Clare Gray

Experience

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  Hertfordshire Training & Enterprise Council (TEC)

  Jan 1991 - Dec 1994

  Information Officer

  Handling and referring all employment, training and business enquiries; advising on general employment and business legislation, providing basic careers advice. Setting up and handling customer complaints process

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  Business Link Hertfordshire

  Jan 1995 - Dec 1997

  Marketing & PR Executive

  Press and media work for a wide range of major projects – including business start up and development, Investors in People, youth training, FilmLink Hertfordshire and overseas trading opportunities. Working across entire organisation and partner organisations at all levels. Identifying and developing business case studies, contributing to development and maintenance of corporate identities for both organisations and managing photography and media liaison for business and training celebration events. Show less

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  No Climb Products Ltd

  Jan 1998 - Sept 1999

  Marketing & PR Executive

  Corporate and media promotion, organising international and nation exhibitions, generating sales literature and materials (and ensuring compliance with international labelling standards) for this family owned fire-detection test equipment manufacturer/distributor. Website development, copy writing for technical and trade magazines, customer complaint handling. Associated management of budgets and supplier relationships. Maintaining corporate identity and working with staff, board members, customers and suppliers to create clear messages about products and brands. Show less

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  Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust

  Sept 1999 - Jan 2010

  Marketing & PR Officer

  Development and delivery of corporate publications, corporate identity, press and media, coprorate and interpretation signage, corporate liaison, photography, copywriting, editing and project management of membership magazine three times per year, public events work and exhbition equipment production

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  Hertfordshire County Council

  Feb 2010 - Jan 2011

  Senior Communications Officer

  Adult Care Services- communications, member and peer liaison.Promoting flexicare housing as an option for older people, developing case studies on direct payments for individuals with assessed need, services for full time carers and launching new innovative programmes that will encourage people to stay independant and in their own homes for much longer. Both internal and external communications delivery is a crucial part of the work.

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  Advocacy charity

  Jan 2011 - Apr 2011

  Marketing & PR Manager

  Raising the profile of advocacy work to vulnerable adults across E of England, London, Birmingham and Midlands through case studies, web stories, press and other promotional media.

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  Telecomms industry

  Jul 2011 - Oct 2011

  Online Marketing Communications Manager

  Raising the profile of a new website comparison tool for business mobile phones.Working with a newly established team to promote the company and take the sales activity into a franchising market through traditional and online marketing activities.Producing literature, presentations and sales tools for regional sales managers (national network), developing Google Ad words, web pages, customer surveys (online) HTML tools and contributing to the organisation's social media strategy

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  Parenting advice and membership club

  Apr 2012 - Aug 2012

  Project co-ordinator – (creative communications and sales support)

  •Managing on and offline creative projects to support sales activity:•Ensuring sales artwork planned and delivered in a timely way for inclusion in four pregnancy advice publications (each twice yearly)•Developing and managing design, content and images for promotional offers. •Working with int/external designers and stakeholders to deliver direct mail, electronic direct mail, web pages, sample promotions, media sales packsScoping a 3D sample ( health and beauty sector) - from concept to delivery of trial samples. Show less

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  English Heritage

  Oct 2012 - Jan 2013

  Interim Marketing Manager for East Mids London Events Sites

  • Promoting EH’s key London properties and Bolsover Castle (N. Derby) via social media, printed materials, on-line and offline advertising, press etc. Working with press agencies and suppliers to deliver materials and creative and devising opportunities for press and promotion. •Generating briefs for radio promotion, social media adverts and press stories- and managing the external agencies responsible for handling this work, ensuring these projects were fulfilled to the brief.•Working with property managers to create regular and engaging social media messages.•Guiding colleagues across the organisation at all levels (and typically remote from one another) on corporate branding , tone of voice and creative approach. • Ensuring annual membership handbook and property leaflets are ready for the 2013 season.• Managing budgets and project management throughout Show less

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  YMCA Central Herts

  Jun 2013 - Apr 2014

  Communications & Marketing

  Providing media and marketing communications for a wide range of projects and business units including:• Day Nurseries (Explorers- WGC and Hatfield)• YMCA CH Charity Shops• Community Centres (Space) in towns- providing support for individuals and groups • Youth Space - centre-based and detached /outreach support for young people• Hostel - providing accommodation for people at risk of homeless• Children’s Centres- support for children and families - especially in rural locations• Volunteering opportunities• Fundraising • Corporate communications/ brand and identity Show less

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  Welwyn Hatfield Community Housing Trust

  Jun 2014 - Sept 2014

  Communications & Customer Service Officer

  •Professional public relations and communications guidance to councillors, managers, employees •Contributing to the management, monitoring and maintenance of the Trust’s complaints process and MP and Councillor and tenant enquiries about housing matters •Preparation and production of internal and external communications materials and corporate collateral (print and online) and social media content.•Corporate style/ identity•Event support

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  Network Homes Ltd

  Sept 2014 - May 2016

  Communications and Marketing Officer

  Delivering internal communications campaignsDriving social media updates- sourcing and anticipating news items Researching and generating case studies - interviewing and photographyWorking alongside communications colleagues to implement and deliver an organisational re-brand and corporate repositioning. Including associated internal and stakeholder communications and stakeholder Community engagement project support for events in older people's housing schemes, community cohesion events, regeneration and development awareness sessions, projects to combat isolationPhotography at events and for internal promotionHandling all Hertfordshire and outside London area public relations, press and media including crisis PR and promoting resident engagementSourcing news, writing copy and proofing content for regular resident magazines for Hertfordshire area of operations and project managing the design and delivery.Contributing to the internal communications required for an organisational change. Show less

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  Freelance Self-Employed

  May 2016 - Feb 2018

  Helping people back into work with new or updated CVs, nailing down interview techniques and generally encouraging people into being more positive about their own skills and worth. Working with a lot of people who are 'broken' either through misfortune and career downturns, life complications, addictions, getting on the wrong side of the law or falling through the gaps in their educational pathways. I am able to empathise, because I know what it feels like to have been through the treadmill of unemployment too and also falling out of love with career habits. I had a great deal of success with my learners because I am strong on respect for each other, the power of informal networks, inner strength, building self worth, persevering and being ready to see the possibilities in re-invention. Loved the role and am open to new opportunities in this field. Show less Trying new things! Following yet another restructure and relocation in my last role, I decided to head off into the horizon and try something different. So I trained as a plasterer. I loved every minute of the three week course and being responsible for my own productivity, timings and results was so liberating. I then went on tiling and painting and decorating courses and loved the creativity and skills building.I have done a few bits of work for friends and enjoyed it, but I decided it could not be a career for me. Training in trade skills- and getting a CSCS card gave me the 'head space' I needed to realise I was more than just a Communications and PR person. What a great opportunity!I'd love to train others to plaster or paint and decorate, so I'm open to new career moves. Show less

  • Freelance trainer

    Sept 2017 - Feb 2018

  • Self development

    May 2016 - Sept 2017
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  British Red Cross

  Feb 2018 - May 2018

  Trainer

  Loved bringing my life-long passion of first aid into a role as a trainer for this fantastic organisation. First aid is now much more about common sense and the way BRC approaches it and trains people in an essential life skill is first class. However, this is a full on, full time role with minimum 100 mile pd journeys and it just didn't fit in the end with my own plans for a healthier work : life balance. I'd be happy to be a freelancer in a similar role- the gift of being able to save a life is such an important skill to be able to pass on. Show less