Treasa Dunne: Building a technology career with room for life beyond work

Since joining Macquarie in 2022, Treasa Dunne has embraced every opportunity to learn, moving through three roles in technology, helping deliver new applications and building a broad network across the organisation. Today, as Capability and Learning Technology Lead in Sydney, she is helping shape the future of talent and learning technology while working in a way that supports both her career and family life.

For Treasa, working an adjusted four-day schedule is not about squeezing five days of work into less time. It means working four days, with the support to grow her career while making room for life outside work.

“I don’t feel like I’m doing five days in four,” she says. “I feel supported in my four-day week.”

That support has given Treasa the confidence to keep putting her hand up for new opportunities, building relationships across Macquarie and expanding her experience in technology.

A career shaped by people

Treasa’s first connection to Macquarie came through a former manager, who encouraged her to explore an opportunity in the technology team. The relationships she has built since then have become an important part of why she has stayed.

She found an environment where collaboration felt natural. Colleagues were generous with their time and everyone was encouraged to contribute, regardless of their level or role.

“There’s really close collaboration with business stakeholders,” she says. “It feels like everyone works together.”

Putting her hand up

Treasa started in Operational and Behavioural Risk Technology, where she helped take a behavioural risk application into production within her first year. The experience gave her a fast understanding of how technology is delivered at Macquarie, from idea through to implementation. 

“Going live with an application helped me understand the technology process really quickly,” she says. “You understand all the steps and why they are there.”

From there, Treasa moved into Prudential Risk Technology, before taking on her current role in People and Culture Technology. Each move brought a new business area, a new set of stakeholders and a new opportunity to learn.

“I’ve always been someone who puts my hand up,” Treasa says. “I’m confident moving around different roles and taking on new domain knowledge.”

For Treasa, career growth has come from being open to change and building strong relationships across the organisation. Working across different teams has given her a broad understanding of Macquarie’s technology environment and started new conversations about where her skills could be applied next. 

“Being able to show how I can transition my knowledge from one area to another has helped me have those conversations with my managers,” she says.

Learning from the inside out

Treasa’s move into People and Culture Technology has challenged her to learn a new business from the inside out. Today, she leads technology for talent and learning, overseeing six applications and assets that support the business.

The role requires more than technical knowledge. It means understanding the processes behind the technology so her team can make informed decisions and solve the right problems. 

“You quickly learn the technology, but you also need to understand the business process to make the right decisions,” Treasa says.

Flexibility that supports growth

Treasa has worked an adjusted four-day week since joining Macquarie. While that rhythm originally helped her manage life with a young child, she has continued working part-time because the balance works for her and her family.

Most mornings, Treasa drops her son at school before travelling into the city, while her partner manages pick-up in the afternoons. The flexibility to attend school events and adjust her routine during school holidays helps her stay present at home without stepping back from her career.

What comes next

Treasa is now focused on the transformation underway in People and Culture Technology. She is excited by the opportunity to help shape new technology for talent and learning, including the role AI could play in making work simpler and more effective while keeping people at the centre.

“As we think about our future-state strategies, there’s a real opportunity to explore how AI can support our applications and the way people work,” she says. “The focus is on using technology to simplify work and create a better experience for our people.”

Treasa is also piloting new AI capability for People and Culture, giving her early exposure to tools that could influence how teams work in the future.

For someone who enjoys learning, building and moving quickly, it is exactly the kind of work that keeps Treasa engaged.

A place to keep learning

Treasa describes technology at Macquarie as fast-paced, collaborative and high performing. There is a strong focus on delivery and a lot of opportunity to work on meaningful, complex projects.

But just as important to Treasa is the way people work together. 

“People bring themselves to work,” she says. “They want to have fun.”

For those considering a career at Macquarie, especially in technology, Treasa says the appeal is the ability to keep learning, take ownership and work with people who make the experience enjoyable.

“If you want to learn many different things and get hands-on experience delivering something end to end, this is a great place to do that,” she says. “And you get to work with people who you can genuinely have fun with.”

At Macquarie, Treasa has found the room to keep learning, the confidence to embrace new opportunities and the flexibility to do it in a way that works for her and her family.