‘I Love My Job’: Why This Senior VP Loves Her Job: Great People, Ever-Evolving Tech, and Much More

Welcome to I Love My Job, the series where we hear from real women who really love their jobs. In this edition, we sat down with Stacy Ward, the Senior Vice President of Creative at Epsilon, who has been with the company for nearly 15 years.

Throughout her time at Epsilon, Ward has been surrounded by a culture that she calls. “ambitious, outcome-focused, and very goal-driven.” Ward tells us that, “as a company, we are setting and hitting goals that no one else in the industry is even touching or is a decade away from getting close to — which is very inspiring.”

And, while Epsilon is innovating and going above and beyond, the company is also focused on empowering their employees. Epsilon is “incredibly supportive,” says Ward. “This company truly cares about people…Career advancement is also a very big focus. We have a very structured and rigorous performance management process.” Epsilon’s twice-a-year review process focuses on the right elements for each employee and their personal career growth.

“There's also a 48-hour training goal every year with lots of training opportunities for all levels,” explains Ward. “That way, everyone feels like they're continually investing in themselves and growing with the company.”

And Epsilon’s support expands beyond career advancement, too. As Ward puts it, “I feel supported by Epsilon, not only in advancing my career, but also in enjoying life outside of work.”

“During my time with Epsilon, I've gotten married, I've had a baby, I've trained for and completed four marathons, I've homeschooled during the pandemic, I've moved, and I've pursued my USA track and field coaching certification,” shares Ward. “And through all of that, I have continued to grow in my career.”

She’s been empowered to find this balance through a variety of different avenues for support from Epsilon, including support from her managers, programs like flex time (meaning there's no no PTO accrual or set bank of time-off hours, instead employees work with their manager to take time of when needed ), a team-based mentality that empowers department leaders to decide what work style works best for their team, and even company-wide days off to unplug and rest.

In the video below, Ward tells us more about why she loves working at Epsilon. We also provide lightly edited highlights from the video discussion in the following article.

Can you tell us more about your career journey at Epsilon?

I started as a graphic designer and grew through multiple design-centric roles. Then, I moved into leadership roles, where I helped to shape and define the roles and responsibilities on the team, the expansion of the team, and the vision of the creative team. Today, we're a team of over 120 people across the world that supports the global Epsilon business.

What do you find most exciting about your work?

The opportunity to continue advancing the vision of Epsilon, which is to enable brands to speak relevantly to individuals.

What I find unique about that vision is that it has been the same since I interviewed with a company. People want connection — they want personalization from the brands they're engaging with on a regular basis. The creative is that tangible visual. You could even say that the creative is the emotional outcome of all of the data that goes into making that personalized moment for a person. And, since there's hundreds of millions of individuals, this means that we not only have to solve for that beautiful creative, but also at that scale.

What are your favorite things about working at Epsilon?

My favorite thing about Epsilon is the people. There are so many intelligent, curious, and driven people. Even during the hardest projects and toughest challenges, when you get in a room with the people at Epsilon, you feel inspired and you know that we're gonna figure it out…

My second favorite thing is that we're a tech company, and tech is constantly evolving, which means my job and our work is constantly evolving… We're constantly learning new things. I love that the work feels fresh and new on a regular basis.

What advice do you have for women looking for jobs at Epsilon?

Look at the opportunities that are available on the careers page. Then talk to a recruiter and get to know more about what's available for different programs and support within the company.

Also, ask to speak to a woman who's currently within the role or department that you're looking at to get her perspective.

Fairygodboss is proud to work with Epsilon. Find a job there today!

Check out other posts in the ‘I Love My Job’ series:

• ‘I Love My Job’: I’m Empowered to Be a Great Mom and an Executive Who Changes Peoples’ Lives

• ‘I Love My Job’: 31 Years of Personal and Professional Growth Opportunities at My Dream Company

• ‘I Love My Job’: Making a Difference at ‘One of the Most Inclusive and Thoughtful Companies’

• ‘I Love My Job’: I’m Empowered to Use Design to Innovate, Help Others and Evolve My Company

• ‘I Love My Job’: ‘The Art of Push and Pull’ — A Culture Anchored Around Teamwork and Collaboration