Procurement Geek and Interim Operations Director – Procure IT

A bit from Karen

Innovative thought leader who cuts through jargon to offer outcome based solutions to problems – mainly procurement problems (because apparently it’s a core skill) but I also am an experienced operations director who can jump in and fill interim spots during pinch points within organisations. Lover of a massive challenge, you won’t find me delegating when something just needs to be done.

For reference, procurement people hate being an after thought – bring us in early doors, we won’t block things (unless they’re illegal)

Why do you care about housing

As a girl from the East End of Glasgow I was proud to have grandparents who lived in social housing – I suppose as I grew up, the impact was more profound than I’d realised. Social Housing isn’t the same now as it was then – the weekly trip with the rent book to the housing office was often linked with a trip to get the weekly shop. We should be so much better now. However, there are still things that need to change – whether it be looking at the whole asset; how technology can really support tenant/customer experience or simply to make sure people always feel safe and secure in their home.

If you need to find me at weekends because there is some kind of emergency situation that needs a bit of fire fighting, or just a friendly ear – you’ll mainly find me flitting between photographing wildlife on beaches of East Lothian and Fife, or heading to a London jazz club dreaming of actually being on stage….to be clear it will never happen!

What we at Digital Bark think about Karen.

We love Karen. She’s the best procurement consultant in housing (actually, in general), but to be completely honest, she is much more than that. A problem solver, a truly lovely person, what could go wrong, apart from her Jazz dream.