Meet James

What attracted you to Communicorp UK?

The way the company isn’t afraid to be different! CCUK took a big risk on hiring me while I was still at university and I knew if they were willing to take that chance with me then it was a company I wanted to be a part of. 

I originally worked as part of the Heart Street Team (Angels) and the culture really stood out to me even as a freelancer. Everyone here doesn't mind going out of their way to help you if you have a question even if you are casual staff, which I think is great.  

Describe your job in one sentence.

I market Heart Hertfordshire to be the best in the TSA and help create amazing events for our clients. 

What do you enjoy the most about CCUK and your role? 

The ability to step outside your comfort zone and try something that you believe will benefit the client or the brand and know that you have a team of people around to support you in the decisions you make. I love collaborating with different people and learning new things that will benefit myself and the company. 

What opportunities have you gained from working with us? 

The role has taken me all over the UK, I have been over to the Lake District and raised money for Make Some Noise with Go Wild Experiences, the Marketing Academy has taken me over to the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and I’ve entertained clients at Watford Football Club. It's been fantastic to be part of such huge events and play a huge part in them as we are such a small team. But this wasn't something I would've leapt at before, this company gave me the push needed to try something new. 

How do you use Personal Best to focus on your yearly goals? 

Personal Best has allowed me to set my goals out for the year and has given me focus on what I want to achieve. One of my own goals was to expand my knowledge in digital marketing, from this I have been enrolled on a number of online course and the opportunity to take a couple hours out the business each week to focus on my own personal development. 

As you are a Culture Champion, how would you describe our culture to someone who doesn't work here?

It's one of a kind. You can pick up the phone to anyone in our business, no matter what level they are on and they are happy to help you. I'm quite confident that I could call our Chief Executive and he would be happy to have a conversation with me. Developing the kind of environment where you're not scared to ask a question, even if it's daft, is quite the feat - but it's one Communicorp have managed. The culture extends past work as well - to see that someone is taking time out of their day to make sure that we're ok, not just at work, with #WellnessWednesday is amazing. We have a positive culture here and it makes me look forward to coming to work every day. I definitely get excited for a Monday. 

Our mission is to be radio people who make a difference. What does this mean for you and how have you made a difference in your role, team and station? 

You can make a difference to your clients with events such as the Heart Hertfordshire Hero Awards but for me, it's mainly for creating unmissable moments with our listeners. Having MAD money gives us the opportunity to make a difference in our local community. 

Every year in Hertfordshire, there is a couple who put on a Christmas light display on their house. They get hundreds of people to come to visit and see the lights each year. Even though it is something quite small in the TSA, they were raising money for charity and we wanted to help. So, each year our presenters and Heart Angels go along and do a Christmas lights switch on for them. I can't wait for us to be part of that again and create a feel-good moment in the community.