
Head of Marketing at Medway Council
Canterbury, United Kingdom

Head of Marketing at Medway Council
Canterbury, United Kingdom
I am a qualified marketing and public relations professional with a wide range of marketing, strategy and digital communications experience. Since July 2004 I been a CIM Chartered Marketer. I am also an associate member of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and am working towards Accredited Practitioner status.
Since November 2007 I have been Head of Marketing at Medway Council in Kent, having joined the council as Marketing and PR Manager in September 2004. I have led the centralisation of all council marketing and the creation of a new team delivering significant improvements in marketing for the council. The breadth of the council’s marketing is large, spanning public information campaigns on issues such as recycling and carbon emissions through to database marketing programmes for gym and leisure centre memberships and commercial theatre marketing.
I also continue to have a part-time role working with Tinderhouse - a small web design and marketing agency I co-founded in 2003. In addition to this I undertake freelance marketing, PR and internet consultancy projects for various clients.
I started my career as a marketing graduate trainee with Boots plc. I soon developed a passion for the internet and using new technology for marketing and public relations. Since then I have worked with some of the UK’s leading digital companies, including the world’s first transactional interactive television service, Open… (now Sky Active) and the world’s largest internet bank Egg.
I enjoy understanding and using new technology as part of the marketing and public relations mix. I passionately believe that the internet and, most recently, social media are fundamentally changing the way organisations need to act online.
For more information see www.simonwakeman.com/about-me
marketing and publc relations (PR),
website strategy, planning and project management
social media, digital communiucations, public sector
(Government Agency; Government Administration industry)
November 2007 — Present (2 years 1 month)
I am responsible for all council marketing, web and graphic design activity. Since taking on the role I have managed a transition of the marketing team, merging the existing team with marketing staff from throughout the council. I have since led the restructure of the team to ensure it is well placed to deliver the council’s marketing needs in the ever-evolving marketing environment.
(Self-Employed; Myself Only; Marketing and Advertising industry)
February 2004 — Present (5 years 10 months)
I undertake freelance projects, including marketing, public relations and internet consultancy. I specialise in helping organisations to use new technology to improve the effectiveness of their communications.
(Internet industry)
January 2003 — January 2009 (6 years 1 month)
Tinderhouse is a small team of web professionals specialising in delivering affordable web solutions. Tinderhouse helps organisations to get their messages across by delivering accessible communication solutions that are strategically strong, exceptionally creative and always technically sound.
(Government Agency; 5001-10,000 employees; Government Administration industry)
September 2004 — November 2007 (3 years 3 months)
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry)
February 2004 — September 2004 (8 months)
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry)
May 2001 — January 2004 (2 years 9 months)
(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Marketing and Advertising industry)
March 2000 — May 2001 (1 year 3 months)
(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Marketing and Advertising industry)
January 2000 — March 2000 (3 months)
(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Marketing and Advertising industry)
September 1999 — January 2000 (5 months)
(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Marketing and Advertising industry)
September 1998 — August 1999 (1 year )
Diploma in Public Relations , Public relations , 2007 — 2008
CIM Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing , Marketing , 2002 — 2002
CIM Advanced Certificate in Marketing , Marketing , 2000 — 2000
BA(Hons) , Geography , 1995 — 1998
1981 — 1994
Being a husband and dad, British Military Fitness, running, cycling, caravanning, dog walking and generally being outdoors.
Chartered Marketer, Member - Chartered Institute of Marketing, Associate Member - Chartered Institute of Public Relations
BA(Hons)
DipM
Dip CIPR
MCIPR
MCIM
Chartered Marketer