As women in technology we should use our strengths relating to engagement and multi-tasking to deliver great solutions. You have a voice – use it! Don’t be embarrassed to ask about areas that you feel need more focus and never be afraid to ask follow-up questions.
I joined Imperial in December 2021 as the Change and Release Lead. This means I track planned changes within our environment to ensure they have been planned and tested via release management and then considered by their peers through the change management process.
For the last nine months I have also been covering the IT Service Management (ITSM) Lead role which has meant as well as dealing with change and release Management I have had to oversee the processes, procedures and work related to the service we provide. This covers a broad range of areas including advice, solution development and service improvement.
What do I love about my role?
One of the best things about this role is the variety of areas that you get to engage with. This ensures you are always ready and able to learn about other areas being worked on and allows you to consider it from all sides including the technical, user and customer journeys, as well as any impacts relating to downtime, communications, users and any simultaneous conflicting activities or changes
In my role as the ITSM Lead, I really enjoy engaging with different business areas and finding ways we can improve how they deliver their services and the way they work, which all in turn improves user experience and customer satisfaction.
How did I get here?
Prior to joining Imperial, I worked in local government working for Southwark Council for 18 years starting off as a personal assistant and moving into project management. I dealt with everything from business reviews to headquarter fitouts. I was focussed more on the customer side with an external IT Service provider where we needed to manage their service delivery and engagement to ensure any required changes to take place were planned into the schedule.
I worked as the equivalent of a Product Owner for a number of the property management systems which were used to manage the council’s assets and deliver the housing, revenues and benefits services. I was able to get a well-rounded view of systems and services through third-party procurement process and on occasion having to transition these service back to an in-house provision.
Having initially trained in the Prince 2 project management style I have also completed a number of courses in human-centred design and the UK Government Digital Services’ design principles.
My future aspirations
In the future, I would like to get an in-depth understanding of every product we manage. I look forward to watching the development of the replacement for ICIS and SOV as part of the Great Service programme.
I enjoy seeing the pride and ownership we show in ICT in delivering the best we can for our students and customers. I am interested in moving into a product owner role as I like the idea of being able to deep dive into one section of services and doing all I can to ensure that we are getting the best outcomes and improvements for our users and customers.
My influences
I am grateful for my experience of powerful women who have demonstrated that through commitment and hard work, you can be proud of who you are and know that you have done the best that you can.
There is satisfaction to be found in a job well done and it is so important to do something you enjoy. I have a bad habit of working too much, but balance this with knowing that I will be able to hold my head up and know that I did all I could.
I have had a number of managers who always ensured they built their staff up and supported them in progressing and developing even if that would mean they moved on. I ensure I take the same approach with my team and that my staff know exactly what they are expected to undertake and ensure they are appropriately challenged and have opportunities to learn and develop. I believe that by providing a safe and supportive team environment, you can inspire staff to take ownership and initiative of the work they do and they will then model this behaviour in their engagement with others.
Managing a work-life balance
I find it hard to be idle so I enjoy a number of hobbies – some would say too many! I originally trained as a chef, and although having to cook for my husband and three children means it can feel more like a chore, I still love baking and find the routine and process relaxing,delicious and not at all disrupted by listening to true crime podcasts!
When I get some time to sit down and watch television, I am usually crocheting or working on a Sashiko project which help to address my creative side and I love that at the end you have something to show for your efforts.
My advice
Always try and avoid going into a situation with preconceived ideas and solutions.
Put yourself in the shoes of your customers, the agents and the technical side and ensure that you consider the entire user journey to identify where the issues are, so that any proposed solution is fit for purpose, delivers what you set out to achieve and improves the overall user experience.
As women in technology we should use our strengths relating to engagement and multi-tasking to deliver great solutions. You have a voice – use it! Don’t be embarrassed to ask about areas that you feel need more focus and never be afraid to ask follow-up questions.
Want to join ICT?
We have some great and diverse roles in ICT, and we are always on the look out for the best tech talent.
If you want to join our team check out our current job vacancies.
Check out our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion pages and find out about or activities to remove barriers and create a great place to work.
Prior to this, I spent a large part of my career in the telecoms industry working for Vodafone, BT and OneWeb in a variety of product management and business transformation roles. I have fifteen years’ experience in product management and business transformation, and have worked for FTSE companies in senior positions, but I also have experience working in the start-up world, which has given me a greater understanding of differing organisational structures, values and their customers’ needs.
For someone who holds degrees in cultural studies I came to analytics through an unusual career route! A summer job in a space planning role at a major supermarket taught me a range of skills with spreadsheets that I put into good, and enthusiastic use, when I set out on my career in higher education. My passion for this type of work soon turned into colleagues saying, ‘Gemma likes spreadsheets, let’s give her this data task’, and this became my primary role. From there on I worked with various datasets including; university data, surveys, and longitudinal studies. I started combining data and project management work, and then progressed to enjoy working in business analysis.
I am currently Head of HR and Finance Product Line and I have been at Imperial for four years already! It’s exciting to be working with teams on a business transformation programme, working to transform business areas that I support.
I am motivated to continue my career in digital and technology, in roles that contribute to making a positive difference, add value and let me grow as an individual.
There is nothing more motivating and fulfilling for me than my current role as Digital Accessibility Officer. I truly wake up every day with a huge drive to continue working towards creating a more accessible environment for all.
After taking a short career break to have kids, I then ventured into uncharted territory and established my own café and catering business. What began as a “lifestyle” venture to fit in with the family, soon grew into a successful operation, which I eventually sold.
I am excited to be involved in implementing the next-generation Wi-Fi connectivity at Imperial, which is crucial for the development of a cutting-edge digital campus.
Working as a Data Analyst offers me a sense of fulfilment knowing that I contribute to shaping Imperial’s decision-making processes.
I arrived in the UK in my early 20s, with little English but a passion for technology and embarked upon a degree in Computer Science.
I am the Audio Visual (AV) Installations Manager for Imperial College. I manage and control the delivery of complex technical installations in both new buildings and room upgrades/refurbishments.
My future aspirations