Profile
A highly motivated marketing communications professional with significant experience across health communications.
Professional qualifications and membership of CIPR and CIM.
Professional Experience
Communications Manager – NHS Research Scotland
Feb 2015 – present
Working on behalf of the Chief Scientist Office of Scottish Government, responsible for leading the marketing and communications activity for NHS Research Scotland (NRS) ensuring Scotland is positioned as a world-class location for clinical research. Specific responsibilities include:
Communications – as a new post, responsible for the creation and implementation of a multi channel communications strategy, ensuring key messages reach a range of audiences (health, academic, industry) and underline the commitment of NRS to improve patient care and treatment through research and innovation.
Plan, implement, manage and evaluate activity across a range of channels – website, newsletters, publications, reports, social media, events and media liaison – including management of budgets.
Branding – working to bring together a range of historical, independent brands into a single coherent brand to support the strategic objectives of NRS. Includes appointment of external design and website providers, ongoing communication with previous brand guardians, and full development of a single consistent brand which works across a range of disease areas and offers flexibility across a range of channels. Progress to date includes creation of new branding, brand guidelines and approved website wireframes, with full design now progressing for launch in November 2015. Create content and copy for use across a range of publications.
Events – manage NRS events programme including annual NRS conference for c.500 delegates plus a calendar of topic specific networking events – Cancer, Stroke, Mental Health – which bring together renowned clinicians in the field to share current research work. In addition to delivery of NRS events, hold responsibility for presence at a range of external events and support provision of information to international audiences via Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International
Relationship Management – work in strategic partnership with a wide range of individuals, stakeholders and local and international partners including NHS boards, universities, Scottish Enterprise, Scottish Development
International and pharmaceutical companies ensuring strong collaboration and joint approaches to communications activity.
Media Manager (Secondment) – Scottish Government
Aug 2014 – Feb 2015
Media Manager within the Health team of Scottish Government providing communications advice and support to ensure announcements, Ministerial activity, and the strategic objectives of the Scottish Government stand out in a busy news schedules. Performed on a 3 day per week basis, via secondment, specific responsibilities
include:
• Media Activity – produce news releases, social media content and regularly liaise the media to provide Scottish Government comment on a range of high profile health issues. Support Government Ministers and senior staff during media interviews, organise media calls and ensure positive positioning of Scottish Government.
• Campaigns – provide communications support in the roll our of high profile campaigns such as Flu Immunisation programme and ‘Fit in 14’ aimed at raising general awareness of key health messages among the Scottish population, changing attitudes and promoting positive lifestyle changes.
• Support – provide support to policy teams (alcohol, tobacco, diet, sexual health, maternal health, mental health) on the handling of key reports, statistical releases, timing of events and media announcements.
• Stakeholder relations – build strong relations with a range of stakeholders including health boards, charities, local government and professional bodies.
Corporate Communications Manager – NHS Health Scotland
Dec 2011 – Present
Senior manager within the Corporate Communications team with responsibility for protecting and enhancing the profile of NHS Health Scotland and ensuring communications outputs support delivery of corporate strategy. Specific responsibilities include:
• Communications – support delivery of corporate messages via a range of communications outputs.
This has included communicating findings from reports such as Monitoring and Evaluating Scotland’s Alcohol Strategy (MESAS), health inequalities reports and other relevant publications via print and broadcast. It also includes CEO briefing (In Brief) to key external contacts, publications, social media activity (9 accounts) and internal communications.
• Events – manage a programme of c. 150 events per annum (national, regional, seminars, roundtables and partnership events with Scottish Government, universities and third sector agencies). Also manage the organisations presence at key external national and international conferences (i.e. World Health Organisation and International Union for Health Promotion and Education events), negotiating the provision of speakers, posters presentations or exhibitor space.
• Sponsorship – devise and manage the sponsorship strategy to ensure that NHS Health Scotland collaborates with appropriate partners to maximise health inequality and improvement messages. Negotiate complex contractual terms with external organisations for all NHS Health Scotland sponsorships. Has included agreements with World Congress on Active Ageing, Scottish Chamber of Commerce, Institute of Directors, Alzheimer Scotland and Mental Health Arts & Film Festival.
• Public Affairs – provide input to the organisations horizon scanning group and support co-ordination of committee evidence, parliamentary questions and dissemination of relevant political information to senior management.
• Partnership – work in strategic partnership with a wide range of individuals, stakeholders and local and international partners, particularly the Scottish Government, the World Health Organisation, and NHS health boards. Project manage NHSScotland communications event on behalf of Scottish Government. .
• Advisory – provide in-depth specialist knowledge to NHS Health Scotland senior management, Board of Management, staff and partners
• Management – Lead, develop and motivate a team of specialist communications staff (line management of four – Communications Manager, Communications Officer, Events & Sponsorship Officer, Events & Sponsorship Assistant. Participate as a member of the Corporate Communications Management Team, devising and agreeing strategic direction, agreeing business plans and directing team projects as required. Maintainingonline media centre, and progressing online PR. Work directly with College principle to develop speeches including those to staff (generally delivered via pre-filmed presentation) and external audiences.
Events & PR Manager – Glasgow Metropolitan College (now City of Glasgow College)
Sept 07 – Oct 11
Responsible for raising the profile of Scotland’s largest college through marketing communications, events, media relations, stakeholder engagement and school liaison. Awarded ‘Best Student Recruitment Campaign’ at the Herald Recruitment Communication Awards, Silver in ‘Integrated Marketing Campaign’ category at Scotland’s Colleges Awards. Specific responsibilities include:
• Communications/PR: Deliver a range of internal and external publications including internal newsletter, student magazine, Board reports, and event support material. Generate media coverage via links with local, national media and trade press – negotiation of a weekly food column by our student chefs in the Evening Times, plus provision of content for recruitment pull outs in Daily Record, The Sun and Herald. Support recording of coverage, via our monitoring agency, providing monthly reports to senior management and Board. Responsible for developing and maintaining our online media centre, and progressing online PR. Work directly with College principle to develop speeches including those to staff (generally delivered via pre-filmed presentation) and external audiences.
• Marketing: Responsible for monitoring recruitment and conversion figures and working with Heads of Department and Student Services to implement marketing initiatives to support student recruitment targets. Produce high quality marketing collateral in conjunction with in-house design team and manage key sections of the college website. Work with Digital Media Officer in developing social media presence through facebook, twitter and blogs and provide relevant marketing support to departments throughout the college.
• Events: Responsible for overall planning, organisation, staffing and evaluation of a range of internal and external events e.g. Graduation, End of Year Show, Open / Recruitment days, exhibitions – Skills Scotland, Good Food Show, Jobs Fair etc. Ensure such events are adequately promoted using a combination of advertising, PR, direct mail and digital marketing including pay per click/sponsored links, Facebook and Twitter promotion.
• School / Community Liaison: Build relationships with key schools and community groups through the management and attendance of career events, delivery of college presentations and co-ordination of visits to the college including organisation of specialist activities related to the college curriculum. This includes work with numerous secondary schools, Skills Development Scotland and regeneration agencies.
• Budget/Staff Resources: Responsible for the efficient spend of Event & PR budget, management of equipment and staff resources.
Marketing Executive – Buildstore
Oct 06 – Sept 07
Managed several key projects for the UK’s leading self build and renovation company:
• Marketing Communications: Responsible for developing a communications strategy for visitors to the Scottish Self Build & Renovation Centre, creation of monthly e-newsletters and working with design agency in the creation, updating and sign off of marketing collateral.
• Website re-development: In liaison with web designer and Visitor Centre manager worked to establish requirements, timescales and viability of various options. Worked with agency in establishing new layout, navigation and re-writing all web copy.
• Exhibition/Seminar Programme: Responsible for organising exhibition stands, promotions, literature and presentations for large scale shows such as Home Building & Renovating and Grand Designs. Managed the regional seminar programme.
• PR activity – responsible for working with PR agency generating press releases and case studies for use in national and trade press.
Marketing Assistant – De Vere Resort Ownership
May 05 – Sept 06
Supported the marketing team in implementation of events, marketing plans, direct mail campaigns and PR activity. Additional responsibilities included market research, liaising with printers and agencies, lead generation, web updates, database activity, brochure fulfilment, stock control and administration.
