Introducing the Digital and Innovation Team: Michael Wilkinson, Associate Director
Michael tells us about being a leader at RNID, how the charity has embraced remote working and what his superpower is
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Tell us about your role at RNID
RNID is becoming a digital-first charity and it’s my role to lead us on that journey. I see my purpose as unlocking the power of people and technology for social good. Ultimately, we want to use digital to reach more people and have more impact, so my job is to realise our strategy, working with our talented experts, not only in the digital and innovation capability, but across the organisation.
What are you working on at the moment?
We have a lot of ambition around what we want to deliver this year from an in-person service to an online community and a health behaviour change campaign, so I’m looking at what we want to do and how we might deliver it in a sustainable way as a team.
Tell us about something you’ve been proud to work on
I’m proud to have played a leading role in changing our ways of working. Like many other organisations, RNID worked in traditional ways. In an office environment. But we embraced the change that we see around us, going fully remote and adopting new ways of working more suited to this agile environment.
We don’t get everything right and we’ve still got a lot to learn, but I think we’re on the way to becoming one of the most progressive organisations in our sector. Indeed, many corporates could learn a thing or two from the way we roll!
At the end of the day, I think it has left us better prepared to face any challenges that come our way and allows us to remain relevant to the people we are there to support.
What’s your superpower as a director of digital and innovation?
My colleagues have described me as a “positive disruptor”. I like to think differently because I believe it can help push the boundaries of what is possible. This is useful in my role because all companies and organisations need to continuously adapt to the environment around them. There’s no prize for standing still, especially in the post-Covid world. Digital leaders need to be able to think differently about organisational strategy and how to deliver on it.
Where are you working today?
After a decade working from offices in London, remote working has enabled me to work from my hometown of Bolton and as far-flung places such as Mexico City — and a few places in between. Today, “home” is rural Buckinghamshire with a view of deer and a lake.
What’s your favourite weekend activity?
I spend a lot of my spare time learning Spanish and working out at the gym. I like to keep an active mind and body.
