I am a dedicated professional with 20+ years of experience in planning, developing, and executing events, campaigns and marketing initiatives to achieve successful outcomes with maximum results. Creative and highly strategic with excellent leadership and client relations abilities. Passionate about building relationships and stakeholder engagement with a proactive attitude. I have a strong work ethic with effective verbal and written communication skills. I am eager to contribute to an organisation and dynamic team to support future goals.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Account Director
Revolution Shopper Marketing
07.2023 - Current
Receiving briefs for a range of clients, brands and retailers across Queensland, Sydney, Melbourne and New Zealand
Client and project management
Customer experience improvement
Data and insight gathering
Reporting and analysis
Retailer strategies and engagement
Shopper loyalty programs
Local area marketing campaigns
Events, promotions and installations
Marketing strategies and planning
Budgeting and planning
Scripting and copywriting
Social media and digital marketing
Content creation and EDM's
National Marketing Manager
Vertical Horizonz Limited
11.2019 - 06.2023
Creating and executing annual plans which included setting out divisional objectives, strategic approach, research and rationale, channel marketing and distribution planning, key brand messaging, identifying key projects, setting out monthly tasks, resources required to deliver outcomes, budgets and overheads, third-party engagement and establishing team structure
Preparation of monthly reports and processes to manage accountability, productivity and ROI
Collaborating nationwide with senior management and sales managers to lead and implement continuous solutions to set objectives and accomplish growth opportunities
Building relationships with customers, industry and community to establish long-term strategic partnerships and business growth
Encouraging cross-selling of additional products and services through relationship building and acquired understanding of customer business needs
Writing and facilitation of large government tender proposals for funded training and education programmes to be delivered nationwide
Driving team and company profits by developing and strengthening relationships with clients, industry partners and government agencies
Facilitating and managing team meetings to discuss developmental strategies, new products and service offerings, marketing and advertising campaigns
Partnering with business leaders to deliver services that support company objectives which are consistent with corporate values
Investigating and integrating new strategies to expand business offerings, operations and to grow customer and audience base
Achieving and establishing KPI's for division, regional team and individual performance through teamwork and a focus on customer service excellence
Boosting marketing and advertising presence, reviewing pricing strategies and expanded channels to increase sales revenue
Providing recommendations to promote brand effectiveness, service benefits and product offerings, resulting in securing long-term accounts
Managing team, processes and procedures, conducting performance reviews and ongoing mentorship
Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of competitor products and services, positioning and pricing across varying industries, sectors and organisations
Developing compelling presentation decks to gain approval for ideas and communicate company point of difference, key selling points, showcasing success stories, heritage and credibility
Content creation and copywriting that encompassed corporate and industry news to maintain brand leadership and engagement
Social media content and management, digital marketing, SEO and SEM
Group Account Director
Neromotion - New Zealand
04.2019 - 11.2019
Collaborated with department heads to develop agency revenue streams and long term client strategies
Developed strategic plans to achieve short and long-term revenue objectives
Led portfolio of client partnerships using consultative, forward thinking approach
Championed client's needs to internal teams, briefings for specific requirements and objectives to achieve targets and maximise client satisfaction
Helped clients' achieve goals with proactive management of available resources and deep understanding of current industry trends
Pursued every opportunity to increase account revenue and diversify group revenue streams by continuously analysing data and capitalising on emerging trends
Worked effectively with senior-level clients such as executives to build trusting and long-lasting relationships with key accounts
Forecasted clients' needs effectively and offered innovative solutions for mission-critical objectives
Obtained client buy-in for new proposals using polished and professional presentations
Directed work to team members focused on strong customer relations and service delivery
Built relationships with customers and community to establish long-term business growth
Achieved sales goals and service targets by cultivating and securing new customer relationships
Resolved problems with high-profile clients and to maintain relationships
Managed accounts to retain existing relationships and grow share of business
Coordinated staff meetings to discuss developmental strategy, best practices and process improvements
Created and implemented new business opportunities by utilising strategic networking strategies
Increased profits through providing excellent client service, following established guidelines and auditing sales reports
Maintained up-to-date knowledge of competitor products and service offerings, positioning and pricing in varying industries, sectors and organisations
Encouraged cross-selling of additional products and services through relationship-building and acquired understanding of customer business needs
Identified prospects needs and developed appropriate responses along with suitable information on products and services
Investigated and integrated new strategies to expand business operations and grow customer base
Developed and executed sales presentations as well as both internal and external training workshops
Managed studio and process flows, operations support and customer engagement strategies
Delivered recommendations to long-term accounts to promote brand awareness to key audiences
Liaised with sales, marketing and management teams to develop solutions and accomplish shared objectives
Increased profit margins by effectively controlling budget and overheads
Developed compelling presentation decks to gain approval for ideas and communicate results
Founder/Managing Director
Family Design Limited - New Zealand
08.2008 - 03.2018
Founded business, created brand identity and established agency in the Bay of Plenty market
Established full agency positioning in region and fostered a credible agency environment
Facilitated full office fit-out and signage, complete interior design concept and delivery, sourced all equipment and IT
Setup workstations and internal workspaces for employees
Wrote all agency communications, developed PR opportunities and advertising campaigns to build brand awareness
Created full agency website with web developer
Setup social media platforms and developed digital strategies
Recruited, hired and trained initial personnel, working to establish key internal functions and outline scope of positions for new organisation
Led agency and managed a team of creatives, account managers, accounting and administrative staff
Setup all internal processes and systems, engaged third party suppliers and negotiated contracts and rates with ongoing auditing and reviews
Engaged a third-party business mentor and coach to learn best practices to work 'on the business' not always 'in the business
To share our vision with staff and to develop a passionate and driven company culture
Worked on weekly deliverables to achieve business plan objectives, KPI's and establish future goals with accountability and delegation
Trained in HR practices to setup protocols, draw up legal employment contracts, conduct employment reviews, establish personal development plans and conflict resolution
Managed all day-to-day business operations
Setup studio and productivity software, timesheet functionality, project budget allocation and reporting system
New business development lead
Guest speaker at conferences and networking events
Created pitch documents for prospective clients and applications for government tenders
Delivered all presentations and creative pitches
Successful in being short-listed and then selected for long-standing tenders across corporate brands, retail brands and shopping centres, government agencies and charitable trusts
Managed all client partnerships
Ensuring continual satisfaction, delivery of expectations, effective communication and deliverables were met on time and on budget
Consulted with clients on a daily basis, conducted WIP meetings, delivered reports and financial objectives
Trained and motivated employees to perform daily business functions and expected performance outcomes
Enhanced operational efficiency and productivity by managing budgets, company accounts and expenses
Created and monitored promotional approaches to increase sales and profit levels
Conducted workshops and strategy sessions to create client annual advertising and marketing plans, review current market trends, SWOT analysis, digital platforms and integrate all media channels for audience engagement and sales conversions
Assessed supplier quality to maintain tight cost controls and maximise business operational performance
Developed key operational initiatives to drive and maintain substantial business growth
Applied performance data to evaluate and improve operations, target current business conditions and forecast needs
Monthly financial reporting, sales forecasts and evaluation of productivity
Established, optimised and enforced business policies to maintain consistency and high-quality standards across industry operations
Used knowledge of market trends to create value-added solutions resulting in significant increase in revenue
Set, enforced and optimised internal policies to maintain responsiveness to demands
Generated revenues yearly and effectively capitalised on industry growth
Conducted target market research to scope out industry competition and identify advantageous trends
Maximised efficiency by coaching and mentoring personnel on management principles, industry practices, company procedures and technology systems
Aligned branding initiatives and sales strategies with client goals
Discovered areas of improvement by generating quarterly operational and sales reports
Successfully gained accreditations and industry awards for advertising and creative campaigns through The Design Institute of New Zealand
Account Director
Ogilvy Group International - New Zealand
04.2006 - 07.2007
Maintained a deep understanding of company services and products in order to offer the most knowledgeable client support and representation of the agency
Key account management on 500k+ per month revenue plus client portfolio (Auckland City Council, Auckland Zoo, Women's Refuge NZ, BMW, Westfield Shopping Centre, Karaka Lakes property development and more)
Applied business and marketing knowledge to develop briefs and pitches customer projects and government tenders
Obtained pricing deals, negotiated contracts and solidified beneficial agreements
Directed client projects with an eye for quality of design, marketing, advertising and customer needs
Met with clients to discuss advertising options and future growth goals, conducted weekly WIP meetings and reported to their Board of Directors
Increased divisional revenue by conducting qualitative and quantitative research, writing brand and marketing strategies, demographic and audience analysis to identify growth opportunities
Enhanced online and digital presence to take advantage of dynamic conditions and unique platform opportunities
Developed and managed plans to grow regional opportunities and brand partnerships
Built relationships with customers and community to establish long-term business growth
Achieved sales goals and service targets by cultivating and securing new client relationships
Resolved problems with high-profile clients to maintain relationships and increase return customer base
Managed accounts to retain existing relationships and grow share of business
Exceeded sales quotas and increased profitability through effective management of team productivity, integration of sales strategy and business planning
Organised promotional events and interacted with community to increase brand awareness and sales volume
Hired, supervised and coached employees on sales strategies to optimise performance
Team leader and mentor for assistants and junior account managers, to develop personal growth plans, training and development
Motivated team members to meet performance expectations and exceed sales targets
Coordinated staff sales meetings to discuss developmental strategy, best practices and process improvements
Created and implemented new business opportunities by utilising strategic networking strategies
Guest speaker at conferences and attending events
Increased profits through providing excellent client service, following established guidelines and auditing sales reports
New business development and client management
Developed and executed sales presentations as well as both internal and external training workshops
Maintained financial controls, planned business operations, revenue and expenses while identifying and pursuing opportunities to grow business operations and boost profits
Directed work with efficient administrative team maintaining accurate sales, inventory and order documentation for print and production team, signage team, PR team and media buying team
Implemented systems and procedures to increase sales
Coached and promoted high-achieving account management employees to fill leadership positions with qualified staff and boost company growth
Aligned company goals with client outcomes and increased satisfaction by automating contact management systems (new CRM system)
Achieved established KPI's for the agency, regional team and individual performance through teamwork and focus on clients
Delivered recommendations to long-term accounts to promote brand awareness to key audiences
Liaised with sales, marketing and management teams to develop solutions and accomplish shared objectives
Developed compelling presentation decks to gain approval for creative ideas and concept pitches
Facilitated and delivered creative and concept pitches to large board and management teams across varying high level national and international brands
Client Manager
Fitch
12.2004 - 03.2006
Client Manager
Landor Associates
03.2001 - 10.2004
Education
Diploma - Accounting And Business Management
Unitec
Auckland, New Zealand
12.2001
Skills
Event management and activations
Project planning and execution
Networking events
Public speaking
Social media engagement
Marketing
Strategy and planning
Brand strategy
Communications and PR planning
Product launch strategies
Annual planning and budgeting
Research and development
Data and insight driven reporting
Customer trend analysis
Strategic workshops
Internal and external stakeholder engagement
Industry partnership management
External supplier procurement
Agency management
Media buying
Ideation and creative thinking
Sales statistics analysis
Advertising campaigns
Promotional programs
Cross-channel marketing
ROI analysis and reporting
Copywriting
Key messaging
Corporate and stakeholder interviews
EDM's and newsletters
Blogs and articles
Storyboarding
Scripting
Art direction for photography and video production
New product development
Customer experience improvement
Interdepartmental collaboration
Profitability assessments
Sales records management
Coaching and mentorship
Team recruiting and on-boarding
Account acquisition
Presentations
Customer service
Sales and client management
Budgeting and forecasting
Proficient in Microsoft software
Managing accounts and payroll in Xero
References
Jason Bentley, Chief Executive Officer, Revolution Shopper Marketing, jason@auroravirtualreality.com, +61424208134
Ben Johnstone, Chief Executive Officer, Vertical Horizonz New Zealand Limited, ben.johnstone@vhnz.co.nz, +6421 924 412
Marcus Bathan, Chief Operations Officer, Vertical Horizonz New Zealand Limited, marcus.bathan@vhnz.co.nz, +64211206335
Ale Benintende, Managing Director, Neromotion Limited, ale.benintende@neromotion.co.nz, +621 066 9845
Phil Hokianga, Director Maori Pasikifa Division, Vertical Horizonz New Zealand Limited, phil.hokianga@vhnz.co.nz
Recent accomplishments
Project lead to build a bespoke CMS system and e-commerce platform for verticalhorizonz.com.
Trainee and education APP platform development and launch.
Successful launch of corporate brand refresh.
First ever first response training production for the Global Wind Organisation.