Experienced business consultant providing a wide range of cost-effective solutions for Travel brands, SMEs and International companies operating in the Irish market. My proven formulae have consistently delivered success and a positive return on investment for our clients. My background is travel but I have also worked successfully with a number of non travel brands. I am a member of the Local Enterprise Specialist Mentoring Panel and have mentored many SME's, from initial set up, to dealing with the challenges that face business owners on a regular basis. I have a diverse range of professional skills and can provide expert business advice across a varied spectrum of areas including:​General Business AuditTime Management & PrioritiesBusiness Strategy CalendarSmart Marketing PlansDigital & Offline Channel StrategyEffective Sales ManagementMaximising MarginsNew Business Launch & DevelopmentBusiness BrandingSuccessful Management SkillsCompetitor AnalysisCustomer Service IssuesTelephone Training Skills (Call Centres)Great Shop WindowsHR & Staff Issues & Training SkillsFurther information on client support services available on www.LocalMarketing.ie

Reporting directly to the Managing Director and responsible for the overall management of the marketing department as well as the development and successful execution of the entire marketing function for the business. • Key responsibilities included:- Planning and execution of all Radio, Press, TV, Outdoor and Online advertising.- Managing all aspects of the company relationship with the media.- Planning, sourcing, logistical management and sign off on all point of sale material including brochures, posters, flyers, banners and client documentation. - Maintaining the integrity, overall look and feel of the Budget Travel website as well as planning for its ongoing functionality and development.- Managing and measuring various other key areas such as the bi-weekly online newsletter to the company database of 96,000 holiday registrants.- Pay per click and organic sales management and search engine optimisation.- Ongoing development of the brand in the online social networking environment.- Generation of online ad revenue via 3rd parties both in and out of the industry.• Other Activities:- Preparing and managing the annual marketing financial plan.- Providing analysis and planning for strategic reaction to competitor activity.- Ongoing development of 3rd party joint marketing opportunities.- Creating new ways to promote the brand and increase sales. - Securing annual joint marketing funding from tourist offices hoteliers and regional airports.- Setting up and analysing annual customer surveys.

Part of a small management team responsible for the restructuring and expansion of the company’s retail outlets. Budget Travelshops became the largest travel retail chain in Ireland by 2000 with 31 shops and almost 200 staff nationwide.• Key responsibilities included:- Identifying new sites for retail expansion. Dealing with landlords, builders and shopping centre management to ensure new branches were opened in line with agreed schedules. - Reviewing and overseeing the implementation of new shop lay-outs in all branches with various customer friendly improvements.- Identifying training needs for all staff levels and producing a company ‘best practice’ manual. Managing and monitoring training module across the network.- Restructuring existing staff salary and incentive packages for all grades. Managing nationwide recruitment campaigns, interviewing and appointing suitable staff to ensure adequate staffing was in place in line with retail financial plans.- Implement annual retail staff salary plan in line with overall company financial plan. Set, monitor and review sales targets on both a branch and individual basis with ongoing visits to branches to ensure they are being run in line with ‘best practice’ and conduct annual staff performance reviews.- Day to day staff management of Ireland's largest travel retail chain (200+ staff).- Negotiating keen commercial terms with various 3rd party suppliers to ensure the retail arm of the company had best rates, product and preferred supplier status.• Other Activities:- Local marketing campaigns to launch new branches.- Dealing with retail customer service, staff grievance and security issues.- Developing 3rd party supplier relationships to maximise terms and commissions.- MC at the company’s annual sales conference.

Successfully set up and launched the Inghams Travel brand in Ireland. A subsidiary of Hotelplan International, the Inghams brand became one of the leading ski and lakes & mountain holiday specialists in Ireland under my management.

I started my travel industry career with Aer Lingus Holidays and developed skills working in various positions in different departments over an 8 year period with the company.