Communications and digital services manager

Derwent Living - July 2013 to September 2020.

Filed under Personal

I managed Derwent Living’s day-to-day marketing and communication function and drive the strategy of all digital, mobile and social media activity across the business – both for external and internal audiences. I also managed (and still do) crisis communications and public relations work.

With limited budget and a small team I reduced budgetary spend by around £150,000 in five years and delivered huge savings through deploying new systems and technology. I also changed how the team worked, with almost all marketing activity regardless of complexity carried out in house. This spanned everything from collateral creation and in-house web design to development and the management of the infrastructure on which the sites sit.

I had a number of big successes during my time heading up the team, including securing a Customer Service Excellence Compliance Plus accreditation and winning a national TPAS award for the website. My favourite moment was the culmination of the Homes for Britain campaign back in 2015. Being at the centre of a media scrum and getting coverage on the Six O'Clock News and in most major newspapers based almost entirely on creative decisions you've helped to make was a great feeling.

I was also very fortunate to work with some really good people who supported me throughout my time in charge, and none of the projects or the work would have happened without them.