Lydia Smith Email & Phone Number

United Kingdom

· Creating and managing overall delivery of annual marketing plan to agreed income expenditure and acquisition volume targets. Responsible for large-scale campaigns with annual expenditure budgets of up to £20 million. 360 marketing mix including DRTV, Digital, Press, Direct Mail, Face to Face, Email and Telemarketing. · Line managing four direct reports on a project-by-project basis to deliver against agreed end-to-end plans and closely working with them to develop their skills and progress in their own career. · Developing the wider strategy to deliver short and long-term goals. Identifying analysis required to understand campaign trends and donor behaviour. Interpreting and amending activity to ensure continued maximisation of ROI. Leading on attribution modeling alongside external media agency. · Closely monitoring KPIs, reporting on and presenting performance and budget figures regularly to leaders and wider department. · Ensuring compliance with Institute of Fundraising, Gambling Commission, Data Protection (GDPR), Gift Aid and all other legislative advertising requirements as well as best practice fundraising guidelines.· Effectively leading on agency and supplier contracts and relationships, ensuring balance between cost and quality. · Monitoring the market for innovative marketing and fundraising methods, ensuring opportunities that could benefit both brand awareness and acquisition are explored.

· Reporting directly to Founder, accountable for the overall omni-channel marketing strategy of NBS plus two smaller wholesale brands – Merino Kids and Babiators UK. Responsible for annual expenditure budget of approx. £5 million. · Responsible for delivery of all paid media campaigns, ensuring target ROAS and other digital KPIs are met. Lead contact for all suppliers & agencies, including onboarding of a new PPC agency to grow and improve Search/Shopping. Responsible for all owned channels including Social, PR + Press, SEO + Blog Content, Influencer activity, experiential events and POS/localised marketing for flagship store. · Working closely with internal departments, including but not limited to Website, In-Store, Customer Service, Wholesale, Finance, Buying and Merchandising, to ensure seamless shopping experience and delivery of key marketing messages. · Accountable for keeping a pulse on media consumption, new technologies and commercial marketing methods within the industry and beyond, to test and learn in parallel to the day-to-day marketing plan. · Co-leading Brand & Marketing team of 7, including 3 direct reports to ensure campaigns are delivered on time, to brief and all activity optimised to ROI.· Responsible for People-Based marketing strategy as well as retail customer journey, ensuring needs of new and returning customers are considered at every touch point. Accountable for identifying up-sell opportunities as well as loyalty specific campaigns. · Key member of Senior Leadership Team, involved in commercial decision making across the business as well as regularly presenting to organisation and key retail brands. · Analysing insight & data on a daily basis to identify the effectiveness and impact of marketing initiatives to shape future planning.

•Managing the overall delivery of acquisition campaigns, ensuring they are delivered on time and to budget whilst maximising response and value. •Core focus on DRTV and Digital, but also working across direct mail, print, email, telemarketing, radio, face to face and retention campaigns. •Contributing to the management of a multi-million-pound expenditure budget, which delivers up to £45+ million gross income into Guide Dogs. Contributing to future income through the acquisition of committed giving supporters into the charity, for ongoing stewardship via the Sponsor a Puppy or Lucky Lottery product. •Developing the strategic direction of the overall marketing mix for both products; undertaking post campaign analysis, producing wrap up reports and making recommendations for improvement. •Taking personal responsibility for seeking innovative new ways to promote the products and communicate with customers. Where relevant, assisting with the development and creation of new products or introducing new channels to increase Guide Dogs fundraising potential.•Writing briefs for creative, data, media planning, procurement, response handling and supporter care. Ensuring the approval procedure is adhered to and all necessary stakeholders communicated with.•Managing numerous suppliers to ensure quality work is delivered, within the defined schedule and at a competitive cost. Managing communication with other Guide Dogs teams to ensure the smooth delivery of my activity and adding value where relevant e.g. Internal and External PR. •Responsible for the day-to-day management of a marketing executive within my team; training and supporting them to deliver our campaigns whilst ensuring they develop their own marketing skills.

• Brainstorming to think of new marketing/fundraising ideas and ways of generating fresh leads. • Developing, implementing and managing the day-to-day operations of marketing campaigns – across both traditional and digital media. • Working as a ‘mini agency’ within the fundraising department to help other teams innovate and enhance current processes and rolling campaigns. • Raising purchase orders, managing invoices and budgets. • Liaising with third party suppliers, service users/clients and colleagues across the organisation to plan, and implement ideas. • Writing persuasive, emotional and creative copy for social media content, email marketing, landing pages, direct mail and general marketing assets. • Analysing data, writing data briefs and collaboratively working with the Data teams to coordinate the ‘back end’ details of campaigns. • Pulling results, scrutinising key learnings and writing end of campaign reports. Making clear and concise recommendations for future campaigns. • Monitoring innovation opportunities within the third sector and beyond and identify key opportunities for Guide Dogs to explore.

London, United Kingdom

This was a temporary role through Tiger Recruitment. • Dealing with a vast amount of internal and external emails, phone calls and incoming/outgoing post for a busy accountancy and financial planning office located in the City. • Welcoming important clients and acting as the first impression of the company. • Organising transport, couriers, meetings and business lunches. • Supporting the team of PA’s and secretaries with various ad-hoc tasks. • Assisting with proof reading letters and reports for clients. • Multi tasking to complete other general administration and office duties, including stationary orders and filing.

• Organising large amounts of fresh produce to be correctly placed on the shop floor.• Excellent knowledge of a range of products in order to inform and advise customers giving the best service possible. • Operating tills and supervising self checkout areas.

Reading, United Kingdom

• Receiving a steady amount of emails and phone calls. • Welcoming visitors and representing the company as a first impression. I was the sole receptionist and this involved a lot of multitasking. • Organising a large number invoices to various countries and sorting incoming and outgoing post daily. • General admin and office duties. • Using my basic French language skills. This was a temporary role through Park Street People Recruitment.

• Working as a large team.• High level of bar, stewarding and waitressing skills. • Exclusive events and locations so always looking impeccably smart. This includes the Emirates first class lounge at Heathrow, which I was personally chosen to represent the company and work at. Being discreet and professional when dealing with celebrities and VIP clients. • Working daily with tills and big amounts of stock. Cashing up large amounts of money at the end of the day. Dealing with difficult complaints and customers, keeping calm with those under the influence of alcohol.

Reading, United Kingdom

• Working as part of a large diverse team within the department Childrenswear. This had four sub sections on which I had a vast experience on. • Creating daily break sheets for the team. Managing and training new and less experienced members of staff on product specific knowledge.• Giving sensitive, accurate and important advice to customers with young children/ expecting children and dealing with customer complaints. • Organsing social outings and Christmas parties for my department. Visual merchandising displays and models within the department. • Sorting out incoming new stock monthly and 3 large stockrooms. Analysing figures each day and working out target sales to reach budget.I was mystery shopped regularly and always scored above 80% in the results.

Bachelor Of Arts (B.A.), Marketing Communications

Activities and Societies: I was a member of the competitive cheerleading team, UWE Comets. This involved 4-6 hours of commitment.

Education record

A-Level Psychology Grade B A-Level Media Studies Grade B A-Level English Literature Grade B A-Level General Studies Grade C

Education record

GCSEs: 3 A*s in Food Technology, English Literature and Drama 6 A’s , 2 B’s, 1 C. I also completed Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award.