'I care about communicating clearly. Research and evaluation projects are more likely to be influential if findings are conveyed in a lively and accessible way. Strategies and policy papers get their point across best if they steer clear of jargon and use everyday language.
As head of communications and strategy I concentrate on two things. First: making sure that what we learn from the work we do with public services gets the audience it deserves. Second: helping people in public services to achieve maximum impact in the way they communicate – with service users, staff, stakeholders and communities. In practice, this means co-designing, overseeing and evaluating communication campaigns involving events, web, social media, publications and joint communication with OPM’s partners. I also have day-to-day responsibility for our Public Interest Programme, although in keeping with OPM’s ethos that’s very much everyone’s affair.
Last but certainly not least, I work extensively with colleagues in the local government sector, which is where I’ve specialised since joining OPM in 2003. As well as helping councils to improve outcomes for service users and communities in the context of far fewer traditional resources, my work with local authorities has a focus on supporting staff in particular services to make the transition to mutual employee ownership.'