As well as being the head of campaign management at Verizon Media, Hayley Smith is also the company’s unofficial office counsellor, according to her colleagues.
As part of her role she manages 22 people across the account management and ad operations teams.
Here, she not only mentors her direct reports, but she’s the go-to person across the ANZ organisation for listening, coaching, building confidence, driving career progression, and all-round support.
Her value as a mentor is backed up with numbers, with her engagement metrics and management effective scores ranking among the top of the company.
Over her entire career, Smith estimates she’s mentored and coached over 30 people, with an excellent track record in providing positive guidance for her mentees.
Her background in operations provides her with a comprehensive understanding of how the machine works, so she can easily identify pressure points to help people succeed.
She has also been responsible for setting up the ‘Verizon Media University’, having recognised a gap between the skills possessed by university graduates and the practical knowledge required for entry-level jobs.
Through Verizon Media University, Smith gives training to juniors to help them find their purpose, excel and have longevity in the industry, in the hopes of retaining them within the business.
The ‘university’ offers advice on how to work in the business, keep up with the pace whilst having fun, set time for development and find satisfaction in their jobs.
Since starting in 2015, she has helped an abundance of young people directly reporting into her and within other related teams. The unofficial university program has fundamentally changed the way Verizon Media supports young talent.
