Since January 2001 I have also been employed as a Part time lecturer in Marketing at Gateshead College. My role is to deliver CIM programmes at Certificate, Diploma and Post Graduate Diploma level as well as the operational and strategic marketing elements of the University of Teesside Business Organisation and Management degree programme.

Since January 1998 I have worked on a freelance basis providing specialist writing, editingm public relations, marketing and event management services to a small client base. During this time I have drawn on my wealth of experience gained within the regional press and local advertising agencies which has enabled me to undertake a wide variety of activities.
Main areas of activity :-

* Advising on, creating and implementing strategic communications plans in support of clients’ business requirements.

* Corporate Communications activities for a wide range of clients including the preparation and execution of Communications Strategies designed to achieving the client’s business objectives whether they be profile raising, generating revenue or fund raising.

* Writing and editing corporate communications for a wide range of client uses - promotional games, marketing information packs, press releases, staff newsletters, magazines, sales literature, recruitment brochures, training manuals, websites, etc

* Creating PR strategies to enhance client reputation.

* Creating and executing a range of events designed to meet the client’s business and marketing needs including Black Tie Balls and an All-day open air Music Festival.

* Lecturing, part-time, on both the Chartered Institute of Marketing’s Professional Diploma and the University of Teesside Combined Honours Degree in Business Management at Gateshead College

Reporting to the Marketing Director, I started my career at the Evening Gazette managing the Promotions Department this included, amongst other things, full marketing responsibility for the Retail Sales Unit which generated profits in excess of £100k per annum. I also had overall responsibility for Public Relations and the creation of the Exhibitions and Events Division which operated as a separate business unit and generated £60k profit at the end of year one.

Main areas of responsibility

* Creating and executing marketing strategies to enable the Exhibitions and Events Division to fulfil its objectives in terms of generating new revenue, increasing newspaper sale and promoting positive public relations.

* Managing the Retail Services Division - creating and executing marketing strategies to maximise revenue generated by the sale of a wide range of holidays and specialist merchandise, from all available outlets. Achieving a 10% year on year growth.

* Assisting with the preparation and execution of the company’s marketing and communications strategiues in line with key business targets.

* Co-ordinating and managing the company’s multi-media communication strategies in support of newspaper sales, advertising development, corporate awareness and community profile.

* Managing and co-ordinating the company’s corporate affairs activity including the sponsorship and charity support programmes.

* Managing, training and developing staff to ensure achievement of individual and team performance.

* Responsibility for a departmental budget of £500k.

Main areas of responsibility
During my time at Newcastle I worked on a wide range of projects and activities which included the re-organisation of the Marketing and Promotions Departments and the creation of a separate Public Relations Team to handle all aspects of the company’s internal and external communications strategy.

* Planning and implementing marketing and communications strategies through a wide fulfil the company’s marketing and communications objectives in terms of brand building, sales increases and the promotion of specific company initiatives. Liaising with in-house designers and external agencies on creative strategies and campaign development.

* Producing written materials for internal and external clients for a wide range of communication needs - advertising campaigns, corporate brochures, annual reports, sales literature, staff magazines, etc.

* Responsibility for the creation and execution of the company’s Public Relations strategy including sponsorship and charity programmes, managing the company’s involvement with major sporting events such as the Great North Run, developing the corporate hospitality and building tour programmes.

* Providing and maintaining a schedule of value added newspaper promotions which resulted in newspaper sales.

Areas of Responsibility

* Advising on promotional and advertising strategies to Key Account Advertising clients in the Sunderland area.

* Handling Estate Agency clients with special responsibility for the weekly Property Supplement - space selling, page layout and design, overseeing production etc.

Areas of Responsibility

* Account Management with responsibility for handling several major clients including Binns (House of Frazer), Dunlop, Solid Fuel Advisory Service.

* .Campaign planning and media booking.

* Supervising the workload of the creative writing team including writing copy for a wide range of promotional materials across the full client base.

Creating and writing promotional materials for all Binns stores including radio scripts, newspaper advertisements, in-store videos, news releases, etc.
Typography and advertisement layout.