ABOUT ME
Introduction
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Senior Strategic Project Manager within Packaging, Branding, Product Development, Digital and E-commerce.
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Effectively and enthusiastically managing projects with strategic direction, customer focus and within agreed timescales and budgets.
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Department Manager with extensive line management responsibilities for Account Managers/Executives, Designers, Artworkers - both full time and freelance plus Programmers
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Close department and project budget management - at maximum £1.5m.
Experience​
Digital E-Commerce Consultant Project Manager
TheDogsDoodahs.com
​August 2009 - September 2014
E-commerce Digital Account Manager - created a new personalised cards and gifts e-commerce website. Extensive competitor analysis was needed to develop a brief based on customer experience, personalisation software capabilities, a content management system and order fulfilment. Sourced an e-commerce agency to implement the website design, maintenance, development and hosting. Developed the full customer journey and ordering complexities for the end to end solution. Sourced and managed the production facility and production quality control and fulfilment. Full and exclusive project and budget management of the website development resulted in the site being launched in August 2010 after extensive user testing and Customer Relations programmes. Product P&L management, especially for new gift formats. Project management then turned to the day to day management/development of the site and to digital marketing including PPC, SEO, CRM analysis and PR. Customer and product analysis to develop customer retention strategies and range reviews. This constant competitor, customer and product analysis resulted in the site being re-designed and re-launched in June 2013, again with full project management within strict time-plans and strict adherence to a reduced budget. Recently project managed the mobile/tablet version of the site from development to launch. All elements of the e-commerce site are now fully integrated into the relevant departments within the existing company structure, which required management briefings and handover.
Initially worked alongside existing staff to initiate a program of new product/format development, management of a test retail outlet and sales analysis management across greeting cards and gifts.
Successes:
Full end to end management, including:
Effectively developed and implemented a number of complex order fulfilment, payment solutions and more efficient customer journeys:
Payment back-up solutions and PayPal integration
Multiple address ordering systems
In-store pick-up solutions
Customer focused search mechanisms
Promotions and offers integration
Clear, concise and informative customer communications throughout the site that also ensured the ‘personality’ was maintained.
Consultant Product Developemnt Manager
Emotional Rescue
​November 2008 - August 2009
Worked alongside existing staff to initiate a program of new product/format development, management of a test retail outlet and sales analysis management across greeting cards and gifts.
Gift and Greeting card development. Gift extensions across the existing brands within the company. Many different gift formats developed, sourcing, buying and production. Management of a test shop, retailing greeting cards and gifts. Management of the store layout and product offering over key sales periods. Full management of the sales of test products within the store, feeding back to the business for general release.
WHSmith
Product and Packaging Design Manager
March 2004 - August 2008
​Responsible for the delivery of all WHSmith Own Brand Packaging and Product design. Strategic range development including maintaining creative integrity and full project management of design, artwork and production, mainly with the Far East office. Strict project management to tight deadlines for multiple projects and ranges for launch to meet seasonal retail opportunities. Full management of the team of in-house Design Executives (account management), Designers and Artworkers, with additional external design and artwork resource. Internal client liaison, building relationships across the different categories to ensure the Trading Teams utilise the internal design resources to increase profitability of ranges. Full management of the departments revenue and administration budgets. Due to the continuous challenging retail climate, budgets were cut between 5-10 % yearly while increasing range reviews and product ranges developed. Established a new department with new internal client relations during a re-structure in 2004. Developed new brand guidelines with continuous management and review. Commercially aware of all competitors in the relevant categories, through all retail channels. Sourced new and specialist agencies/designers/Illustrators/photographers and new production/printing techniques where necessary. Experience of print and production processes. During the re-structure in 2004 I also managed change within the business and developed new procedures for the business to follow for all Own Brand product launches via strategic business plans.
Successes:
Hierarchy of Packaging – Development of the strategic creative principles to meet the companies direction to introduce a Good, Better, Best (sub-branded) hierarchy of packaging across many stationery categories. Designs were completed below budget and comprehensive brand guidelines and internal presentations completed to get client buy-in. By thorough brand guidelines being agreed, roll-out of the artworks was completed at pace and below initial agreed budget.
Boxed Christmas Cards– increased number of designs which meant that 80% of designs were managed internally with over 200 packs briefed during a 3 week period and mocked up 4 x 150 packs which went to analysis to shape the range.
Calendars – Worked with Buying and Far East teams to design and develop 80% of the Own Brand titles both photographic and illustrative. Greater profit was maintained with better image purchasing from the first to the third year of production.
Categories Managed Included:
Artist materials, Kids art and craft – Packaging design
Core stationery – Pens, pads, envelopes, office stationery – Packaging design
Boxed Cards – Christmas, Note cards and invitations – Product and Packaging design
Gift wrap – Everyday and Christmas gift wrap, bags and tags – Product and Packaging design
Games, jigsaws and globes –Packaging design
Gifting – specific ranges based around stationery products for adults and children – product and packaging design
Calendars – Photographic and illustrative of over 80 titles – product and packaging design
Magazine and Amazing Adventure gift packs – Packaging design
Education books – Cover and internal page design
Licensed gift ranges – working with licensed design guidelines and also developing design guidelines
Children’s Books and Games – Play and Learn range with Miriam Stoppard
Diaries, Albums and frames – Product and Packaging design
WHSmith
Design Manager
November 1996 - March 2004
During a re-structure of the whole company in 2004 I was promoted to the above role, but before that my experience was very similar, more packaging based, but also included the production of promotional POS, informative POS, window design, customer literature, loyalty literature and new format store design with accompanying budgets. During the re-structure I also managed change within the business and developed new procedures for the business to follow for all Own Brand product launches via strategic business plans.
Successes:
Primary and secondary Educational books - Introduced a range of WHSmith branded revision and test based books. Following market research to define the outline of the range, worked with marketing, buyers and suppliers to create a range of books that had a fun, family appeal across the interiors as well as the covers. Within 2 months sales ourstripped the leading brand and became the best selling range, especially within the primary education market.
Directional signage - A full estate review and specification was drawn up before printing could begin and full roll-out all within 2 months to improve directional signage throughout the stores. This was also designed to give the stores visual cohession while giving clear and concise information to customers.
Merchant Design
Account Manager/Designer/New Business
June 1994 - November 1996
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Responsible for developing communications strategies, executing the design, artwork and production, while also obtaining new clients for this full service agency. Client categories were Housing, Construction, Leisure and Healthcare sectors.
Marketing Plus
Account Manager/Designer
June 1992 - June 1996
Responsible for developing communications, executing the design, artwork and production for this full service agency specialising in Exhibition Design.
Client categories were Housing, Construction and Travel sectors.
Various Contracts as an Interior Designer
June 1991 - June 1992
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Peter Leonard Associates – Interior Designer
Graham Faye Design - Interior Designer
Education
Southamton Institute
CIM Marketing Certificate and Diploma
​Following my degree the world of work kicked in and, while I still loved designing, I needed to add a commercial element. I therefore went onto study Marketing in the evenings, weekends and holidays.
Nottingham Polytechnic
​BA (Hons) Interior Design
A 4 year degree in Interior Design with a 9 month placement at an Architets office in London
Other Stuff
So... besides work what makes me, me!
I still love Interior Design and recently project managed my own house complete structural refurbishment. The build lasted just over 3 months, and involved co-ordination of many different trades, energy providers, Building Reg/Control, kitchen and bathroom trades and finally the creative element, the decoration and styling. There's not much of the original house left!
I used to be a school governor at the primary school where my 2 chirldren went. While there, amongst helping on the staffing and curriculum committee, I also managed a review and implementation of the school’s identity and communications.
As I have always worked full time, a hot lunch was important for my children for them nutritionally and also to ensure they get the best learning oportunies possible. So I also facilitated an external supplier for hot lunches to deliver and serve on site plus sourced and managed an after school facility onsite with a leading, local educational supplier.