Bill Connors
Seattle, WA
Director
/ Senior Manager / Manager
Marketing
/ Marketing Communications
Highly
experienced, strategic and action-oriented Marketing Communications
professional with significant expertise and accomplishment in matrix
environments, strategic planning, budgeting, qualitative/quantitative research
and creative development
Strong
skills in implementing marketing programs for both consumer and B2B that
integrate branding, positioning, social media and event planning/management
that result in enhanced and measurable audience awareness, acquisition,
retention and satisfaction
Exceptional presentation, written and interpersonal communication skills
that promote innovative Client/Vendor/Partner and cross-team relationships
resulting in actionable and forward-thinking results.
SKILLS AND EXPERTISE
Strategic marketing/branding communications for internal and external
audiences, client and vendor relationship management, financial and budgetary
oversight and management, driving cost savings while increasing departmental
revenue.
Strategy,
Project Management, Program Management, Marketing Communications, Social Media,
Product Marketing, Leadership, Vendor Management, Strategic Planning, Multi-channel
Marketing
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Senior
Marketing Communications Manager
Artisan
Collection
June 2011 – November 2015 - Puget Sound, WA & Bali, Indonesia
• Increase customer
acquisition/retention by developing and implementing strategic planning, value
proposition, branding, consumer segmentation, promotions and other targeted
marketing efforts (including email campaigns and social media presence) for
this Fair Trade retail company.
• Manage participation in
over 20 trade and consumer events which resulted in a combined increase in
wholesale and retail sales of 42% within first year
• Successfully aligned with
domestic and foreign product and design teams resulting in improved positioning
around client purchasing trends
Change
Management Marketing Communications Manager
Microsoft
/ COMSYS
2011 – 2011 (less than a
year) Redmond, WA
• Co-developed and managed
the deployment of a rolling change management framework for the phased
transition of enhanced global cloud service and Office 365 offerings for over
2,000 advanced education institutions worldwide
• Created and deployed change
management positioning, communications plan and deliverables across multiple
work streams and channels (including web page content, direct email, streaming
video, podcasts and collateral
• Oversaw all proactive and
reactive communications in response to customer, partner and other
stakeholder’s needs and issues
• Consultant
Marketing
Communications Program Manager
Microsoft
Windows Embedded / Compucom
2009 – 2010 (1 year) Redmond,
WA
• Spearheaded and managed
synchronized communications, licensing and operational deliverables/processes
for Microsoft’s Windows Embedded Standard 7 launch events
• Insured accurate and timely
communication and reporting for Product Marketing, technical, operational and
licensing teams for use across marketing organization
• Provided strong project
management/internal marcom skills and deliverables to facilitate rapid
deployment of time sensitive information (i.e. timeline changes, issue
resolution, etc.) across engineering, development and executive teams
• Consultant
Global
Marketing Communications Program Manager/Producer
Microsoft
Xbox / Filter Talent
2007 – 2008 (1 year) Redmond,
WA
• Developed and steered
increased Xbox LIVE consumer awareness and user participation by partnering
with the technical design, production, content providers and third party
agencies/vendors to insure successfully branded rollouts of over 20 game, music
and film/TV service marketing campaigns
• Created all marketing
content within lines of business for two domestic monthly online newsletters
with subscription audience of 250K
• Produced creative and
development vendor SOWs and PO while providing oversight and budgetary
compliance for all deliverables
• Consultant
Global
Marketing Communications Manager
Microsoft
Global Art Compliance / Filter Talent
2007 – 2007 (less than a year)
Redmond, WA
• Key responsibilities for
the Microsoft account included developing a ground-up communications plan
scalable for rollout to a diverse worldwide Microsoft team tasked with
advancing quality product imaging/branding across all global products and their
client base
• Co-developed and co-managed
an intranet community redesign and refresh within first two months
• Managed and leveraged
employee feedback data, content review, focus groups and event planning for
team's first ever annual Global Summit
• Consultant
Strategic
Marketing Communications Program Manager
Microsoft
Trustworthy Computing / Filter Talent
2006 – 2007 (1 year) Redmond,
WA
• Responsible for designing
and delivering all on/offline communications programs and content aimed at expanding
corporate tenet awareness/technical engagement for Microsoft worldwide
• Authored content and
collateral for both internal/external websites and SharePoint sites
• Strategically mapped out
new communication plans for FY07 including ongoing web content refreshes,
online newsletter layout and delivery, event presence and related messaging
• Consultant
Partner
Marketing Manager
Microsoft
North American Partner Programs / Volt
2005 – 2006 (1 year) Redmond,
WA
• Responsible for daily
marketing operations/program support and guidance for US partner programs
totaling over 72,000 members.
• Key marketing group contact
for program initiative rollouts and project management, quality assurance and
customer satisfaction.
• Vendor escalation point for
all programmatic and initiative/project issues and questions.
• Consultant
Principal
/ Consultant
WMC
Consulting
2002 – 2005 (3 years) Domestic
US
• Provided marketing plans
and project management/strategic guidance services for start-up companies
seeking additional financing and investment through increased consumer
awareness, exposure and market visibility
• Clients ranged from online
retailers and game play companies to consumer service providers
• A+ average client follow-up
rating with an increase in client base of 166% within 1st year
Category
Program Manager
Microsoft
Corporation
1999 – 2002 (3 years) Redmond,
WA
• Strategically managed multiple
enterprise vendors servicing internal corporate clients (then 40,000+
employees) while successfully overseeing $15 million budget, driving cost
containment, increasing revenue, enhancing product offerings/service levels and
improving QA and KPI’s.
• Created first ever business
reporting and knowledge sharing architecture across five field sites, resulting
in 100% accuracy in weekly operating reports.
• Acting as Product Manager
for lines of business “owned”, successfully set vision and managed multiple
business-specific marketing communication channels (including websites, email
aliases, videos, and surveys) - as well as all vendor presence at various
internal/external events.
• Defined, managed and
reported to executive management 9 quarterly business performance reviews with
cost reductions to businesses managed totaling $2 million
Lead
Marketing Communications Program Manager
Microsoft
Corporation
1998 – 1999 (1 year) Redmond,
WA
• Managed IT Marketing
Communications’ team including the oversight of all daily operations and
strategic communications evangelizing IT related product and service rollouts
• Promoted IT services
worldwide by deploying more than 80 paper/online articles for corporate wide
weekly publication and supervised ongoing IT content for trade publications,
web site content and other internal/external communication channels
• Defined and shared
first-ever IT-specific communication policy and best-practices with corporate
stakeholders/decision makers
• Negotiated win-win
opportunities with IT and Business IT teams to identify, participate in and
deliver on all business critical communications for aimed at maximizing
corporate IT expenditures for internal audience and new product/service
enhancements for external Enterprise customers.
Marketing
Manager / Producer
Volt/Microsoft
1994 – 1999 (5 years) Redmond,
WA
• Implemented various MSN
membership acquisition/retention merchandising programs (web-based
cross-promotions, POP vehicles, banner ads, etc.) by collaborating with MSN
marketing managers/ad agencies and retail partners to define creative and
technical needs/scope while insuring efficient production cycle
• Launched first-ever
MSN-DreamWorks co-marketing gaming site for feature film/merchandising
releases. Membership renewal rate attributable to managed programs – 34%
• Contractor
Sales
/ Account Executive
Paragon
1993 – 1994 (1 year) Seattle,
WA
• Managed assigned clientele
marketing collateral with a focus on video productions and presentation
material
Story
Editor / Development Manager
Columbia
Pictures, Dick Clark Prods., Imagine Entertainment, Turner Network Television
& others
1986 – 1993 (7 years) Los
Angeles, CA
• Managed full range of TV
and motion picture project development through pre-production stage for
TV/film, companies and major studios
• Worked closely with
traditional and cable networks, writers, agents and talent in aligning audience
profiles with production-ready material
• Analyzed over 500 scripts
and other source material for option/buy-out potential and production
viability. Assessed deal terms. Drove network pitches for TV project placement.
EDUCATIONAL
QUALIFICATIONS
California
University Los Angeles Graduate School (coursework)
Post
graduate coursework, Industrial and Organizational Psychology
Industrial/Organizational
Psychology
Activities
and Societies: Microsoft Alumni Association
San
Francisco State University
Bachelor
of Arts, Communications
Field
and in studio production work including directing, reporting, writing, editing,
audio engineering, lighting engineering and program marketing
Activities
and Societies: Theatre minor with stage production work including lighting,
production management, performance and audio engineering
San
Francisco State University
Bachelor
of Arts (B.A.), Communications
Certification:
SDLC
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