David O'Neill Dip Cipr, Mcipr, Nctj Nce Email & Phone Number

St Albans, Gb

Barnet, United Kingdom

Watford, United Kingdom

My key achievements include:• Boosting the number of votes in the council’s Best Bar None contest by more than 1,000 on the previous year through a targeted comms and engagement campaign.• Successfully managing the media during the 2015 general election in Watford.• Helping more than double the number of visitors in Watford town centre by promoting the council's free Big Sports Day - my comms campaign reached nearly 1.4m people.• Managing the media and the council's social media channels during times of crisis.• More than doubling the number of votes in the council’s community awards on the previous year through a comms campaign.• Driving sales of more than £30,000 for the council's additional green bins through a carefully structured communications campaign.• Gaining extensive positive media coverage for the council at all levels, including front page news in the Watford Observer, in prime-time broadcast bulletins and in national newspapers.• Live streaming videos of the council-organised Watford FC homecoming parade after the club reached the Premier League.• Winning a Staff Excellence Award for Outstanding Teamwork.• Persuading our head of comms to change the name of the council's Facebook page from Love Watford to Watford Council, bringing it into line with the CIPR's ethical guidelines.• Persuading my line manager, head of comms, and other powerful stakeholders that my CIPR Diploma was a useful qualification for the council to fund.• Making a video for social media about a flytipper's van being crushed that has been viewed by more than 65,000 people - the equivalent of two thirds of Watford's population.• Leading a social media course for the council's partners after transforming and hugely improving the council's own social media channels.• Organising and promoting two visits to Watford's outdoor ice rink by a Winter Olympian.Connect​ with me to see examples of my work and achievements at the council.

Hemel Hempstead, United Kingdom

I wrote for multiple websites and newspapers, and also made and uploaded my own video footage and took photos for use in print and online. On most weeks, I would have to write at least one front page story - and occasionally my photos were used on the front page too.I covered the full range of local news, including council meetings, inquests, celebrity visits, emergency incidents, business stories and more. I reported on national news stories including the Hemel Hempstead sinkhole, a murder in Little Gaddesden – followed by a manhunt and Old Bailey sentencing, and a hit-and-run road death. I also covered more light-hearted stories that were picked up by the nationals, including a massive protest in 'posh' Berkhamsted against a new Lidl store.I was a key part of the team when the Gazette made the monumental switch from being a broadsheet to a tabloid newspaper in 2011. Upon its relaunch, I secured the front page, page two and page three lead stories in the Berkhamsted & Tring Gazette - the most important stories in the newspaper. This was at a time when there were five reporters in the team, including some with many years of experience.I helped the Gazette through a difficult period of significant downsizing, during which the number of reporters was cut from five to two. The news editor role was scrapped and the number of staff photographers cut from two to zero. This meant that myself and another news reporter had to take on extra responsibilities to maintain the Gazette's high standards as a 150-year-old newspaper.The Gazette lost its town centre office, giving me my first taste of PR as I defended the shift to a 'virtual office' to news industry trade publications. I wrote online that the move allowed reporters to demonstrate that they can work independently, manage and prioritise their own workload and proactively engage the communities they represent. The 'virtual office' was later described by the Press Gazette as the first of its kind in the country.

Hertford

I had to report the full range of news for multiple newspapers and websites, covering a wide swathe of Hertfordshire. I got to interview Andy Burnham, who was then the government's Health Secretary, and Tony Benn during my short time at the Mercury.As well as writing the news, I took photos and made videos to accompany my stories. One of my first published videos was of the Queen’s butler taking part in a wrestling match – a spare time hobby of his.

Step Up To Management, Course Ongoing.

This course involves learning a variety of management and change transition techniques, as well as studying how to use MBTI personality.

Cipr Diploma, Public Relations, Merit, With Distinction In My Final Project

The Diploma takes an in-depth look at PR as an integral part of successful business practice. It involves exploring case studies.

National Certificate Examination (Nce), Professional Journalism Exams, Pass With Two Merits

Awarding body: National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) Modules covered: News interview - merit. I was told at short notice.

Post-Graduate Diploma In Newspaper Journalism, Journalism, Pass

Passed all Post-graduate Diploma in Newspaper Journalism modules, including: Online and mobile media. This covered using Facebook.

English, English Literature, 2:1

Activities and Societies: I wrote for the student newspaper, Exeposé.Read a minimum of a book a week. Covered plays, novels and literary.

Education record

Three As at A-level in Economics, English and History. GCSEs: 10 subjects at A* to C, with six A* to A grades including English & Maths.