Jess Dando Email & Phone Number

Haverfordwest, Gb

Wales, United Kingdom

Buy Local Wales is on a mission to strengthen Wales' local economy by connecting businesses to customers and each other through our innovative directory website and mobile app platform. We go beyond just listing businesses—we actively support our members with comprehensive marketing and business development solutions tailored to meet their needs.Our Purpose: To foster a thriving community of local businesses, CICs, charities, and enterprises across Wales by providing marketing expertise, collaboration opportunities, and guidance to navigate the complex digital marketplace.My Role:Day-to-day, I:Develop and Maintain Our Platforms: Design, build, and manage our website and mobile app, focusing on SEO by optimising meta tags, keywords, and quality content to boost visibility and engagement.Grow Our Network: Connect with local businesses through phone, email, LinkedIn, and website inquiries to expand memberships and foster referral programs that make an impact.Social Media Marketing: Boost traffic to our website and mobile app while growing our network and community engagement.Video Production: Plan, produce, and promote videos that spotlight our members, helping them to elevate their profile and connect with new audiences.Landing Pages & Lead Magnets: Build lead-generating landing pages that drive customer growth for our clients.Facilitate Business Growth:Industry Connection Events: Host exclusive member events aimed at fostering collaboration and promoting a circular economy—encouraging businesses to work together and build reciprocal relationships.Email Marketing Campaigns: Develop newsletters and targeted campaigns to keep our community informed, drive engagement, and bring local businesses closer to their goals.Consulting, Advice, & Training: Provide members with regular sessions and guidance, particularly during the critical early stages of their business journey, ensuring they have the tools and knowledge needed to succeed.

Wales, United Kingdom

Working predominantly with sustainable businesses promoting and marketing renewable energy products.Business advice, Sustainability consulting; Marketing, PR, and communications.Working with several clients developing sales, investment, and public profiles.Business Networking, CRM building, and content marketing.Sales, marketing, diversity, and inclusion training with organizations in Wales, helping to build great teams advising on new regulations, and developing a more person-centered and consultative sales style.Referrals, sales to close, and lead generation for several clients in renewables, business support and consulting, retail, and more.Developing campaigns such as ‘Buy Local’ designed to promote, develop, and support small local enterprises for the benefit of the economy.Digital marketing services such as video; content; web landing pages, and social media. We help organizations develop strategies, campaigns, and branding that make them stand out. Facilitating a networking service, matching clients with other clients based on needs and requirements, and building a huge network of sustainable businesses in Wales.Working with key partners to offer event management, coordinating the use of office space, and developing a business network focused on sustainable business and the renewable energy sector.

Remote

Supported the IDEA for SMEs delivery team to integrate the contract into the existing landscape of statutory and non-statutory provisions in the WECA area.Cold called and visited SMEs in Bristol; Bath and North East Somerset, encouraging them to undergo disability awareness training.Devised and implemented a networking and integration plan. Represented Leonard Cheshire with external groups and at networking events, ensuring that the contract was communicated positively.Represented IDEA for SMEs and Leonard Cheshire across the region with key stakeholders and networks.Supported SMEs to provide work experience, placements and paid employment to disabled people by building relationships with relevant local providers and matching suitable candidates.

Gillingham, England, United Kingdom

Maintained outstanding relationships with clients, coordinating regular touchpoints using MPS software.Offered expert advice to clients on benefits, pay rates, training, and career progression opportunities, to give them a competitive edge in the employment market.Matched job-ready participants to roles, helping them to build confidence and motivation by utilising partnership networks and services.Coached and mentored participants motivating them back into employment.Established partnerships with local businesses to increase the employment pool for clients.Identified barriers to work and applied the correct methods and referrals to assist participants back into employment.Identified the needs of vulnerable participants and referred them for expert assistance.

Haverfordwest, Wales, United Kingdom

Contributed to reducing poverty and inequalities within the community, working closely with other government services and external agencies to increase impact.Maintained accurate client records using Aptem.Consistently exceeded customer expectations, recommending additional resources to facilitate access to community assistance.Conducted in-depth reevaluation interviews with benefit recipients to enable accurate determination of eligibility for continuing benefits.Employed active Safeguarding and Mental health first aid skills to deal sensitively with vulnerablecustomers in adverse social circumstances.Drove continuous service improvement, redesigning recruitment procedures to reduce case processing times by 60%.

United Kingdom

Acted as the first point of contact for customers to resolve potential issues with reservations.Represented the brand to domestic and international guests with exemplary presentation skills.Maximised sales, using partner marketing resources to improve destination knowledge.Conducted initial client consultations to build relationships and ensure an accurate understanding of travel needs.Consistently exceeded client expectations, providing support and guidance throughout the entirebooking lifecycle.Maintained 90% booking conversion rate, upselling and securing future bookings.

Milford Haven, Wales, United Kingdom

Established customer needs and developed and implemented promotional articles and featuresProduced and edited promotional videos for companies.Developed marketing partnerships and business models targeted at local organisations.Researched business sectors and established creative ideas for campaigns, then pitched and sold them to clients.Maximised company profit by over 67%.Cold-called businesses and generated leads to establish new business relationships.Generated creative ideas for articles and established a brand-new area of revenue for the business.Consistently generated new opportunities for other team members to ensure team target achievement.Managed a team of 10 and over, motivating and encouraging team members to achieve targets and goals.Supported; trained and coached new staff members, identifying weaknesses, and setting targets and goals.

Cardiff

Managed a specialist business supplying staff to private and public sector organisations within theconstruction industryHandled end-to-end recruitment processes, ensuring smooth and swift transactions from initial advert to job offer.Monitored numerous job applications consecutively, qualifying and shortlisting responses to improve workflow efficiency.Maintained high suitability standards through diligent screening, interview and assessment processes.Registered new candidates, developing a wide-ranging database to meet client recruitment needs.Improved recruitment processes by harnessing software to automate job advertising and slim down candidates.Coached candidates through the interview process to secure top roles.Wrote job description adverts for Indeed, Google Jobs, and LinkedIn.Marketed through social media and existing contacts producing positive results.Acquired new clients through market mapping and LinkedIn prospecting.Established positive relationships with prospective candidates through networking and regularcommunications.Over exceeded targets fast tracking promotion to recruitment consultant in my first year, and senior in the first year by achieving 56k and the second year 70k.

Created a platform magazine to promote unknown artists; comedians; musicians and writers predominantly starting as a comedy magazine but progressing to include a wide range of talent and entertaining content.Built relationships with third-sector organizations in order to support youth projects such as SproutSocial, and joined forces with other enterprises allowing collaborations that proved beneficial for the promotion and distribution of the high-quality magazineSold promotional articles and pieces with photography to relevant creative outlets in Cardiff such as Inkspot; Chapter Arts Centre; galleries and small businesses all over Cardiff, funding the print and design costs.Obtained funding from the Arts Council to continue with the magazine and help with costs.Trained and employed sellers of the magazine, as well as an assistant editor who secured celebrity interviews and assisted with gaining more contacts.Delivered and organized comedy and music events at many venues, including Chapter; Mocka Lounge; The Globe; and many more.Collaborated with galleries arranging events and hiring performers such as burlesque dancers, and comedians and also promoted events through the magazine and social media, ensuring the success of these events.Maintained accounts and cash flow and loans through solid business plans and evidence of substantial profit.Conducted presentations and talks in order to attract new creative talent, as well as offered schemes for students to work on the project.Utilised Email marketing; social media and face-to-face networking to promote the magazine, which was sold in Cardiff, Gloucestershire; Carmarthen; Cheltenham and Bristol.

London

Promoted press releases across all major radio stations Attended events such as the Sports Industry conference and the Radio Academy awards to network and learn about the industry.Made significant contributions to the creative process turning press releases into stories/ choosing talent to represent big brands like WHO; Unileiver; Boots and many more.Assisted with talent management, attending comedy events, and working with celebrities to record content to be distributed across all main radio stations.

Pembrokeshire

Responsible for the sale and production of airtime, sponsorships, and promotions over 3 radio stations and a magazine. B2B cold calling to generate revenue by contacting potential clients, and selling various products over the phone and face-to face.

Bachelor Of Arts - Ba, Business Administration And Management, General, First Class Honours

Activities and Societies: Student Representative

Master Of Science - Msc, Psychology

A Level'S, 4 A'S 2 B'S 1 C

Activities and Societies: Performance Arts

Gcse, English Language And Literature, General

Activities and Societies: Netball, Debate team, Music

Master Of Business Administration - Mba, Sustainability In Leadership