Zoë Simek

Design Manager

Chartered Institute of Environmental Health – London SE1
Membership organisation, publisher and accredited training provider
April 2008 – February 2017

I managed a team of four in-house designers and external suppliers to deliver a full range of services, including video, digital, print, editorial, training publishing, and advertising. I tracked costs, monitored performance and developed staff skills to meet evolving business needs. Within my role I:

• Identified priorities and planned resources, informing internal clients of progress
• Wrote an easy-to-access design brief for clients new to commissioning design work
• Complied with OFQUAL regulator requirements, ensuring adherent design processes
• Developed cross-department relationships, using presentations and inductions to explain what’s involved design and how it can reach department’s business aims
• Contributed as a hands-on designer and creative lead

Achievements:

• Increased staff retention by developing individuals strengths and considering personal career goals when allocating work tasks, coordinating this with appraisals to provide structured progression and training
• Maintained team motivation during periods of company restructuring involving redundancy and changing work patterns
• Wrote Brand Review workshops and coordinated company feedback to create a refreshed, online-savvy brand.  Designed and implemented the new Brand Guidelines
• Redesigned the CIEH range of training course-books to suit changing customer profiles. I Managed the tender for specialist suppliers and set up workflow to link with in-house design.

Design work included:

Course books, training materials, certificates, print and online magazines, websites, email and social media communications, annual reports, advertising campaigns for events and the CIEH venue, policy documents, a peer-review journal, animations, video shorts, photography, sub-branding for new-business initiatives

creative head

Parador Properties – Redhill, Surrey
Overseas property sales specialist
April 2007 – March 2008

Led a creative department of three, working closely with the Marketing Manager to produce collateral for a busy sales events schedule, including high volume advertising for local and national press, central property catalogue, brochures, point of sale material and email newsletters.

Achievements:

• Created profitable and effective supplier relationships
• In addition to main role, took on responsibility for upgrade of design software, mac hardware, archiving
• Designed and launched Parador re-brand and implemented updates Europe wide

design Manager

Sodexo UK – London
Multinational catering and support services company for Healthcare, Education and Industry
January 2004 – April 2007

Responsible for the in-house design studio, serving Catering and Support Service units nationwide, with 2 reporting members of staff. I enjoyed designing for clients with different needs, across the wide range of business areas, which included Schools, Councils, Hospitals and Corporate Financial Institutions.

Achievements:

• Increased studio efficiency by managing expectations and streamlining client approval procedures
• Improved corporate branding on sales tenders, annual reports and company communications.
• Designed sub-brand identities and provided guidance on using on retail outlets
• Introduced environmentally friendly print

designer

Miller Bainbridge & Partners – London
Full service advertising agency. Clients include Natwest, Toyota, Lexus, Powergen and BT
August 1999 – December 2003

Gained agency experience working on high profile consumer brands. Including use of brand guidelines, workflow process, time management; tracking and charging, idea generation, team brainstorming and concept presentation.