Morag Stuart

Experience

• 

  Mercury Communications

  Sept 1996 - Apr 2000

  Marketing Communications Executive

  ● Planned, developed and executed tactical and strategic communication plans ● Maximised opportunities for data analysis, segmentation and targeting ● Built effective working relationship with external agencies● Joined organisation on Marketing Graduate Scheme which included Press & PR, Affinity Marketing and Pricing placements (1996 -1998)

• 

  Cable & Wireless

  Apr 2000 - Oct 2001

  Senior Marketing Consultant

  ● Managed a team delivering effective and measurable business to business direct marketing campaigns and customer contact strategy ● Responsible for financial planning and revenue forecasting with annual cost budget of £1M● Exceeded targets on acquiring new business, penetrating existing base and increasing customer retention● Accountable for enhancing working relationships and practices with telephone sales teams● Delivered under pressure and in a dynamic working environment, often utilising effective change management Show less

• 

  Pre-school Learning Alliance

  Oct 2001 - Nov 2002

  Marketing Manager

  ● Developed profile of charity as a key training provider for the early years sector through overseeing the production of promotional material, exhibitions and conferences, editorial in members’ magazine and joint marketing plans ● Successfully created greater marketing culture in organisation through offering advice and support to regional and field staff and volunteers● Built and maintained relationships with appropriate corporate sponsors to generate income and create reciprocal arrangements● Used direct marketing techniques to establish partnership development programme with local government agencies. Show less

• 

  The Children's Society

  Nov 2002 - Mar 2006

  Head of One to One Fundraising

  ● Formulated strategic plans and detailed budgets which achieved ambitious annual fundraising targets (£6.5M) - within budget constraints - over three financial years● Responsible for the development, implementation and monitoring of campaigns to significantly increase individual supporter base by over 100,000 through retention and acquisition programmes, such as street fundraising, direct mail, telephone and Payroll Giving● Grew the profitability of the existing fundraising mix and achieved class-leading response rates by improved profiling, creative testing, database penetration, staff recruitment and training, agency collaboration and efficiencies in production● Tested new fundraising methods including on-line donor communications, press inserts, direct response radio advertising, money boxes and an annual raffle by successfully lobbying for increased departmental spend. Implemented first cold direct mail campaign in three years● Secured £25,000 investment budget for retention communications in 2002/03 following a presentation to Senior Management and agreed the allocation of internal resource to welcome call new Face to Face donors● Held key influencing and consultancy role in the development of appropriate strategies for other Departments i.e. Legacy direct mail appeals, Gift Aid income generation initiative and lead generation for the corporate credit card● Instigated new working practices which focused team on long-term strategic goals, reporting of results, monitoring of expenditure, sign-off procedures, internal communications and supplier negotiations● Took additional responsibility as Acting Head of new team accountable for recruitment, retention and mobilisation of Volunteers (Sept 2004 – March 2005 )● Supervised Major Donors Manager and ensured best direct marketing practice was shared where appropriate (Dec 2004 – July 2005) Show less

• 

  National Museums Northern Ireland

  Jan 2007 - Dec 2016

  Appeals Officer

  Worked collaboratively with a range of internal and external stakeholders to organise and deliver public events at museum sites, including stakeholder seminars, brochure and series of films showcasing projects with new Urban Villages initiative aimed at tackling poverty and social exclusion. Publication of an Early Years literacy guide to the Transport Galleries with BELB “Achieving Belfast” project. Over 10,000 distributed to families to-dateContributed and reviewed content of successful funding applications to Heritage Lottery Fund and DCAL for the organisation’s Social Inclusion Programme focused in part on enhancing mental health and emotional wellbeing for the most socially and economically disadvantaged areas of Northern Ireland through engagement with museumsDesigned, launched in 2008 and managed a cross-museum Membership Scheme and personally credited with its subsequent four-fold growth. Initiatives included production of marketing materials, online application and donation processes, sales training for staff, introduction of Gift Aid, pricing strategies and promotions. Accountable for all member communications, database maintenance and development, financial reporting, income forecasting and regular performance evaluations and member surveysFounded Major Donors programme with responsibility for securing commitment from the Board, production of positioning brochure and profiling and relationship building with high net worth individuals. Ran a project team of curatorial and operational staff and Trustees to plan multiple cultivation events and then personally delivered these Project lead on key partnership with Barnardo’s exploring community engagement within the museum context. Built effective relationships with senior and field staff to arrange tailored group activities for 1,000 participants, including outreach visits to Maghaberry Prison. Show less

• 

  YOUNG AT ART EVENTS LTD

  Aug 2017 - Jul 2019

  Programme Officer

  Increased the visibility of the events agency - a social enterprise - through marketing campaigns, building effective relationships and executing solution-led, creative pitches and tenders to a range of new prospects in the private, public and charity sectorExceeded £100,000 annual revenue target over two consecutive years and drastically increased the events agency’s profit margin by instigating debt recovery and cost saving initiativesSecured contracts which provided a dynamic programme of new events (e.g. ‘Beyond Busk’, Belfast’s first youth busking competition, the first Baby Rave in Dublin for 10 years at ‘Right Here, Right Now’ festival, Baby Rave at Oh Yeah! Music Centre, DJ workshops with Bounce Culture at Belfast Children’s Festival) and repeat bookings (e.g. Sea Shanties at HMS Caroline; Children’s Art Festival at the Island Arts Centre for the third year running) Personally accountable for operational planning and end-to-end delivery of high quality public events for clients such as Aiken PR, Cathedral Quarter Trust, Ulster Museum, Belfast City Council, Ulster University, Victoria Square, Belfast One and Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council. This involved:* Impeccable organisational skills with strong attention to detail * Ability to work to strict deadlines and under pressure* Liaising with internal and external clients and suppliers to organise resources and technical aspects * Advising on audience engagement, in particular families and young people, and widening access and participation * Carrying out pre and post event analysis and conducting risk assessments Recruited, trained and managed Administration & Operations Officer, Workshop Artist, volunteers and over 70 casual Event Managers plus a portfolio of freelance artistsInitiated business development plan and staff restructure to ensure sustainable revenue growth of the trading arm which I then took to the Board for approval Show less

• 

  Freelance

  Sept 2019 - now

  Freelance Event and Programme Manager

  Current work includes:Project Management for Forward South PartnershipResearch assistant with Starling StartEvent Management with Little Fox EventsAlways open to exploring new and creative opportunities.

• 

  PRCA

  Oct 2019 - Jan 2023

  Regional Manager (part-time)

  Supporting the PRCA’s Northern Ireland member base, the development, and organisation of activities and events in the region. Promoting the PRCA’s work, activities and membership benefits.

• 

  WheelWorks Arts

  Aug 2020 - Jun 2022

  Fundraising and Operations Officer (part-time)

  Bringing an innovative and imaginative flair to WW operations and fundraising activities. Working closely alongside the CEO to identify fundraising opportunities, while maintaining and developing operational practices. Managing other staff members/artists/volunteers to carry out tasks relating to the fundraising and other operational needs of a small youth arts charity. (Maternity Cover until May 2021) Continued in freelance capacity to provide Communications Support to the team.

• 

  DU DANCE (NI)

  Jul 2021 - now

  Marketing Co-ordinator (part time)

  Creatively promoting the exciting programme of work and events for this professional dance development company based in Belfast and working across the island of Ireland, the UK and internationally. Programmes include inter-generational, cross-community and inter-cultural work and the company is committed to building new audiences and to training and sharing skills.

• 

  Queen's University Belfast

  Jan 2022 - now

  Lecturing Associate

  Lecturing Associate on MA Arts Management & Cultural Policy

• 

  National Saturday Club

  Jun 2024 - now

  Relationship Manager NI (part time)

  The National Saturday Club is a prominent education charity working across the UK. It provides a unique extracurricular education opportunity for young people aged 13-16, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds to study subjects they love on a Saturday. In this p/t role I will be cultivating relationships with universities, FE colleges, schools and cultural and industry partners to build the programme in Northern Ireland.