International Women’s day - An interview with Kelly Jackson

Kelly Jackson - Chief People Officer - Luno

1. Can you tell me about what you do?

My role is a very varied one, and no two days are ever the same. As Luno's Chief People Officer, I'm responsible for the people strategy at Luno, so everything from how our employer brand is perceived in the market, how we attract and assess great candidates who want to join us on our mission to upgrade the world to a better financial system, how we engage, develop and reward our Lunauts (employees), and how we develop exceptional leaders who are such an important part of our business. Oh, and of course, in a scale up business my role also involves loading the dishwasher occasionally and making sure I have used the appropriate emoji when communicating internally! 

2.Did you always want to work for a Technology (Fintech)Firm?

I didn't really think I wanted to work in 'People' when I first started out, and Fintech certainly wasn't an industry I was aware of back then! Probably like a lot of graduates, I thought I should get onto some management training scheme, and when that didn't work out, I actually chose my first role because of the culture of the company I joined rather than the role itself!  Culture, and the people I have met at interview have been the overwhelming reason for every role I have taken since then to be fair, and because all of my teams', and indeed a large part of my role has been to be the guardians of the culture I'd say it is a very important criteria!

3.Do you think there is a lack of women in senior HR positions?

I wouldn't necessarily say that there are a lack of women in senior HR roles, certainly in my network the majority tend to be female, although I realise that is not the complete picture of our profession! And when you look at the roles women occupy at the C-suite level, then overwhelmingly where there are women at the top, they tend to be in People or Legal roles as opposed to roles that typically lead to the CEO position. 

4.What barriers have you faced, as a woman, in becoming successful in your field? How did you overcome them?

I'm a single parent, and have been since my first senior HR role so the barriers I have faced or still do face tend to be through that lens, as for me, juggling a senior role and managing home life solo has its own unique set of challenges. Thank goodness for supportive grandparents, who are a lifesaver!  But it is still challenging to travel for work and be away for periods at a time, and of course, this can limit the companies I work for, as frequent travel just isn't possible, nor are long hours in the office. 

I've also experienced the classic situation whereby I can say something in a meeting and it be overlooked or ignored, until a male colleague says exactly the same thing, even down to the same turn of phrase and it then becomes a discussion topic or a valid point! It's so frustrating to be invisible at times, so I am very conscious to amplify other female voices in the room and echo a point well made. It helps having male colleagues as allies who also amplify the point women are trying to make e.g. "Kelly raises a good point.." or "as Kelly said earlier.

I think there will always be barriers for those who don't hold the privilege in any given situation. But it's up to those of us with comparatively more privilege to be allies for those with less - and call it out when we see it.  

6. Is there anyone (male or female) that inspires you in your career?

I have so many strong, female friends who inspire me every day! Each of whom is very "successful" in the traditional sense, but that isn't what inspires me about them. What inspires me is the way they hold themselves true to their values and moral compasses. They give their time generously to others who seek their advice, even when they are really busy and they know themselves well enough to admit when they are wrong.

Values inspire me, not where someone is in their career, as sometimes that can lead me into a spiral of thinking I've not achieved enough, and comparison to someone you don't even know is a very dangerous path to go down!

7.How important is it for women to lift each other up and what does that mean to you?

Incredibly important - when we think about the fact that women could only open a bank account in their own name as recently as 1975, we have come such a long way but still have such a long way to go. But we don't just need women lifting each other up, we need men too. For me, gender equality benefits everyone, so everyone should be playing an active part.

I guess specifically in relation to women though, for me this means paying it forward - so I mentor women who are earlier in their career than me, giving an opinion or piece of advice, opening my networks to others, introducing people to each other that would find the connection valuable, and of course, amplifying their voices. 

8.On International Women’s Day what is the most important message you want to send out to young women starting their career today? 

Firstly, it's okay not to know what you want to do! Your career will be a long and winding road, and if you're starting out today your future job may not even exist yet.

Secondly - know what your personal values are. I recently read a book by Bryony Gordon and the advice given when asked the question "what do you want to do when you grow up?" was to simply say "to be myself" - so where possible find a company whose values align strongly with your own. You can probably manage for only so long if there isn't alignment before it becomes toxic for your health.

Finally - find your own personal champions. A mentor or someone more experienced can be a wonderful thing, but seek out people at the same stage of their career as you, and celebrate each other.