Liz Thompson Email & Phone Number

Leading the influencing strategy to secure support and income for SafeLives, the UK-wide charity dedicated to ending domestic abuse, for good. We combine insight from services, survivors and statistics to support people to become safe, well and rebuild their lives.

• Reporting to Executive Director, led communications team, agencies and consultants, developing brand narrative and positioning RSC globally as a company which believes in Shakespeare for everyone and delivers amazing.
• Drove communications strategy supporting £130m transformation of the RSC’s Stratford home into a welcoming destination with more than 1m visits a year, as well as a rich programme of shows, cinema broadcasts, events.
• Redeveloped owned digital platforms to grow revenue, increase reach and engagement, and improve user experience. Online audience growth of 50% in two years and a new public-facing image library, generating income from.
• Delivered effective advocacy, working closely with Board and Governors, to influence politicians, policy-makers, donors and key stakeholders to stand up for Shakespeare, theatre, arts education and the value of culture.
• Built successful partnerships, activating communications for corporate sponsorships to deliver mutual benefit and managing major grant applications to secure public investment, including Arts Council England NPO funding.
• Provided strategic communications counsel to Executive/Artistic Directors and Board, and managed reputational risks, issues and major incidents.

Bristol And London

Led team of 30 with annual budget of £4.5m to deliver external relations strategy, building reputation and delivering better outcomes for the environment. Worked with regional teams to devise innovative community relations programme for staff dealing with contentious issues and to deliver customer engagement strategy, resulting in more responsive.

Led team of 27 staff and annual budget of £5.2m to develop and implement a knowledge management/ICT strategy and change management programme for the Agency. Won recognition as leaders in government sector in 15 months, changing the way we worked with partners by delivering a £1m programme to create new online policy-making communities of practice..

Birmingham

Led national team of 22 staff and budget of £20m to deliver national community development programme, working with local people to create 250 new village greens across England, match funded by the Millennium Commission. Secured £13m from New Opportunities Lottery Fund for a successor scheme, Doorstep Greens, targeted at disadvantaged communities.

Cheltenham

Managed team and consultants to promote the work of the Commission, including corporate PR, co-ordination of conferences and events and commissioning of research. Delivered successful corporate communications programme for merger between Rural Development Commission and Countryside Commission to create new Countryside Agency, including new identity and.