Janet
Janet provide/manage operation and development of ultrafast broadband network and IT services for UK research and education sector (>18m end users). c.140 staff. It is a publically funded, not-for-profit company, based at Harwell, in Oxfordshire.
Services in 2012 included: development of emerging technology; connectivity (lightpaths, Janet 3G, authentication eduroam); security (filtering, certificates, threat monitoring); ISP (nameserver, domain name allocation, webmail and web hosting); collaboration (videoconferencing, telephony and advisory); cloud and shared services (SAAS, PAAS, Co-location services & procurement).
“Aileen remained a pleasure to work with: combining dedicated professionalism with a wicked sense of humour.”
Dan Perry, Director of Product and Marketing, Janet
Marketing consultant brief
To review activities and performance of the marketing team against the business needs of the organisation over six weeks.
Click to view achievements
To review activities and performance of the marketing team against the business needs of the organisation over six weeks. Achievements
- Designed and executed the Marketing Review through two main strands of work:
- In-depth structured interviews with Senior Management and ‘burning issues’ meetings with key internal customers
- Designed and ran a workshop for Marketing & Web team, followed by in-depth follow-up structured interviews with the teams.
- Converted findings into two reports including sectional summation and analysis and conclusions, which then fed into an overall Gap Analysis report for the CEO & Head of Business Strategy.
- Created an actionable set of recommendations, including new structure of Marketing, complete with new job descriptions and new roles.
Interim Head of Marketing brief
To drive through the transformation of marketing (over an eight-month period) through the commercial refocusing and rebuilding of the function.
Click to view achievements
- Designed, recruited, mentored and established a new five-strong professional marketing team, as well as a new policy and public affairs role against an ongoing deluge of marketing demands from the business
- Created a corporate marketing strategy (including service & product plans & supporting toolkits)
- Led a branding project designed to flush out the core proposition to better position the organisation for the ongoing political & funding challenges and to create proper brand guidelines & image library (working with brand agency).
- Introduced classic marketing discipline (including briefing processes and workflow schedules).
“As soon as Aileen comes in the door there is a sense of energy and drive. She is a person clearly on top of her game and with a mix of carrot and stick can motivate and inspire a marketing team to go to places that they had hitherto not reached. At Janet we needed to almost completely start again virtually replacing a whole team and then to educate the company as to the opportunities offered by a “real” marketing team. As well as this structural re-organisation Aileen led a major rebranding exercise as well as recruiting a first class leader to take over from her.
“Aileen has made a significant difference to Janet which has permeated not only through the marketing team but throughout the whole company. We now stand equipped to effectively face the challenges that the new and more competitive operating landscape brings and this is due in no small part to the contribution made to our company by Aileen.”
“I was privileged to work with Aileen as she completed her role as Interim Head of Marketing, and handed over to me as the new incumbent at Janet. Aileen was extremely thorough in her handover, managing simultaneously to transfer her knowledge of the organisation as well as completing outstanding projects. Aileen’s enthusiasm and energy for marketing is unrivalled and I feel very lucky to have worked with her at Janet.”
“Aileen has been instrumental to the turnaround marketing within Janet.
“From day one it was clear that she had the drive, determination and character to build a new function capable of delivering for the company far into the future. Aileen launched, and delivered, a thorough, well considered branding programme that has transformed the look and feel of Janet, including all collateral, templates and every communication with a new tone of voice. She has developed the quality marketing plans that would be expected from someone with her level of knowledge and experience.
“In parallel Aileen has worked with senior managers to build a new high performing team that started delivering within weeks of formation. Despite the many challenges implicit in change management, Aileen remained a pleasure to work with; combining dedicated professionalism with a wicked sense of humour.”
“It’s been an absolute pleasure working with Aileen – Working with an expert and having fun doing it. I couldn’t have wished for a better boss. Not only did she develop a professional and effective marketing function within our organisation, she managed to change the culture of the company to make it much more customer focused rather than technology led. Thanks to Aileen, I have developed my own skills and our department has gone from strength to strength – with new practices and procedures now in place, Marketing is now enjoying a new found level of respect from our colleagues and we are now proactively leading the company rather than simply acting as a support function. All this would not have been possible without the skills, enthusiasm and tenacity of Aileen.”
“Aileen successfully guided Janet through a far-reaching re-branding exercise that addressed not just the look of the company but also changed aspects of the underlying culture for the better. Her short stay with us had a real impact.”