I’ve set this page up to offer an overview of my key copy/content skills, experience, and education. For a more detailed Curriculum Vitae, visit my LinkedIn profile.
KEY CONTENT SKILLS
Copywriting and content – excellent
I have extensive experience of planning, researching, writing, and editing copy for online/print content, both as a freelancer and in-house, including news stories, interview features, onsite product pages, visual guides, and social media/blog content. See my work samples for more details. I create all content and visual materials for Civil Disobedience and my freelance work, mostly using Canva (and Microsoft Office/Google Drive tools), but have played around with InDesign, Photoshop in the past.
Project management and admin – excellent
The vast majority of my work has involved project and relationship management with both internal and external stakeholders at all levels. I’ve used several project management tools including Basecamp, Teamwork, and Trello. We’re currently using Freedcamp to manage Civil Disobedience projects, integrating the platform with Google Docs for easy file sharing/editing across the team. I’m very comfortable with Microsoft Office, Google Drive/Docs, and cloud storage/file-sharing resources like Dropbox and wetransfer.com.
Website CMS – excellent
I’ve managed and developed websites and web pages in many of my jobs, including setting up, building and populating the Civil Disobedience website, using WordPress. Other content management systems I’ve used include Umbraco, Drupal, WMS, MODx, Contribute and dotEditor.
Technical – good
I have working knowledge of the keyword research process and the importance of drafting online copy that is search engine optimised, looking at page architecture, effective page titles, H1s, and meta descriptions. I also have an elementary understanding of HTML coding, having tweaked code within content management systems in order to implement basic content changes in some of my past positions.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Civil Disobedience: Edinburgh
Live arts producer, performer and marketing support: January 2017 – present
Civil Disobedience is all about art that explores marginalised voices and helps push society forward. We love creating stories that we feel need to be heard, and helping talented performers with something to say reach new audiences. In addition to producing theatre, stand up, cabaret and performance art, we create and tour our own work in-house. We can also manage the programming and staging of arts or corporate events with a creative twist.
We have a strong track record of producing live shows and public provocations with world-class artists, including Courtney Act, Roddy Bottum (Faith No More, Imperial Teen), Grammy-nominated artist Michelle Shocked, Hans (America’s Got Talent), Alan Cumming, Pussy Riot, Hannah Gadsby, Murray Hill, Anthony Rapp, Miriam Margolyes and Ed Byrne. We were also finalists in the 2018 Scottish Culture Awards ‘One to Watch’ category, and the ‘Arts and Media’ category of the inaugural Proud Scotland Awards in June 2019 for our show Jock Tamson’s Bairns.
JacTravel part of WebBeds: Edinburgh (temporary contract)
Marketing Executive: May 2018 – February 2019
JacTravel is one of the world’s leading suppliers of hotel accommodation for the global travel industry and a provider of specialist inbound travel services to the UK and Ireland. This was a temporary, part-time contract that I took on alongside my Civil Disobedience work, liaising closely with the Managing Director and Sales Manager to provide marketing support to the sales team primarily. Regular tasks included updating and creating new online and print marketing/sales materials, such as web and social media content, booklets and flyers, exhibition stand displays / merchandise and internal communications.
Yard Digital: Edinburgh
Campaign Manager: February 2015 – December 2016
Yard is an award-winning digital agency that provides strategic SEO consultancy, analytics solutions, and top quality content production for a range of market-leading clients. I oversaw content planning, scheduling and production for several clients, including researching, writing, and editing copy. In this role, I regularly oversaw and coordinated the work of a team of colleagues, while liaising directly with clients, freelance copywriters, designers and illustrators to deliver high quality, SEO optimised content that achieved tangible results.
Notable achievements included leading on the ongoing delivery of a full calendar of online content for Sainsbury’s Bank, helping drive traffic to their product web pages and boost brand engagement, as well as project managing the delivery of the ROX Guide to Proposals for Glasgow and Edinburgh, part of a content campaign that generated a £12 return on investment for every £1 the client spent.
Diet Chef: Edinburgh
Content Manager: September 2013 – February 2015
Diet Chef is an e-commerce company providing a weight loss solution by online subscription. I was based within the marketing team, with a focus on content development and copywriting for online marketing channels. Achievements in the role included drafting copy for a January email campaign that increased product sales by at least 100%.
Invocas Group: Edinburgh
Marketing, Communications & Website Manager: July 2012 – September 2013
Invocas is an insolvency company, providing a range of debt solutions and insolvency support. I was responsible for the day-to-day management of all marketing channels and output, print and online. Among other things, I initiated and project managed a full content review and rewrite of the brand’s three websites, including keyword research.
TUI Travel Plc, TUI Language Division: Edinburgh
Online Content Coordinator: March 2011 – July 2012
TUI is a global travel and education company. I worked closely with the Language Division Ecommerce Manager to maintain and develop online content, channels, and social networks for several language school and activity camp brands across the UK. In addition to copywriting, I project managed the setup of social media networks for several brands, including drafting user guidelines and delivering basic social media training to staff.
Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce (ECC): Edinburgh
Marketing & Communications Executive: May 2008 – March 2011
The ECC is a membership organisation supporting business in the Edinburgh area. I managed all marketing output, overseeing the marketing budget and liaising closely with internal and external stakeholders to plan campaigns and deliver value for members. Achievements included initiating and managing a ‘One Step Ahead’ marketing campaign to promote a host of added value services to members, as well as the complete overhaul of membership print publication Business Comment, including a new look and a new, money-saving publishing deal.
Stonewall Scotland: Edinburgh (temporary contract)
Communications Manager: October 2006 – June 2007
Stonewall Scotland is a charity that campaigns for, and supports, the LGBT community in Scotland, the UK, and abroad. My tasks included building and maintaining strong media relations and writing a range of content, such as news articles, features, news releases, and website copy. My PR work in this role generated media coverage in a number of mainstream publications, including The Herald and The Scotsman.
Seafood Scotland (SFS): Edinburgh
Project & Communications Executive: January 2004 – October 2006
Seafood Scotland is a non-political trade organisation for the Scottish seafood industry. My marketing work focused on writing and sourcing editorial and promotional copy, coordinating media events/projects, developing/maintaining website content, and ownership of the brand identity. Another key function of my role was general project management, which could include anything from co-drafting government grant applications and helping organise our annual attendance at a major, international expo in Brussels, to providing general admin support. Stand-out achievements included initiating and delivering a complete rebranding of the organisation, covering an overhaul of the SFS website and all marketing collateral.
Sea Fish Industry Authority (Seafish): Edinburgh
Consumer Communications Assistant: October 2001 – January 2004
Seafish is a pan-industry organisation, supporting all sectors of the UK seafood industry. My work included writing articles, news releases and other copy; planning PR events; and assisting on major UK consumer campaigns, such as Seafood Week and the Fish and Chip Shop of the Year Competition, generating hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of positive publicity for the seafood sector.
EDUCATION/QUALIFICATIONS
Napier University: Edinburgh 2000-2001
PgDip Periodical Journalism: Pass
University of Westminster: London 1997-2000
BA Hons Sociology & Psychology: 2.1
Southwark College: London 1997
CPE (Cambridge Proficiency Exam) in English: ‘A’
University of Gothenburg: Gothenburg, Sweden 1996-1997
British & US cultural studies & language (one-semester course)
Alstromer Gymnasiet: Alingsas, Sweden 1992-1995
A-level/Highers equivalent
CIVIL content 