Marketing Talent: Spotlight on Charles

Charles is a marketing manager and head of digital with over 13 years experience working with global B2B and financial corporates, building and delivering digital marketing strategies, digital brand management, social media campaigns, website UX and content enhancements and digital direct marketing. We spoke to Charles about his recent experience as Digital Project Manager for a global Medical Device company, and the benefits that he brings to his clients.

Q. When you’re at a networking event, how do you describe your independent career status, and where you focus your work?

‍

‍Consultant. Freelance. Contractor. I actively lead web projects, and manage agencies/cross functional teams across multiple geographies.

Q. What are the specific benefits that you, as an independent, offer your clients? How do you explain the value your expertise brings?

‍

Outside experience is valuable, and a real avenue to innovation - it's often difficult to innovate when stuck in organizational silos - my clients often discover fresh ways of doing things, and coming out of their comfort zones. Outsiders bring objective insights into an organisation. There's also the mutual benefit of flexibility without commitment.

3. Why do you think there is increasing demand for independent expertise?

‍

‍Demand obviously fluctuates depending on the sector - but with companies endeavouring to pin down talent in the UK against economic uncertainty and a Brexit driven drain, demand for independent expertise, and also permanent hires, is definitely on the rise.

Q. Describe a recent or successful assignment in terms of scope, duration and any particular milestones in the results.

‍

‍I was recently hired as a digital project manager, tasked with building and managing the EU corporate website and managing multiple external partners to deliver the project plan. I established and maintained dashboards, KPIs and reporting key to delivery, built strong relationships with stakeholders and enabled effective cross functional collaboration across our strategic external partners.

5. What's your favourite thing to do when you're not on the clock?

‍I am a professional actor in Stage, Film and Television and also a photographer

6. What is the biggest challenge you had to face in your career so far and how did you overcome it?

‍

‍It's been a challenge to manage two or more non intersecting professional skill sets, and finding the work v life balance is always the hardest to navigate!