In fintech, the spotlight often shines on founders and engineers, but behind every fast-scaling startup is an unsung, detail-oriented person, making sure the operation doesn’t derail.
In the startup world, where structure often plays catch-up with ambition, visibility for women in non-founder roles remains a challenge, particularly in critical behind-the-scenes positions like delivery, operations, and engineering management.
In the fintech sector, women remain significantly underrepresented in leadership roles. Globally, they hold just 7 percent of CEO positions and 19 percent of executive leadership roles. In Australia, the numbers are slightly higher but still unbalanced, with women occupying 18 percent of CEO roles and 22 percent of board positions in the tech industry.
Lack of visibility is even more pronounced in critical roles like delivery, office management, operations, and engineering management. These roles keep startups moving forward, often determining whether a business scales or stalls. Yet, despite making up 35 percent of key management positions in tech, women are still underrepresented in strategic leadership roles such as CTOs, Heads of Delivery, and Engineering Directors.
Building from the Ground Up
When Mel Clark joined Fat Zebra eight years ago, the company was in its infancy, just two founders and one engineer. Her role was to bring structure to the chaos, laying the groundwork for the business’s operations. She tackled everything from trademarks and compliance to recruitment, office moves, and major projects, ensuring the startup had a solid foundation to scale.
“At the start, it was all about putting solid foundations in place and making sure we’d covered everything. It was more of a business management role initially, but like any startup, as the company evolved, so did my role,” Mel said.
Over time, her responsibilities expanded into engineering delivery, a shift that happened naturally as she stepped into gaps and took on what the business needed.
“In fintech, you have to deliver big projects, and you need someone who can lead the team in the right direction, on deadline,” Mel explained.
“That’s how I became Head of Delivery. I worked across all the engineering teams, from customer experience to sprint planning to managing the business roadmap. Essentially, I became the conductor, pulling all the moving parts together,” she said.
This transition, from setting up the business structure to driving engineering projects, is a pattern familiar to many women in startups. They step into gaps, wear multiple hats, and do what needs to be done.
In fact, 22-25 percent of Australian startups are founded by women, and female founders are more likely than their male counterparts to juggle multiple executive functions in the early stages, leading operations, product, and business development simultaneously.
Why Visibility Matters for Women in Fintech
Mel’s story isn’t just about her, it’s about the many women in fintech who play pivotal roles in operations, delivery, and engineering but aren’t always seen.
“For me, it’s never been something I actively thought about, as I’m very supported in our team, but anything that promotes visibility and supports women in the industry is a good thing,” said Mel.
Startups, particularly in fintech, often default to male leadership in key decision-making roles, a reflection of an industry norm that has been held for too long.
However, if there’s a common thread among women in fintech, it’s resilience and execution. Many, like Mel, have had to build their roles from the ground up, yet their impact is pivotal.
That “get it done” mindset is what keeps fintech startups moving. It’s also why diversity in leadership matters, because the people setting roadmaps and shaping teams determine the kind of industry fintech becomes.
The challenge isn’t capability—it’s visibility. While fintech has made strides in hiring women in compliance, HR, and operations, technical and delivery leadership roles still remain male-dominated.
The next step isn’t just getting more women into tech, but making sure they’re part of the strategic decision-making at every level. That includes:
- Recognising leadership beyond founders and engineers – Operations and delivery leaders shape fintech growth as much as developers do.
- Creating clear pathways for women in technical and delivery roles – Without structured progression, women often plateau in mid-level positions rather than stepping into strategic leadership.
- Promoting visibility – Companies need to actively highlight the women driving fintech forward, not just on IWD, but year-round.
The tech industry thrives on execution, adaptability, and problem-solving. Women are already leading in these areas, so now is the time for the industry to make sure they’re seen.
Mel Clark wasn’t an engineer or a founder, but she became the glue at Fat Zebra. Stepping into gaps, she mastered delivery—and built a fintech success story along the way News, Delivery, FinTech Dynamic Business
