Job Profile

What does your job involve and what might a typical day involve?

My remit is to make sure as many, and as wide a range of people, get to know about the work 10:10 is doing to reduce carbon emissions. It’s about getting the debate over climate change out to a new audience – be it through getting the 10:10 tags around the necks of celebrities and onto the pages of fashion magazines, to publicising Lighter Later – our drive to move the nation’s clocks forward to reduce emissions and prevent road deaths. While my title is press manager it’s an extremely varied job – from organising speakers at events, to shepherding video crews around London to film 10:10 businesses, to making short films for the 10:10 website and briefing celebrity sign-ups on the campaign so they can talk about it in interviews.

What qualifications and experience did you have before starting the job?

Before joining 10:10 in March I worked for many years writing for and editing celebrity magazines. This included three years as assistant editor at Smash Hits!, where I interviewed everyone from Britney Spears to Blink 182, and three years as assistant editor of new! magazine, plus stints on Heat, OK!, Reveal and Star. In terms of academic qualifications, I studied media and immersed myself in student media at university, which is what got me a foot in the door in journalism when I started out.

What are the best and worst bits of your job?

It’s so rewarding when sectors of society not usually aware of climate change or their own carbon emissions hear about 10:10 through new exciting means – like the dance music record dedicated to 10:10 being put out by DJ Tom Middleton, or through people like Sienna Miller or Daisy Lowe wearing 10:10 tags. What’s less satisfying is journalists not wanting to write about 10:10 or returning calls or emails because they don’t think climate change is cool or newsy enough.

What satisfaction do you get from your work and how does it make a difference?

It’s still early days, but I’m really enthused by the people I work with and the sheer positivity in the office. 10:10 is such a fast-moving campaign and if you take a few days out you miss all sorts of things. The fact that we can see, daily, how many people are signing up to 10:10 and cutting their carbon gives us a real boost and keeps everyone motivated. While I loved working in magazines it’s great to think I’m helping people make a positive change to the way they live. Happily many of 10:10’s recommendations don’t just cut carbon but save money and make people fitter and hopefully happier.

Do you have any tips for someone looking for a career in this area?

I think it helps that I’ve spent a decade sitting on the other side of a desk as a journalist so I know what journalists want and need in terms of getting 10:10’s messages placed in the media. Generally speaking though, you need to be super-organised and keep a cool head under pressure. You need to be comfortable speaking to people from all walks of life, from CEOs to pop stars to 10:10 families. But passion is the main thing, oodles and oodles of passion!

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