Lizzie B.
About me
| Lizzie B. | |
| English and Related Literature | |
| English Literature | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Alcuin | |
| 2012 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Marketing Manager | |
| TOMRA | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Environment and energy | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2019 |
Like this profile?
Add this profile to your favourites so you can return to it later from your account.
A day in the life of a Marketing Manager in the United Kingdom
Sometimes you just need to hear from someone who's been there, to know where to start. Ask around, people are always keen to share their experience.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
TOMRA is a global recycling company, based in Norway. The part of the business that I work in is focussed on providing reverse vending machines for recycling empty drinks containers.
What do you do?
I am the Marketing Manager for the UK business. This means that I have overall responsibility for growing the awareness of TOMRA amongst retailers in the UK, as these will be the people to buy the recycling machines.
The main areas that I focus on are:
- Creating a marketing strategy
- Executing the annual marketing plan
- Managing external marketing agencies: PR, creative and digital
- Managing social media and the website
- Reporting on KPIs
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
When I arrived to study at York, I was unsure what career to pursue. It was only after being part of Alcuin's JCRC, that I began to consider a career in marketing. I realised that I really enoyed the planning process of Fresher's Week; particularly the variety it offered and the opporunity to be involved in everything from design to budgeting. For me, it was the perfect mix of right and left brain.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
Yes, I hadn't anticipated working in the Environmental sector when I graduated, this has been something that's evolved as I've worked - and also as awareness around sustainability and the climate have increased.
Describe your most memorable day at work
My most memorable day at work was when I was involved in the photography for a big advertising campaign.
It was during my first job, straight out of university, and the whole experience was entirely new to me. What struck me was how long every photo took! There was so much detail involved, from the lights, to the props. We were only shooting about 3 photos but the whole process took about 12 hours, with a team of 15 people. I was amazed at the attention to detail that was required and it was insightful to see how the different members of the team all had their own part of the project to deliver.
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
Persuading senior stakeholders to believe in a marketing idea or campaign can be challenging sometimes, especially securing budget.
I have found that the best way to overcome this is to know your audience and to take them on the journey with you. If you're speaking to someone from the finance team, make sure you talk numbers with them. Equally, if you've got someone who's more concerned about the creative of the campaign, focus on that. And importantly, always show that you have passion and belief in the project.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
I was in the Alcuin JCRC throughout my time at York - first as an Entertainment Officer and then as Chair of Alcuin. This experience was pretty transformative for me. It led me to identify marketing as a career that I'd like to pursue, it taught me leadership skills, how to motivate people, how to work under pressure, how to budget...I also had the opporunity to attend meetings with the university, so this was a great introduction to meetings in the corporate workd.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
- Sometimes you just need to hear from someone who's been there, to know where to start. Ask around, people are always keen to share their experience. If you ask enough people, you're likely to know someone with even a vague link to the industry you're looking to break into. Be clear about what you'd like to know and ask for 30 minutes of people's time (knowing that they will probably give you more).
- Create/maintain your online presence - Linkedin in an amazing tool for this. Spend some time making sure that your 'summary' is a reflection of your key skills. Join some forums or groups related to your interests or industry, share articles that you're interested in. The more you use it, the more useful it will become for you.
- Be curious. When considering job offers, evaluate how much each opportunity will enable you to learn - in the first few years' out of uni, that's your main goal!
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
- Career planning
- Personal developlment
- Marketing, PR, media
- Consumer Goods
- Sustainability
Next steps...
If you like the look of Lizzie’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Lizzie a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask Lizzie to be your mentor.