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Today we are talking with Elie Peterson about her role as an Operations and Social Media Manager.
I can't believe I am saying this, but I have known Elie for over 10 years...How is that possible?! Elie and I met while we were both attending the University of Oklahoma. We both worked as RA's and now all these years later have reconnected via this blog. I am so excited to share Elie's career journey with all of you and give you exposure to the world of operations and social media management. If you are in the Kansas City area, Elie is definitely someone to meet up with for coffee - be sure to ask for a great book recommendation during your conversation. I promise it won't disappoint!
Now let's learn more about Elie...
Name: Elie Peterson
Current Position:
Operations Manager & Social Media Manager
Time in Current Position: 3 Years
Where Can You Connect with Elie?
Connect on LinkedIn!
You can also connect via:
Email: elpeterson91@gmail.com
Instagram: @grammerlie
What does a day in the life of an Operations and Social Media Manager look like?
As an Operations Manager, my average day consists of assisting various departments in developing and evolving processes that help them be more efficient. I also help with a lot of internal questions and issues that come up, as well as providing support to our sales and accounting teams.
While my main role is in Operations, I also provide a lot of support to our social media team. Primarily, I handle our social media ads, both with creation and management. On an average day, I might be checking ads to make sure they’re running and staying within their budget. I may also be creating ad copy and working with our account management team to make sure the clients’ needs are met.
What roles did you have prior to your current role?
I started as a Sales Associate, then moved into a social media associate role. From there, I moved up to Social Media Manager and then into Operations. I’ve technically been our Operations Manager since 2019, but I never truly left my social roots behind.
How did your experience in previous roles help you succeed in your current position?
I have always been very adaptable when it comes to job roles. Some of my previous roles have included positions in the food service industry, customer service, and a more traditional “office” setting.
This adaptability and wide range of experience has helped me develop professional flexibility which is extremely useful in Operations, particularly working in a marketing field. I’ve found that I experience the most success in my role when I set enough parameters in a process for my coworkers to feel secure in the steps while also having flexibility to operate at their own rhythm.
Is there any specialty training or area of expertise needed to succeed in your current role?
I didn’t have much operational experience when I started in this role, but I was lucky enough to have some amazing mentors who had previously been in charge of Operations. Their guidance was enlightening and extremely helpful in those early days as I worked to make the role my own.
Last year, I finished my Lean Six Sigma Green Belt certification. I found that, while many Six Sigma principles are better applied to manufacturing, there are some high-level elements that I found very useful for my understanding of Operations and improving efficiencies.
How do you think your job will change in the next 5 years?
In the last two years, we’ve seen a pretty extreme shift from a marketing company that worked almost exclusively out of an office to the majority of our teams working from home. Operationally, this was a huge change and raised questions in every capacity, from hiring out-of-state employees, to managing workloads, and ensuring communication needs between departments were able to be met in a remote setting. I think that there will be a massive change in how we view remote work and the operations of managing remote offices in the next five years.
What is something you wish people new about your job?
I think that at its heart, Operations is one of the most human parts of a company. Developing processes that work for both left- and right-brained people, as you find in the digital marketing world, can be very challenging, but it all comes down to working with your team to help them understand the need. Adding a touch of humanity to your Operations approach also helps ease your team members into new efficiencies without spooking anyone who doesn’t do well with change.
Do you work more independently or as part of a team?
The best part of my job is that I am involved with every team while also being in an independent role. I am a very independent person, so I really enjoy being left to my own devices, but there is a certain kind of joy in working with other people to accomplish a common goal.
What does work/life balance look like in your career?
It’s very easy to let work take over your life, especially when working in a field that is very client-facing. I’m fortunate in that I don’t meet with clients very often, so I have less pressure than a sales or account management role, but Operations and social media are both support roles for those client-facing positions. When an account manager needs an ad adjustment or the sales team needs a contract to be sent, I try to get it done as quickly as possible.
I’m also very grateful that I work for a woman-owned company that understands the value of family and getting time to separate from work. I would definitely recommend it!
Want to learn more about Elie??
Feel free to connect with her on LinkedIn, via email, or on Instagram.
Direct links are located at the top of the blog!
If you would like to be featured on the Talent Spotlight Series, please contact me here!
I would love to share your career journey!
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