In a company that’s growing at the speed of light, it takes a special group of people to make sure that everything stays on track.
When it comes to doubling a team of top talent in a year, or ensuring that customers are supported promptly and with care, Ozow’s Operations team are those people.
So, let’s hear what a few of these incredible team members have to say about life at Ozow – our Chief Operating Officer (COO), Head of Customer Operations (HCO), Project Management Office Lead (PMOL), Project Manager (PM), Office Manager (OM), Junior CRM Application Owner (JCAM), Office Cleaner (OC), Business Operations Intern (BOI), and Technical Support Engineer (TSE).
What gets you most excited about coming to work?
HCO: “Working with an amazing team.”
PMOL: “The great banter with all the peeps in the office.”
COO: “The variety – nothing is ever the same!”
OM: “I love the people and the energy in the office. The vibe is electric and I enjoy every minute. Everybody supports each other.”
JCAM: “I love that every day I am at work, there is always at least one opportunity to learn from the best in the industry.”
PM: “It’s new, it's exciting, and every day is bound to be different!”
OC: “The people. It is always refreshing to be around happy people.”
BOI: “Every day is different at Ozow; new experiences, new tasks. I am most excited about the unexpected.”
TSE: “My team – Support. I always look forward to tackling the day with them.”
What's your favourite part about working in the Operations team?
HCO: “That every day is different, and we get to be involved in so many different aspects of the business.”
PMOL: “The diversity in the projects/tasks we are involved in. The fact that we interact with almost everyone in the company.”
COO: “We often go unnoticed, but we are not driven by glory – we all want to make Ozow a better place for our clients, our users and our colleagues and this drive for excellence of execution is a joy to be part of.”
OM: “The team is always so busy with so many different tasks and I get to learn something new every day. Rachel (COO) is fantastic and such a great leader for the Operations team.”
JCAM: “I love a challenge and there is no shortage of challenges popping up in the fast-paced working environment at Ozow.”
PM: “The people.”
OC: “Communication and how well we treat each other.”
BOI: “Everyone in the team is very helpful and energetic about their work.”
TSE: “The fun part is actually understanding how we, as Support, interlink with Operations and understanding the part they play and work they do.”
What does your average day look like?
HCO: “Login early in the morning and check the previous day’s performance. A whole bunch of stand-ups with various teams, and some ops meetings and reviews. Before calling it a day, fight a few fires and ensure all our merchants are happy.”
PMOL: “Meetings, meeting minutes, following up on tasks, creating project plans, following up on tasks again, and then more meetings and meeting minutes.”
COO: “My day can involve a variety of meetings regarding project status updates, reviews of legal contracts pertaining to commercial agreements, daily stand-ups, training new staff on our strategic roadmap, discussing company-wide OKRs, having discussions with regulators and banks, and organising travel and events!”
OM: “No straight answer for this question – I wish I could tell you but all I can say is busy, busy, busy! Every day is different with new challenges.”
JCAM: “My average day consists of collaborating with the Marketing, Commercial, Client Success, Product and Data teams to ensure a successful implementation of Salesforce. (i.e. setting up meetings, managing documentation, discussing improvements of customer-facing operations, managing external communications). Also, I am always researching and looking into the latest innovations in the CRM space, trying to upskill myself any chance I get.”
PM: “Meetings, planning and more meetings.”
OC: “Always busy, but I always make time for a walk to refresh.”
BOI: “Some meetings, completing operational tasks and market research.”
TSE: “My average day is full of queries that need to be resolved and calls that need to be attended to. In my role, we need to make sure that we assist everyone accordingly and with a positive attitude.”
What would you say to anyone new joining the department?
HCO: “Buckle up and strap yourself in to help fire the rocket ship. Seriously though, be ready to roll up your sleeves and get stuck into whatever needs to be done.”
PMOL: “Keep calm (and make a to do list).”
COO: “Be prepared to be involved in a lot of things. But mainly, you have the chance to be part of executing on a hugely exciting business strategy.”
OM: “Be ready to work in a very fast-paced environment. But if this is your vibe, you will love it. The team is amazing, and everyone is so supportive and helpful.”
JCAM: “Welcome to the rocket ship, you're going to love it!”
PM: “Hold on tight and just get stuck in – it's worth it!”
OC: “It is a great department. Yes, with lots of work, but also lots of fun!”
BOI: “It gets really busy, but it’s a great experience and you are exposed to the broader overview of the company.”
TSE: “Ozow is really fast-paced – a place full of hard-working people. Ozow is not a place for people who just want to chill and not produce results. We work hard and play hard.”
What are your thoughts on your growth/potential growth at Ozow?
HCO: “Massive! As Thomas (CEO) always says, go out and get it if you want it...”
PMOL: “To infinity and beyond!”
COO: “It's really endless – I am a prime example, having gone from an HoD to C-Suite within a year. When we are growing and expanding so rapidly, there is always growth.”
OM: “I have only been here for 2 months and I'm still settling into my current role, with the added responsibilities that came my way. But already I have grown as a person, and I see myself growing with this amazing and driven company.”
JCAM: “Speaking as someone who started as an intern in the Commercial team and in just under a year has found himself as a junior in the Operations department – I think that Ozow is truly awesome because they enable each and every one of their employees to continue to improve and grow themselves throughout their careers.”
PM: “I'm the newbie here but it seems endless if you put the hard work in.”
OC: “I am eager to learn more and grow within the company.”
BOI: “I am very optimistic about my growth/potential at Ozow.”
TSE: “I would say there is growth potential, especially because I have seen gaps that I feel I can get into.”
What separates Ozow from other companies?
HCO: “The culture – it’s not something we ‘talk’ about, it lives and breathes in everything we do each day.”
PMOL: “The speed of adaption, the big hairy audacious goals, and the quality of people.”
COO: “The pace, and the vision that we are executing on is second to none. It is an inclusive environment where we all want to see success!”
OM: “Ozow is the most dynamic company I have worked for. Thomas (CEO) has a clear vision and mission for Ozow and that makes the company unstoppable.”
JCAM: “I think the biggest thing for me is how much Ozow cares for its employees. Anyone can clearly see that Ozow puts tremendous effort into creating an all-inclusive company culture.”
PM: “The people, the values, the culture and the potential for growth.”
OC: “It is a very fast-paced, and needs a very focused individual.”
BOI: “The healthy work environment and unpredictability.”
TSE: “The culture.”
If you’d like to join Ozow’s Operations team and make a difference to the growth of our business, or support our customers’ needs, then check out our jobs page here – your dream job might just be waiting for you!
