The Marketing Millennials The Truth About Marketing Ops with Kelly Jo Horton, Head of Lifecycle Marketing Ops at Atlassian | Ep. 374
Dec 12, 2025
Kelly Jo Horton, Head of Lifecycle Marketing Ops at Atlassian, dives into the complexities of modern marketing operations. She emphasizes that MOPS is much more than sending emails, likening it to running a Michelin-star kitchen. Kelly discusses the transformation of MQLs and why they are now considered obsolete, advocating for a focus on broader influence in B2B buying groups. She also shares insights on leveraging AI for automating repetitive tasks, structuring teams, and the importance of documentation and organization in achieving success.
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How Kelly Jo Accidentally Entered Ops
- Kelly Jo landed in marketing ops by accident after an acquisition moved her from B2C to Marketo consulting.
- The pivot dropped her into B2B and launched her ops career.
Marketing Ops Is A Wide, Company-Specific Role
- Marketing ops has expanded from “just email” to owning tech, lead flow, data, and cross-functional plumbing.
- The role varies by company and requires broad knowledge across marketing, sales, and engineering.
Bring Complete Requests, Not Drive‑Thru Orders
- Treat marketing ops like a partner and provide complete requests with clear outcomes and CTAs.
- Define what success looks like and explain downstream requirements before submitting work.