How Sophia is closing the gap

Sophia believes rail is one of the strongest solutions for a resilient future. Learn how she is helping deliver sustainable transport while building her career in leadership.

“Opportunities appear when you dare to say yes”

When Sophia My Jensen graduated as a civil engineer in mechatronics, a career in oil and gas seemed like the obvious path in Norway. Instead, she chose rail. “For me, rail is my sustainable badge,” she says. “It’s a sector with huge potential for Europe - each new line we plan and every system we upgrade is a step toward more sustainable transport.”

For Sophia, sustainability is not something added on top of rail projects, it is built into how they are delivered. “We always look at reuse of materials, reducing impact, and making sure the client gets the best balance between cost and sustainability,” she explains. In her projects, sustainability is treated like any other technical discipline: a requirement that shapes decisions from the start. “Our solutions must deliver on both quality and climate impact.”

That conviction has guided her ever since. She joined Ramboll in 2021 as a business developer for the global rail division, quickly moving into international consulting assignments.

Turning opportunities into growth

Sophia’s career accelerated quickly, but not by chance. “I’ve always been motivated to take on new challenges, even when the timing wasn’t perfect,” she says. A clear example is her promotion: only two months after returning from maternity leave, she was asked to step in as Head of Rail in Norway.

“It was a significant decision, and I could have chosen to decline. However, I had already built strong, trust-based relationships with my colleagues, and I felt confident in their support. My leader encouraged me to consider the opportunity, but ultimately, the choice was mine. Accepting the challenge became a deliberate step toward personal growth and a way to contribute more meaningfully to the team.”

The combination of supportive leaders and Sophia’s willingness to step forward shaped her path.

“Leadership here isn’t about waiting for the right moment. It’s about being trusted to take responsibility and daring to accept it.”

Sophia My Jensen

Head of Department

Leading with trust and openness

Now, as one of the youngest women to head a department in Ramboll's Transport business area, Sophia is shaping her own leadership style. She emphasises trust and openness - values she has experienced first-hand. “If you trust your leader, you thrive. That’s what I’ve had, and that’s what I want to give to others,” she says.

Openness is just as important. “We don’t pretend everything is perfect. In my team, people are honest about challenges, and that makes it easier to step in and support each other."

Creating career paths for specialists

Sophia also knows that career development is not one-size-fits-all. “Not everyone wants to be a manager. Expertise should be valued just as much,” she explains. In Ramboll, we have introduced a career path for specialists.

“We want people to see that if you’re an expert in signalling, you can grow your career to the same level as a director. You don’t need to manage 200 people — you can build your career by being excellent at what you do.”

Sophia My Jensen

Head of Department

To make this concrete, Sophia had every member of her department write a personal development plan, reflecting on what they want from their career and life. “We use those plans to create individual paths. It’s about showing people that Ramboll will support them all the way.”

A culture of care

For Sophia, what makes Ramboll stand out is the culture of care. “If I’m working late, my colleagues will tell me to log off. And I do the same for them. We look out for each other, across levels,” she says.

This sense of belonging carried her through organisational changes and the transition into leadership. “There’s always background noise in big projects, but what matters is focusing on people and clients. At the end of the day, our purpose is clear: to deliver projects that drives sustainable change – and to help our colleagues thrive.”

Closing the gap

Looking back, Sophia sees her story as the interplay between a culture that empowers and her own determination to seize opportunities. “I didn’t have a fixed plan to become a manager. But I had leaders who trusted me, colleagues who supported me, and I was willing to take the step when the opportunity came.”

For her, that’s what closing the gap means: combining personal courage with a culture that empowers. “Together, we make rail part of a more sustainable and resilient future.”