NCT is the UK's leading charity for parents. Each year they support over 100,000 parents through an incredible life changing experience, offering information and practical and emotional support through 300 UK-wide branch networks. They also campaign for better maternity care.
So what's your background?
My educational background is in social policy analysis and later I did a PR diploma. I’ve worked in charities for about 12 years, in policy, campaigns and communications, and started with issues of unemployment and poverty. I had a few different roles working in both national and locally based development organisations, before moving to a role which combined communications with policy - I was hooked. In the UK I worked for the Royal Society of Health for a short time before moving to a campaigns role in Mencap, and then onto NCT.
How did you get this job?
I came to NCT as Campaigns Manager in 2007, setting up a formal structure to support the charity’s long history of national and local campaigning work. In 2009 that role was expanded to encompass policy work. In late 2010 the charity restructured to prepare for the implementation of our new 10 year strategy and I was appointed to my current role, Head of Corporate Communications.
What was your first charity job? And your first communications role?
I worked for the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, which advocates on behalf of unemployed people and their communities. My role was to provide training and resources for people who worked in local community groups. I also compiled the charity’s statistics on our enquiries lines and engaged in policy and lobbying activities on key welfare issues.
My first official communications role was as Campaigns, Policy and Communications Manager at One Family, the largest charity supporting one-parent families in Ireland - and my first comms task was to manage the organisation’s rebrand. It was a huge challenge and I relished every minute of it. One Family has gone from strength to strength - it does amazing work in an incredibly difficult environment.
What do you actually do on a daily basis?
My job is essentially about our reputation, working to ensure as many people as possible have a full understanding of what the charity does. At the moment I’m focused on our new strategy, as we’re rolling out the comms to internal and external stakeholders. Internally, it’s a massive job: NCT has over 10,000 volunteers, 250 staff and 1000 practitioners (self-employed contractors who provide some of our direct services to parents) and is also a membership charity with over 100,000 members. We’re currently on the road with our 2020 Tour, six events across the UK for volunteers, staff and practitioners to get involved in making the strategy a reality in their local patch. Externally, I spend a lot of time networking with a wide range of other charities and voluntary organisations.
My fantastic team looks after all our internal communications, PR, events and conferences and they’re a pleasure to work with.
What's been your biggest achievement in this role so far?
Getting the strategy completed, as part of the bigger team, has been a big achievement. Also getting the idea of the 2020 Tour up and running. I am very committed to making sure that all of our supporters, volunteers and workforce have a range of ways to engage with the charity.
What are the most challenging parts of your role?
Like any communications lead in a charity I don’t always have the resources to do many of the things I’d like to, and it’s challenging to reach everyone you need to on a shoestring. But it keeps us focused and on our toes!
What do you enjoy most about your job?
Although it’s not always fun and I don’t have enough resources to do it as I might like to, I enjoy the challenge of managing the reputation of a charity that many people don’t really know about.
Anything you don't enjoy?
When our amazing volunteers are offended by the odd misrepresentation of what they do by some journalists.
What kind of personality is best suited to working in a job like yours?
A charming one but with steely determination!
Any top tips for people wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Network, network, network! Be flexible and learn from everything you do.