Monica Quintero
Digital Transformation Manager
Stockport Homes Group
I am responsible for delivering SHG's digital transformation agenda through the design, redesign and co-creation of the organisation’s digital services and processes. My team's goal is to realise organisational effectiveness through the digital transformation of Services.
- Applying digital design to a wide range of business situations - I work closely with all of our Workstream leads to apply digital designed changes to frontline and back-office operations. I consult with them in order to empower them and to support the delivery of their digital ambitions for each of their service areas.
- Supporting Culture Change - Digital culture changes are often tricky and my and my team's role is to advocate, support and enable digital culture change through out the organisation. We do this by offering an array of channels in which colleagues can share their thoughts, ideas and views around digital in an open and receptive manner. Demystifying digital is key to enable a positive digital culture change.
- Strong interpersonal skills – In order to create positive, holistic digital change through out the organisation I have to be able to listen to the needs of our stakeholders. What works for one service area might not work for another and having strong relationships helps builds trust which ultimately enables the right changes to happen.
- Ability to translate digital innovations being used outside of our organisation to SHG's business needs - In order for us to be innovative we have to look outside ourselves to what other companies or sectors are doing with regards to Digital. Being able to find well matched digital technologies to our values and business needs is key to deliver our digital ambitions.
I have to say being able to be part of SHG's Digital journey has to be the one for me. I was lucky enough to have been through this journey in a past organisation and I absolutely loved being part of the team delivering digital, so when I was given the opportunity to do this again is a dream come true. The transformation journey we are currently on is probably one of the biggest changes an organisation can go through in its lifetime, so pretty interesting I'd say.
I have worked in Social Housing since 2008 and have been working in Digital Transformation for over 9 years now. I moved away from Social Housing to work at an amazing Digital Agency whose specialty was Digital Transformation in the Social Housing sector for a couple of years, in which I worked alongside 16 Housing clients (all at different stages of their digital journeys) supporting them realise their digital ambitions by consulting with them and finding the right digital solution to match their needs.
I think that to be in digital transformation a real interest in improving and challenging how things are done is definitely a must. I feel like I am a natural but well natured disruptor and this is what drove my eventual move into digital. I was already bringing innovative suggestions to the work I was doing (even if these were rudimentary). So, when my first role in digital was published it felt like a natural transition.
Keep going and do what brings you joy! I have been called, controversial, relentless and disrupting throughout my life and I often felt that these were faults in my character. However, those three attributes are key to my current role. To innovate you will sometimes cause some controversy and disruption but you also have champion and embody that change and innovation. It's not always easy or a straight forward process and neither is achieving what you want. In order to realise your potential sometimes you have to learn to appreciate the natural qualities you posses. Be who you are and appreciate it. There's seven billion people in the world but there's only one of you.