StepChange appoints Charlotte Chambers as Chief Technology & Information Officer

StepChange appoints Charlotte Chambers as Chief Technology & Information Officer

Charlotte Chambers, currently Senior Director – Ecommerce Technology at supermarket chain Asda, is to join StepChange Debt Charity as Chief Technology and Information Officer on 20 March 2023 after a thorough and competitive recruitment process.

StepChange is delighted to announce the appointment of Charlotte Chambers to head up the charity’s vital ongoing technology investment and transformation programme. Charlotte is currently leading on one of the largest eCommerce technology transformation programmes in Europe at Asda.

She joins the charity at a time when the drive for efficiencies across the debt advice sector is increasing, and as client expectations of the technology they use to get the support they need are changing rapidly.

Charlotte brings a wealth of experience to the role having successfully led service and programme delivery across multiple application and infrastructure platforms. Her experience includes multiple transformation programmes, delivering service improvement, quality and efficiencies.

StepChange is already the only debt advice provider in the UK to offer end-to-end omni-channel debt advice. It now has an ambitious transformation programme up to 2026 which involves the complete overhaul of ‘back office’ functions and technology to ensure clients can activate and service their solutions more easily, and that advisers can support them more efficiently.

Commenting on the appointment, StepChange CEO Phil Andrew said:

“We are delighted to welcome Charlotte to StepChange at a time when the need to deliver efficiency and an excellent client experience, invest in new systems and rapidly respond to changing client needs has never been more vital. StepChange has undergone a fundamental change in the technology we use over the last few years, and we intend to maintain the pace of change and improvement.

“We are proud that we already lead the sector with our omni-channel debt advice journey. and I’m excited to see how Charlotte can help us improve further as we continue to deliver exciting new technology and systems.”

“I’d also like to pay tribute to Jo Smith who has stepped in as our Interim Chief Technology and Information Officer since September and has done a brilliant job leading the team and advancing our key technology priorities. Jo will remain in post until Charlotte joins us in March to continue driving forward our transformation and investment.”

Charlotte Chambers added:

“I’m excited to be joining StepChange at a time when so many people so obviously need the services that the charity offers. Taking opportunities to harness positive innovation at the same time as delivering simplification and improvement to back office functions will be my main priority. I’m joining a dedicated and talented team, and together I’m confident we will continue to deliver and develop not only a robust platform from which to evolve, but also the ability to flex and innovate in line with client needs and expectations to ensure we offer a truly best-in-class service.”