From business partner to operations
My role has already evolved quite a bit since joining. I started as a People Business Partner, supporting a large part of the business across different regions, and more recently moved into People Operations to gain broader experience across the team. Now, a lot of my time is focused on project work – improving the employee experience, reducing friction in our processes, and making sure the employee lifecycle at Zepz is as seamless as possible.
One of the biggest challenges for me was adjusting to the pace. Coming from a more traditional investment banking environment, Zepz felt fast – really fast. There’s a lot to take in, from understanding how different teams operate to how everything connects. I approached it by staying curious, asking questions and building relationships across the business. There’s no such thing as a silly question here, and I’ve found that people are genuinely open and willing to share what they do and how it connects back to our customers.
What does it really look like to work in People Operations at Zepz? Jodie-Lee Marshall shares how her role has evolved, what surprised her most, and what it takes to thrive in a fast-moving, global environment.
I joined Zepz after being contacted by one of the internal recruiters on LinkedIn. They were looking for someone with global business partnering experience, and while I’d been with my previous employer for six years, I was ready for something new. Fintech – and cross-border payments in particular – was an area I didn’t know much about, but I love learning, and it felt like a great opportunity to be part of a business that’s constantly evolving.
Learning to navigate pace and teamwork
That openness makes a big difference, especially when things don’t go to plan. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is to lean on your team. It can be tempting to try and solve everything yourself, but being able to put your hand up and say “I need help with this” is really important. There’s always someone willing to roll up their sleeves, offer advice or share their perspective. It creates a culture where you don’t feel like you’re carrying everything on your own – you’re given autonomy but also support, and that’s crucial.
For me, that’s what stands out most at Zepz is how connected everything feels to a bigger purpose. Whether it’s improving internal processes or supporting teams across the business, there’s a clear link back to the experience we create – both for our colleagues and for the customers we ultimately serve.
If I had one piece of advice, it would be not to be afraid of getting things wrong. Everyone has experienced setbacks at some point, and the focus should be on accountability, learning, and moving forward. That’s how you grow – and it’s how we continue to improve as a business.
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