Meet JJangTO — Software Development Manager at Coupang

Coupang has strong leaders like JJangTO who continue to grow the next generation of female tech leaders. Hear JJangTO talk about how she is able to bring her own voice to Coupang and she continues to grow her career.

Please introduce yourself.  

Hello, my name is JJangTO. I’m a Software Development Manager and lead a team of 10 members. I’ve been with Coupang for about 10 years, since the beginning of Coupang’s e-commerce business. I’ve been with various teams, but my current team is in charge of building a propriety system to make Coupang’s Rocket Delivery service even better and stronger. 

How did you end up in the tech industry? 

I learned Java and coding when I was studying Data Science in college my freshman year. I loved it so much that I decided to double major in Computer Science. Coding and software development is great because you can see results from the work you’ve put into. So after graduating, I joined a small tech startup. Although there wasn’t a detailed system or role models at the time, it helped me grow and learn a lot because I had to be independent when solving problems. 

 How did you join Coupang? 

I have a very “can do” attitude and feel satisfaction from the results I deliver. Sometimes I’m very strict and hold myself to high standards. I used to work at an agency that helped clients launch apps for their services. But my clients thought I was part of their company because I was so dedicated to the work. This made me realize I wanted to take part in building a service with a place with an innovative vision like Coupang. My husband also supported me and recommended Coupang as a place that could help me achieve my career goals. 

 Your husband seems very supportive. How does your family feel about you working at Coupang?  

I have a lot of support from my husband and family. Even when I spend time with my children, I have a habit of checking dev monitoring channels occasionally. If there is an emergency after work hours, my husband takes care of the children instead. He is understanding and helps me from being overwhelmed. 

 I should mention that my husband is a developer, too. So it’s great when he gives feedback as a customer and suggests areas for improvement from a developer’s perspective. My husband and I understand each other's work, so we are great partners. 

 Sometimes, we face challenges balancing between work and family. Being a working mom with children, how is Coupang? 

Coupang understands the importance of family and respects all employees. We may hear stories of people leaving the company after having children. However, Coupang recommends parental leave any time when necessary. This is not only for female employees, but also for male employees. I have many male co-workers at Coupang that take parental leave for their children. Another policy at Coupang is flexible work hours. This is great for employees with children because you can be there when they need you. You can schedule your own work hours without being committed to the same schedule every day. 

 In addition to good policies, Coupang has a company daycare center called, ‘Coukids.’ I also leave my kids at Coukids. It’s great because I can spend more time with them on my commute and during the day I can focus on work without worries. 

How do you feel about diversity and inclusion at Coupang? 

I feel Coupang values D&I a lot. For example, Coupang does not evaluate candidates based on their gender, nationality, education, and etc. It is your unique experience, background, skills, and story that Coupang is interested in. If you think you have the ideas, skills, and passion to innovate with Coupang, please don’t hesitate to apply. We are always excited to have members with various backgrounds join the team. 

 You are currently leading a team. What would you say are your strengths as a leader?  

I’m not necessarily an empathetic person. But when working with others, I constantly think about how I can help for the unified goal. I also try to listen and understand the different perspectives our members may have. 

 Having good communication skills also makes me a more approachable leader where we can be open to sharing and also have in-depth and meaningful conversations. I also think the craving for learning new things, especially new technology is important for the work I do. 

 Do you have any advice for female colleagues at Coupang?  

It’s ok to step out of your comfort zone at Coupang. Coupang will support you if you want to try new things. If there’s a path you believe is right for you, go ahead even when you need to change directions later. Lastly, I’m an optimist, so it may be easy for me to say. But remember to be positive.  

Thank you JJangTO for sharing about what it’s like to be a female leader at Coupang and how Coupang values diversity with an interest to support the growth of its employees. To explore more tech roles at Coupang, visit our "Teams" page.