Jade Edwards is Zapmap’s Head of Insights. She looks at the data and the insights that sit behind the Zapmap app, and how to put them to best use.
See how Jade is finding life working at Zapmap, how she got to where she is, and why she wanted to join Zapmap in the first place.
Working at Zapmap
“There are lots of things I like about Zapmap,” says Jade Edwards brightly from the other end of the video call.
“I love the growth mentality and the fast-paced nature of the company,” she continues. “There’s lots of scope for change and for growth.
“I also love the culture within the business: the collaboration, the supportive culture, the autonomy that people have within their roles. People are trusted as experts within their areas, and have the opportunity to mold their role within the company.”
Jade essentially runs a separate business unit within Zapmap, the Insights team.
“Part of my role has been to create the strategy for Zapmap Insights, as well as put a plan together for what we want to achieve in this area – and how we make it happen,” she explains.
“Amongst other things, this means considering how we commercialise our data, how we use it in the media, and how we use it to best serve Zapmap and our mission.”
“The belief and the confidence from the senior management team for the strategy I’ve set out has been fantastic,” Jade continues.
“They’ve been hugely supportive of the direction and the ideas. Of course, they’ve challenged where appropriate, but knowing I have support from the senior management team gives me real drive to push things forward.”
“Moving to Zapmap was the perfect next step.”
There are other aspects that stand out for Jade too. “There’s also a real flexibility around working patterns,” she says.
“It’s acceptable to work in the way that’s best for your role and for you personally. And the most senior work flexibly too.
“Personally, I work four days a week, which was agreed immediately – no questions asked – when I got the role.”
Why Zapmap?
Before Zapmap, Jade worked for a commercial data and insights business. “I worked there for quite a few years and in many different functions, from looking at how to market and sell products through to how we delivered those products to clients,” she continues.
“Moving to Zapmap was the perfect next step because it brought together all the experience I’d gained across those different functions.”
Although she was predominantly considering charity and not-for-profit roles, Zapmap worked well because it was commercial but also purpose-driven work, contributing to a better world.
“It’s work with real meaning, above just profits. This was really important for me,” she continues.
“There are lots of things I like about Zapmap.”
“The other thing that appealed to me was the ambition of the business, with both founders highly committed to growth. They’d brought in investment, they’d expanded the senior team to bring in an external CEO and CCO, it demonstrated to me that they meant business!”
What next for Zapmap?
“I think in the next three or so years, we’ll have a strong, market-leading data and insights business that’s grown rapidly from where it is now – and that is delivering outstanding data and insights on the EV charging industry to all sorts of clients,” says Jade.
She also has some advice for anyone new starting at Zapmap: “Get stuck in. Talk to as many people as possible.
“Read or watch as many industry videos and updates as possible, because you can really soak in the new industry more quickly than you imagine. And go to Fully Charged Live. It’s great fun.”
If you were an EV charger, what speed would you be?
“I’d be a destination charger,” says Jade, “because I’m a team player and I like to support others to enable them to do what they do best.
“I’ll get on with the job required – in this case charging – while you go off and do something else equally important, such as shopping or the gym. Win win!”
Outside of work, Jade spends much of her time with her husband and daughters, occasionally escaping to the gym, but mostly running around after her unicorn and dinosaur-obsessed children.
The belief and the confidence from the senior management team for the strategy I’ve set out has been fantastic.
