Callan Lawrence
Hamilton,NSW
Summary
Relational, goal-oriented leader with 5+ years' managing, coaching and leading in organisations. My professional experience and focus is on growing the capacity and revenue of organiations that campaign and advocate for political change.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Organiser
Hunter Community Alliance
02.2020 - Current
- Grow the organisation's membership and funding base.
- Coach and manage a multidisciplinary team of more than 20 diverse leaders.
- Oversee all political engagement in line with our organisation's mandate and the competing interests and political perspectives of member organisations.
- Develop the organisational structure, culture and operations.
- Train members in community organising, develop new community leaders, and create opportunities for social change.
Communications and Marketing Consultant
Executive Central
07.2018 - 03.2021
- Project managed the design, development and implementation of new corporate website.
- Research and audit of corporate communications effectiveness, followed by design and implementation of new strategy.
- Conducted trials and tests of marketing channels such as paid acquisition, social media and fresh content creation.
- Oversaw preparation of marketing copy, images, videos, emails and other collateral.
- Secured long-term accounts by recommending strategies to promote brand effectiveness and highlight product benefits.
Content Marketing Specialist
Newcastle Permanent Building Society
Newcastle, NSW
07.2017 - 04.2019
- Developed the organisation's first content marketing strategy
- Created on-brand, best-in-class content, tailored to appropriate customers and built acquisition and adoption campaigns for prospects and customers.
- Worked with vendors and developed digital assets, including a new content marketing hub website, in line with branding and best practices.
- Performed marketing communications-related research and continuously enhanced company's digital presence.
- Managed digital asset libraries and delivered to team members promptly upon request.
Acting Corporate Communication Manager
Settlement Services International
05.2017 - 07.2017
- Responsible for managing four communications coordinators, two events planners, two graphic designers and an arts and culture program manager
- Advised the CEO, Chair, and executive of potential media opportunities and risks.
Acting Corporate Communication Manager
Settlement Services International
10.2016
Acting Corporate Communication Manager
Settlement Services International
09.2015 - 10.2015
Digital Content Manager
Settlement Services International
01.2014 - Current
- SSI)
- SSI is a non-profit organisation that employees more than 500 people in NSW
- This role is diverse and spans internal and external communications and marketing strategies, stakeholder relations, community engagement and media production
- I am also the Corporate Communications Manager’s 2IC and regularly perform the manager role
- The responsibilities include: website management; paid for and organic digital marketing; social media strategies; strategic communications; video production; media monitoring and campaign evaluation; and advising the executive on media opportunities and risk
- Achievements:
- Social media growth from 780 to more than 11,500 community members;
- Increased website traffic to ssi.org.au by 830%
- Implemented KPI and outcomes reporting for social media and online marketing strategies;
- Developed the organisation’s first social media strategy and policy;
- Project managed implementation of the organisation’s first intranet;
- Project managed development of three websites;
- Built the NSW Settlement Partnership website;
- Built Mosaic Gala event website;
- More than 690 news articles published in 2016 (source: Meltwater);
- Launched the New Roots app in partnership with beyondblue and The Movember Foundation, and successfully managed communications strategy.
Senior Journalist
Fairfax Community Newspapers
05.2010 - 12.2015
- A senior reporter for the Parramatta Sun, Hawkesbury Gazette, Blacktown Sun, Hills News and Penrith City Gazette newspapers and their websites
- This was a digital-first role that involved developing professional contacts, research and writing news, photographing and editing images and publishing to websites multiple times a day
- Achievements:
- Lead member of the editorial team that changed FCN to a “digital first” newsroom;
- Introduced analytic reporting and production based on website audience metrics;
- Tripled unique browsers (avg.) to websites in three months;
- FCN’s first and only roaming “back pack” reporter;
- Established and managed the first Facebook and Twitter channels for two newspapers;
Journalist
The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun
06.2010 - 12.2013
- Herald
- Court and night news-desk reporter
- Duties included reporting on significant court stories, following breaking news and evolving stories, and checking the day’s big news stories to ensure The Sun-Herald included all details
- Examples of work:
- Australians warned over security threats at Miss World final in Bali”, smh.com.au, September 28, 2013;
- Filed a story about murdered woman Kristi McDougall for the SMH website on August 12, 2010, that was received 143,000 reader hits on that day
- Front page story The Sydney Morning Herald, August 4, 2010, on death of Kiesha Abrahams;
Journalist
The Star
05.2007 - 05.2010
- Newcastle and Lake Macquarie, Rural Press
- The Herald, Newcastle and The Hunter
- A newspaper and online journalist, sub-editor and photographer for three years
- Duties and achievements:
- Research and write copy to daily and weekly deadlines for the publication’s news, sport, community, arts and real estate sections
- Sub-edit and layout copy for production
- Manage and edit The Star news website.
Education
Master of Digital Communication and Cultures -
University of Sydney
Bachelor degree - communications
University of Newcastle
01.2005 - 01.2010
Skills
Relationship development
Communications: interpersonal, corporate, and public relations
Creative thinking
Emotional intelligence
Adaptability
Digital applications
Accomplishments
- As the Organiser of Hunter Community Alliance I coached a team of multi-disciplinary leaders and projected managed two successful local government election campaigns in 2021.
- Managed campaign that won $12m in social housing investment in Newcastle Local Government Area (LGAs).
- Managed campaign that won policy commitments for 100% emission reduction targets across all sectors from Newcastle and Lake Macquarie LGAs by 2035, and investment in extreme weather mitigation.
- Grew membership and funding base of Hunter Community Alliance from 4 to 19 organisational members (during covid Feb 2020-2022).
- Researched, designed and implemented communications and marketing strategies for: Settlement Services International; HOST International; Executive Central, Newcastle Permanent Building Society.
- Designed and project managed Newcastle Permanent's first content marketing website: the hub.
Timeline
Organiser
Hunter Community Alliance
02.2020 - Current
Communications and Marketing Consultant
Executive Central
07.2018 - 03.2021
Content Marketing Specialist
Newcastle Permanent Building Society
07.2017 - 04.2019
Acting Corporate Communication Manager
Settlement Services International
05.2017 - 07.2017
Acting Corporate Communication Manager
Settlement Services International
10.2016
Acting Corporate Communication Manager
Settlement Services International
09.2015 - 10.2015
Digital Content Manager
Settlement Services International
01.2014 - Current
Journalist
The Sydney Morning Herald and The Sun
06.2010 - 12.2013
Senior Journalist
Fairfax Community Newspapers
05.2010 - 12.2015
Journalist
The Star
05.2007 - 05.2010
Bachelor degree - communications
University of Newcastle
01.2005 - 01.2010
Master of Digital Communication and Cultures -
University of Sydney