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The Key to Confidence: Sophie's Career Journey at Flutter International

04 FEBRUARY 2025

Sophie Conroy

Everyone’s career path is different—some take unexpected turns, others follow a clear trajectory, but the most rewarding journeys are often shaped by the right opportunities, support, and a passion for what you do.

In this blog post, we’re spotlighting Sophie Conroy's journey! Sophie first joined PokerStars in 2019 as Global Employee Engagement Specialist and has since grown into her role as HR Business Partner at Flutter International. 

From Sophie’s first steps into the iGaming industry to the impactful initiatives she’s been part of like the Women’s Mentoring Programme, Sophie shares more on her career journey, the lessons learned along the way, and top advice for anyone looking to take their next step. 

Can you share with us your career journey at Flutter International and how you arrived at your current position? 

I’ve been with Flutter for 5 and a half years and what a journey it’s been! When I joined, I’d spent 7 years working in Resourcing and Employee Engagement for a well-known UK Food Retailer so I joined a completely different industry but friends had raved about the amazing culture and people here so I took the chance and haven’t looked back since!  

Initially I took a side move looking after Employee Engagement which grew arms and legs in lockdown. It was a pivotal time when we remained committed to putting our people first and actively listened, responded and supported them during an uncertain period. This then progressed into a bigger role as Culture and Engagement Manager. To avoid my career becoming siloed in one discipline I took the jump into the HRBP world to get more generalist experience and learn how to strategically partner different functions. Moving from working in a Centre of Excellence to ‘out in the field’ has been an eye opener! Every day continues to be a learning opportunity and not one day has been the same which for me keeps work exciting.  

How did I get here?

After coming back from maternity leave in 2022, I had a bit of imposter syndrome which is normal so by securing mentors, completing the Elevate career management programme and having a clear plan on my next steps with a very supportive manager and director at the time really helped. I soon built up the confidence to speak up and share my aspirations within my function to move into the HRBP field. I also did and still say yes to things that are outside my comfort zone such as hosting events, presenting to leadership or learning new skills such as completing my CIPD Level 7 in People Management via our external learning support fund. Being back in learning mode made me eager to put the knowledge I’ve been learning into practice. 

The Elevate career management programme empowers women at Flutter International to take their careers to new heights, offering a structured programme with masterclasses, 360 feedback and coaching - view more here

What were some of the key challenges you faced in advancing your career, and how did you overcome them? 

Possibly being seen as too nice but I actually pride myself on treating anyone I connect with, with care and kindness. Through my delivery, taking ownership and working hard to show my potential, I’ll continue to overcome this. As a mum it would be hard for me to not share that taking time out of work to go on maternity leave felt like it could have paused my career progression, but it actually had the opposite effect it made me even more determined to succeed. I’ve got my daughter to make proud and Flutter International empowers me to continue to grow.    

Was there a pivotal moment or decision that significantly impacted your career growth? 

Two moments come to mind, but there are probably more. First is probably one of my first roles after University which involved a lot of travel across the UK, at the time I really enjoyed the variety and something I would encourage anyone to do if they get the opportunity but after a couple of years it became hard to be away from my home set up, rather than continue feeling unhappy I looked elsewhere and secured a role more local. It sounds simple but it taught me I have to be the driving force to positive change. I’m in the driving seat of my career and if something is no longer making you happy - after all, we spend so much time at work - make a change.

The second is joining Flutter International! Although it was a side move and sometimes you can get focused on moving up the career ladder, looking back it was the right time to take a jump into a different industry and work for an international business. Each year when it comes to end of year time I look back on everything I’ve achieved each year with pride.   
 

  
How has the Women’s Mentoring Programme played a role in your career development, and what advice would you give to others seeking mentorship?  

I’ve joined the Women’s Mentoring Programme twice as a mentee and both times I was really clear with what I needed. The first was to get guidance and challenge on how to be a more strategic thinker and how to influence at senior levels. The second was to leverage and tap into a years of HR expertise as I moved into my most recent role. My advice for anyone looking for a mentor is to understand firstly really what a mentor is and secondly what you want to get out of the relationship. The mentee should be the driving force. Plus find some common ground, get to know the person as it’ll help to foster a strong relationship - it doesn’t have to be all ‘work chat’ and if possible get them to see you in your role so they can see how they can help you.   

View more on Sophie's experience of the Mentoring Programme, along with other colleagues here

What advice would you give to others who are looking to advance their careers? 

Speak up as every voice matters, ask for feedback and take action. Sometimes, you have to take the risk, say yes to things that are outside your comfort zone to let yourself grow and face into change as a positive.  

What is the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received, and how has it impacted your journey? 

Work on being ready for your next step rather than wait for the role to come up. Continuing to grow, learn and improve will speak volumes.  

Say yes to challenges and opportunities (even those that might scare you). Building a supportive network around you is important as well as championing others’ successes!

 

Thank you Sophie for giving us a glimpse into your journey at Flutter International!  

Are you ready to take the next step in your own career journey? If you’re looking for a place where your ideas make an impact and your voice is heard, Flutter International could be the perfect fit. We offer open, collaborative and welcoming teams the world over! Apply today: Jobs at Flutter International - Find your perfect role.

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