Laura Renfrew

Experience

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  Snowgum

  Aug 2008 - Nov 2011

  Assistant Manager

  I worked with a small team dedicated to customer service. Using communication skills, I built loyalty and professional relationships with our customers as well as a great deal of rapport between our store, other stores within the brand and our head office. I assisted with the training of staff, showing them how they could build on their own communication skills to assess the needs of customers and be better brand ambassadors.

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  Milk Shadow Books

  Mar 2013 - Jun 2013

  Intern

  Milk Shadow Books was doing exciting things in the small, Australian comic publishing space. Interning with them gave me the opportunity to see the development of a new company at the same time as developing my own skills in publication creation, marketing communications and B2C/B2B sales. As part of this role, I created a marketing plan to outline a clear direction for the company to take and increase its growth.

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  Graduate Careers Australia

  Aug 2013 - Aug 2016

  Publications & Marketing Associate

  My work with Graduate Careers Australia (GCA) helped employers across Australia reach more than 1 million students and graduates around the country. My pet project, Graduate Opportunities (GO) was the longest-running graduate careers guide in Australia, and I was proud to oversee the production and design of its 50th year's publication. I worked nationally with university careers staff from the National Association of Careers Advisory Services (NAGCAS) and internationally with graduate employers from around and outside Australia to create and manage our website, email blasts, digital ebooks and social media presence. In 2015-16 I co-lead our transition to an e-book format, working closely with universities to create 27 localised versions that would reach unique campus audiences along our national-facing 28th version. This high-pressure and low-budget project was carried out over the course of four-five months, during which I also mentored a graduate intern who assisted me with the project. Through marketing and engagement activity, our new ebook reached students throughout Australia, and helped students find their dream careers - along with employers finding fantastic candidates. Show less

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  University of Lincoln

  Sept 2016 - Nov 2017

  Information Officer (Careers and Employability)

  I brought together careers information to help students in their career journey - and made it speak to them. I led a small team to review the usability of the Careers website, and drive traffic to areas most important, ensuring that we could reach the University's 13,000 students with the right information; engage with employers across Lincolnshire and the UK; and work alongside academics and staff throughout the University. The University along with the Careers & Employability team I'm apart of see to it that 95% of its most recent graduates were in work or further study six months after finishing their course, with almost three quarters in graduate level roles. Plans I was involved in included engaging students with a wide reaching, visually communicative social media marketing campaigns, on campus marketing and more. I used my expertise from a nationally reaching role here to help a university communicate with a small, targeted audience that has a diverse range of needs. Show less

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  The Woodland Trust

  Nov 2017 - Feb 2019

  Marketing Communications Executive

  I drove projects within the Woodland Trust to help various teams see their marketing activity come to fruition. Using my background in design and marketing, I managed projects through from start to finish - managing stakeholder expectations as while ensuring that the final product is everything it could be while keeping true to the Woodland Trust brand and appropriate audiences. My work here saw me manage everything from work around mass engagement events such as Countryfile Live (where we took in a record amount of new-to-file data prospects and memberships), events for some of our strongest financial supporters and engagement with members and the public about the importance of gifts in wills to secure the future of UK trees & woodlands. I inputted creatively to these projects where I could, with some content creation and illustration. Show less

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  Thames Ambulance Service Limited

  Mar 2019 - Dec 2019

  Communications & Engagement Manager

  During my time at TASL I oversaw efforts to make a positive change in internal and external communications. Working to improve morale and relations with media and external stakeholders, I carved out strategies for TASL to take forward and improve. My work here involved newsletter management, getting a new website online (and keeping it maintained), starting a working strategy for social media, writing press releases/handling press enquiries and focusing on staff engagement.

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  Garwood & Renfrew Creative Solutions

  Jan 2020 - now

  Professional Freelancer

  In this partnership, I work with clients to deliver high-quality illustrations using strong communications skills and a dedicated work ethic.

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  Thera Trust

  Nov 2020 - Jul 2024

  In my role I've helped bring to life the different brands under the Thera Group umbrella. This work has meant companies continue to be able to offer support to adults with a learning disability to live the life they choose. My focus while working across around 16 companies has been on accessible communications and marketing, especially on communications for people we support.

  • Marketing and Communications Officer

    Jul 2022 - Jul 2024

  • Communications & Engagement Officer

    Nov 2020 - Jul 2022
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  The Fishermen's Mission

  Aug 2024 - now

  Digital Engagement Officer