Carmel Nolan
Prenton,Merseyside
Summary
Builds high-level with grass roots relationships across politics, media, philanthropy, corporate partners and charities to strengthen collaborative campaigning and create coalitions. Creates relationships and gathers information to underpin honest, compassionate and authentic communications that engender trust in the messenger/brand to effect ambitious and compassionate reform.
Overview
38
38
years of professional experience
Work History
Media & Communications Director
Office of Gordon & Sarah Brown
Hybrid
04.2020 - Current
- Established and nurtured collaborative relationships with political, media, corporate, philanthropic, and grassroots charity stakeholders to enhance campaign effectiveness.
- Devised compassionate campaign strategies for local, national, and international reform to drive public engagement and awareness.
- Coordinate campaign approaches to strengthen public support for kind and compassionate reform grounded in maintaining the care and respect of individual human dignity.
- Advise Mr Brown on campaign priorities, messages, and stakeholder engagement plans.
- Supported establishment and development of The Multibank charity, fostering partnerships with corporate sponsors and stakeholders.
Head of Communications
Transport Salaried Services Association
Hybrid/ London
11.2015 - 03.2019
- Managed a small team, including 2 press officers and 1 political officer.
- Devised and directed rail safety campaigns to enhance railway staff engagement and promote safety culture.
- Coordinated daily political contact with devolved administrations to ensure alignment on key issues.
- Handled white-collar union political liaison with senior Labour figures across campaigns.
- Developed targeted union messaging to effectively communicate key decisions to members.
- Supported safer inclusion through staffing focus to enable inclusive rail travel.
- Built working relationships with SNP administration in Holyrood as part liaison.
- Supervised printing press staff to design and produce campaign materials for recruitment.
Coordinator Prevent Elder Abuse Awareness Scheme
Age Concern Wirral and Comic Relief
Wirral, Merseyside
03.2007 - 10.2007
- Coordinated UK's first locally-based elder abuse awareness campaign for Comic Relief with Age Concern Wirral, piloting community engagement strategies informed by Comic Relief's 2007 landmark study on abuse and neglect of older people.
- Partnered with Age Concern Wirral stakeholders and Comic Relief UK partners to interpret national findings to drive local reform.
- Developed the tagline “Elder abuse is no laughing matter” to frame educational initiatives on emotional, physical, and financial abuse while enhancing awareness of dementia-related issues.
Producer
BBC Radio Merseyside
Liverpool, Merseyside
09.1997 - 05.2006
- Oversaw output, content, planning, and live broadcast of radio programmes, including leading breakfast and early morning shows, the top-rated programmes in BBC local radio network during tenure.
- Developed comprehensive production schedules, detailing all phases of production from concept to completion.
- Stayed calm and professional during moments of extreme stress to accomplish production goals.
- Researched potential stories and developed ideas to appeal to target audiences.
Freelance journalist
Self-employed
Hybrid, Merseyside
09.1995 - 06.1997
- Produced engaging business, food, lifestyle, and advertising features for Liverpool Echo and Daily Post, driving reader interest across Merseyside, Cheshire, and North Wales.
- Interviewed sources, contacts and leads to gather information for stories.
- Researched topics and checked facts to maintain high standard of journalistic integrity.
- Visualised complex ideas into compelling stories accurately, creatively and intelligently.
Night News Editor
The Daily Post
Liverpool, Merseyside
02.1993 - 09.1993
- Managed late-shift news operations and late-breaking stories and worked with late sub-editors and the printers to ensure the morning print edition went to press accurately and on time to ensure early delivery to news outlets.
- Interviewed sources, contacts and leads to gather information for stories.
- Managed production schedules to guarantee timely delivery of digital and print editions.
- Organised interviews and prepared associated pieces covering important political and business figures.
Reporter
The Daily Post
Liverpool, Merseyside
04.1991 - 08.1992
- Devised, researched, conducted interviews and wrote up news and feature reports for for the production of a daily newspaper .
Producer
Radio City,
Liverpool
09.1989 - 03.1991
- Produced launch of new programme for first independent talk radio station outside London.
- With specific remit to attract women listeners, devised a series of daily radio phone-ins which included the first ever UK public phone- in dedicated to reviewing TV's soap operas.
Reporter
Mercury Press Agency
Liverpool , Merseyside
09.1988 - 09.1989
- Devised, gathered, wrote news stories from region for fast distribution to national and international newspapers and broadcast organisations. This period included the time of the Hillsborough Disaster.
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Humanities
Bristol Polytechnic
Bristol 01-1988
Skills
- Practitioner of Kindness management
- Campaign strategy
- Stakeholder engagement
- Media relations
- Public affairs
- Lived experience storytelling
Timeline
Media & Communications Director
Office of Gordon & Sarah Brown
04.2020 - Current
Head of Communications
Transport Salaried Services Association
11.2015 - 03.2019
Coordinator Prevent Elder Abuse Awareness Scheme
Age Concern Wirral and Comic Relief
03.2007 - 10.2007
Producer
BBC Radio Merseyside
09.1997 - 05.2006
Freelance journalist
Self-employed
09.1995 - 06.1997
Night News Editor
The Daily Post
02.1993 - 09.1993
Reporter
The Daily Post
04.1991 - 08.1992
Producer
Radio City,
09.1989 - 03.1991
Reporter
Mercury Press Agency
09.1988 - 09.1989
Bachelor of Arts - Humanities
Bristol Polytechnic