the fundamentals of maths and science, stay curious, and believe in your own potential.

“Data skills matter in every career. Everywhere you look, you’re interpreting numbers and finding ways to improve outcomes.”

Jane’s story isn’t just about breaking into a field that is underrepresented by women — it’s about paving the way for others, showing that capability and confidence matter just as much regardless of titles.