Brian Vayndell Email & Phone Number

Wellington, Nz

Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand

I support DOC communications, from telling local media about seals to telling national media about local seals (and approximately 700 other things), across the Lower North Island, from Wellington all the way up through Hawke's Bay, including Manawatu, Wairarapa, and the Chatham Islands. I'm also across topics like corporate communications, biosecurity, native insects, shore plover recovery, and wildlife sanctuaries.

New Zealand

The main role of the Editor is to critique and, unsurprisingly, edit the content on Yeah Nah Gaming. It's my job to ensure all content, including my own, meets the quality standards expected from a site with the lofty ambition of holding a prominent place in NZ gaming and pop culture media. The other Editors and I also work closely together to discuss the innermost workings of Yeah Nah Gaming, and plan strategy and content.

Wellington, Wellington Region, New Zealand

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

At ARFNZ, I dealt with the day-to-day communications, making sure that New Zealand knew what the Foundation did. This included dealing with media, writing and editing the in-house magazine and e-newsletters, and maintaining a strategic overview of both digital and analog channels. Reporting directly to the CEO, I also managed two staff, who dealt with design and coordination and external partnership relations respectively.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

My duties in Horticulture New Zealand expanded as my familiarity with the industry grew. Primary duties included the writing, editing, and mailing of the weekly newsletter through MailChimp, as well as the sourcing and writing of articles for the in-house publications, NZGrower and The Orchardist. I also drafted media releases, predominantly for the Young Grower of the Year competition, managed social media channels (Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn), compiled digital analytics reports, and monitored media. I also acted as webmaster and content editor for the HortNZ website using SilverStripe, as well as designing, building, and moderating the organisation's intranet.I'm a generalist, basically.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

Having a keen interest in video games, both academically and recreationally, and seeking to build my communications portfoilio within New Zealand, I offered my skills to NZGamer.com as a writer and reviewer. While this was a voluntary position, it gave me valuable insight into New Zealand journalistic standards, and allowed me to keep my skills sharp while doing something I love. Main duties included reviewing upcoming games and breaking them down coherently and concisely, so the reader could make an informed decision about their purchases.This continued when I moved to editing my own site, CultureJam (which became 8-Bit Island, and finally merged into Yeah Nah Gaming).

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

I was taken on as a freelance communications advisor by a business solutions organisation to assist the Communications & Marketing team with some miscellaneous writing work. This predominantly focuses on crafting client case studies, collating information into easily understood, digestible fact sheets, and some editing.

Wellington & Wairarapa, New Zealand

Beginning as a sales assistant, I was promoted to management in January 2015. Duties included the creation and management of promotions, maintaining stock levels, and various retail management duties. Integrated into this role, following my advice, are the duties of a Social Media Manager, managing the social media presence of the company across platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and bringing in more defined segmentation and streamlining. I have also been involved in the editing and proofreading of the company newsletter, designing and implementing a customer loyalty program, and the organisation and facilitation of private and corporate events. Since I joined the company in this capacity, the social media pages have grown exponentially, online sales have increased, and engagement through social networking has risen by over 200%

Dublin, Ireland

After finishing university, I took on several freelance communications and social media contracts. Duties remained similar overall, focusing mainly on improving social media strategies and making the businesses more viable online. Over the several months I spend doing this, I worked for a prominent Irish artist, a new artist, a small video games company, a rugby camp, and a sustainable living startup. This was varied and interesting work, and it allowed me valuable opportunities to utilise different communications methods, and see them in action.

Dublin, Ireland

Taken on as a contractor for four months, I was hired to revitalise a long-running company’s online presence. Duties included building, updating and maintaining the company website, creating the agency’s social media, innovating the communications approach and increasing marketing reach. This was accomplished through my knowledge of communications theory, a new and innovative social media strategy, and SEO development. Management were pleased both with the results of my work, as well as the accessible methods I used when developing their website and social media, allowing them to maintain them on their own after I left.

Ireland

Taken on as an intern via a university work placement scheme, I assisted with various aspects of an ongoing renewable energy project in the public sector. I researched and compiled comprehensive, accessible reports on wind power for dissemination to the interested public, as well several reports for the departmental management, based around areas such as community gains benefits, ecosystem impact, and ‘wind turbine syndrome’. I was also trusted with drafting responses to letters sent into my team with regard to the project, explaining in plain English the intent and implementation of the scheme, without talking down to them. I also liaised with various parties on behalf of the Department, and presented my reports to various members of the Department.

Dublin, Ireland

A generalist role with a family-run catering company, I was predominantly focused on communicating with clients and managing the social media of the business, as well as writing the company newsletter. I also secured ad space, designed advertising, managed relationships with stakeholders and clients, and managed the social media of the company.

Dublin, Ireland

A five month internship, where I was involved in the advancement of a small community project in Dublin, aimed at encouraging local people to upgrade to more green-friendly practices, in addition to liaising with similar organisations and local business interested in the initiative. I managed the Facebook page of the project, as well as compiled resources on sustainable, green technologies for the community. I also gave several talks on these topics in the local library on behalf of the project. Successes included having the community adopt a local composting site, adopt more eco-friendly habits such as low-energy light bulbs and cycling, and encouraging more than thirty homes to upgrade their insulation, to name a few.

An elected role in the university Student's Union, I liaised between the Union, the Club Life Committee and the Society Life Committee, acting as a representative of each in each council.

Master Of Science (M.Sc.), Science Communication

Activities and Societies: MSC1 Class Representative, PRO DCU Paranormal Society My M.Sc. in Science Communication focused.

Bachelor Of Science (B.Sc.) (Hons), Environmental Science & Health

Activities and Societies: DCU Book Society (Webmaster, Chairperson), DCU Art Society (Equipment Officer, Public Relations Officer), DCU.

Leaving Certificate