Matthew Cunningham Email & Phone Number

London, England, United Kingdom

London, United Kingdom

London, United Kingdom

I am responsible for looking at the future of the Royal Academy of Dance; from developing the profile of the organisation as a charitable body of national and international renown, to creating a sustainable funding platform for years to come, to defining the strategy for the Academy's evolution across the world.

London, United Kingdom

London

I run my own communications consultancy business, although have taken 2012 off as a 'grown up gap year'.

- Created and led new Marketing and Communications department - responsible for 32 staff, with 7 direct reports and £3.5m budget. Overall responsibility for marketing, internal communications, press office, stakeholder communications (including Government), external communications.- Developed strategic positioning and key messaging in collaboration with sector partners, including communications planning for major universities admissions reform proposals.- Launched consumer… Show more - Created and led new Marketing and Communications department - responsible for 32 staff, with 7 direct reports and £3.5m budget. Overall responsibility for marketing, internal communications, press office, stakeholder communications (including Government), external communications.- Developed strategic positioning and key messaging in collaboration with sector partners, including communications planning for major universities admissions reform proposals.- Launched consumer social media strategy resulting in joined-up approach to social media and other digital communications platforms, leading to significant upswing in internet activity from UCAS customers, and winning Customer Contact Association award for use of social media (2011). See www.ucasconnect.com- Introduced staff social networking technology, giving UCAS professionals access to enhanced information sharing and internal communication services.- Worked closely with policy colleagues to develop new ways of presenting complex statistical information (e.g. university entrance stats) to a lay audience, including via presentations and publications.- Led cross-sector communications group to manage communications related to higher education statistics.- Managed media crisis scenarios for UCAS in summer 2010 (leaked email) and summer 2011 (service interruption). Show less

- Responsible for the strategic and operational direction of communications within the highly politicised UK Higher Education sector.- Duties included managing the press office, overseeing internal communications during a significant change programme, and managing the individual communications requirements of the Executive team, in particular the Chief Executive.- Provided regular media/public affairs briefings to enable senior colleagues to respond appropriately via media and… Show more - Responsible for the strategic and operational direction of communications within the highly politicised UK Higher Education sector.- Duties included managing the press office, overseeing internal communications during a significant change programme, and managing the individual communications requirements of the Executive team, in particular the Chief Executive.- Provided regular media/public affairs briefings to enable senior colleagues to respond appropriately via media and stakeholder channels, including during UK universities ‘clearing’ period in summer 2010 and 2011. Show less

Ucas

- Initial consultancy work for UCAS, proposing several key changes to marketing and communications services, including establishing marcomms department.- Communications advisor to Chief Executive.

- Strategic and operational communications support to major educational reform and delivery programmes. Handling of all aspects of the communications and marketing mix, from preparing media lines to take to commissioning major marketing projects from third-party suppliers.- Worked across the government landscape for education communications, including colocation with the DCSF and extensive support to DBIS to develop shared communications for the Foundation Learning programme, including… Show more - Strategic and operational communications support to major educational reform and delivery programmes. Handling of all aspects of the communications and marketing mix, from preparing media lines to take to commissioning major marketing projects from third-party suppliers.- Worked across the government landscape for education communications, including colocation with the DCSF and extensive support to DBIS to develop shared communications for the Foundation Learning programme, including to the key audience of young people themselves.- Strengthened role of communications in business planning for Diploma programme through strategic advice to senior programme team and programme director.- Regular ‘shadow writing’ on behalf of senior policy officials, adapting style to the publication concerned.- Developed communications strategy to support national implementation of Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). Underpinned by market research, communications portfolio covered a full range of tactics, including significant use of digital channels (e.g. 3D introductory animation and interactive technical support resources) and customer engagement events.- Chaired multi-agency group to coordinate communications to support QCF; membership included senior communicators from a variety of government agencies and departments.- Pioneered use of 3D animation and other innovative communications tactics to explain complex policy concepts (e.g. the QCF). Show less

- Overall responsibility for all external and internal communications for Connexions Norfolk. Including oversight of publications portfolio, online platform and walk-in centres.- Overhauled aging publications suite featuring new products aimed at and designed in collaboration with young people e.g. credit-card sized ‘Portable Information Guides’ (PIGs) vs traditional bulky publications.- Successfully bid for funding to develop and introduce new area-wide learning prospectus… Show more - Overall responsibility for all external and internal communications for Connexions Norfolk. Including oversight of publications portfolio, online platform and walk-in centres.- Overhauled aging publications suite featuring new products aimed at and designed in collaboration with young people e.g. credit-card sized ‘Portable Information Guides’ (PIGs) vs traditional bulky publications.- Successfully bid for funding to develop and introduce new area-wide learning prospectus website, including commissioning web content management system.- Extensive involvement and relationship-building with customers (young people) and partners (third sector agencies) to develop effective communications strategies and products. Show less

Bachelor'S Degree, Social Sciences

Activities and Societies: Communications Officer, Trinity College Students' Union

Ba Hons, Social And Political Sciences

Activities and Societies: Vice-president of Trinity College Students' Union, rowing, tennis, comedy debating society, music Degree.