Name: Megan Watson
Job Title: Communications and Marketing Officer
What job(s) did you do before this?
I worked as a communications and marketing officer at the Science and Technology Facilities Council in Daresbury. In this role, I promoted the science, technology, research and innovation that was happening in the Northwest, including advances in AI and big data, magnets and technology to be installed on CERN and the European Spallation Source and worked with many small businesses to promote the collaboration between businesses and STFC.
Briefly describe a typical day in your job role (tasks carried out)
At Alder Hey, I work across Research, Innovation, Academy and Digital, and I am responsible for sharing all the good news stories and successes of those teams. Not two days are the same in my role as a comms officer. One day I could be filming and editing videos showcasing the innovation in the Liverpool City Region and the next I could be talking to parents about their child’s involvement in research.
Have you had any special training/completed any qualifications?
I have a first-class degree in Marketing Management from Manchester Metropolitan University. Whilst on my degree I undertook a placement year to work in industry. On that placement I was a Communications placement student, and this is where I fell in love with all thing’s communications and press.
What would you say your key skills are? What type of person are you?
I am a very creative person, and I think my skill set is reflected in that. I am a visual learner, and you will always find me with a colourful and fun notepad and a
selection of coloured pens and highlighters. This helps me process and remember information and is especially useful in a communications role.
I would say my key skills are:
Talking and listening – this is a key skill in my role and important to make feel comfortable for interviews both just one and one and in front of the camera.
Copywriting – it is key in my role, pulling together different types of content for different audiences. Sometimes one project needs to be written in multiple different ways for a selection of different.
Photography and videography – One important part of my role is taking photos and videoing projects and turning them into high quality assets that can be used across our channels.