Margaret Paton (Jakovac)

Resume: Margaret PATON, WRITER PROFILE: An award-winning former Fairfax journalist, seasoned communications professional, who’s degree qualified and has professional experience in Australia and Europe. A strong and empathetic writer connecting publications and businesses with their readers and customers. As comfortable pitching story ideas to you or working to your brief for great content. Blayney, (near Bathurst/Orange) Central West NSW Australia 2799 - | -www.realcommunications.com.au | Facebook: Communications: Keeping It Real LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-paton-nee-jakovac-/ Niche writing areas: Education (K-12 practices especially maths/STEM, special education, edtech, VET, mlearning), business (B2B, L&D, HR, finance, small business, digtech startups, future work, leader profiles) transport-tech (MaaS, multi-modal transport systems, mobility expert profiles) Short or long-form journalism (under my byline or ghostwritten) Content marketing writing (magazines, websites, case studies, landing pages) Opinion editorials, blog, and LinkedIn posts Annual reports, speeches, media releases Sub-editing and editing newsletters/newspapers/websites 100wpm typing and shorthand corporate and news photography training Emailing Marketing (HubSpot) Copywriting Essentials Social Media E-Leaders Event Management Disability Awareness Managing Customer/Supplier Relationships Effective Negotiation LinkedIn Tips & Tricks Equity & Diversity Cross-Cultural Awareness Senior First Aid (current) Become a Better Marketer Journalism in the Digital Age Quality Process Improvement EDUCATION - CIII Micro Business Operations, Business Enterprise Centre, Orange NSW Master of Teaching, Charles Sturt University, NSW CIV Assessment and Workplace Training, TAFE NSW, Western Sydney Institute CIII Conservation and Land Management, TAFE NSW, Western Sydney Institute CIV Organic Farming, TAFE NSW, Western Sydney Institute Graduate Diploma in Communication Management, UTS, NSW Graduate cadetship, The Sunday Age newspaper, Melbourne, Victoria Bachelor of Arts (Journalism), RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE – WRITING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGEMENT Aug 2015 - cont Freelance content marketing writer/journalist News/feature writer for national print and online publications (including the Australian Educator, Australian Teacher, Education HQ, LeadershipEd, TechnologyED) involving regularly pitching story ideas to editors. Business and education ghostwriter for Australian and overseas clients for LinkedIn and blog posts (including a top global future workforce expert, Nicholas Wyman) Content marketing writer for websites, blog posts for national/international clients, and content marketing agencies (also a top-ranked Upwork writer) Oct 2015 – Apr 2016 Events Officer (6-month contract), Orange City Council, NSW Event managed with gusto and fellow staff, local business and community volunteers the Orange City Council Carols by Candlelight, New Year's Eve fireworks and Australia Day events, mayoral/civic events, Local Govt Week, citizenship ceremonies and more. Updated and improved council's event application processes for community groups/ businesses keen to run in events in the Orange LGA. Jan 2014 – Aug ‘15 Corporate Engagement Co-ordinator, Glenray Industries, Bathurst, NSW (Disability services provider and runs two Australian disability enterprises) Drove internal and external communications from a corporate level and for key brand and sub-brands (business divisions) comprising media liaison, social media management, publications, advertising, branding, merchandising, etc Developed and implemented two key strategies for ‘brand awareness and loyalty building’ as well as ‘corporate engagement/fundraising’ Created a suite of brochures from scratch, sourcing own photographs. The audience ranged from B2B clients to users of our disability services. Organised fundraising ventures and events including a successful business networking event raising a total of $40,000 during my 20 months in the role Without a budget set up and promoted a Pop Up Wedding Gown shop, raising $8000 in donations and was nominated for a ‘Movers ‘n’ Shakers in Fundraising’ Award Jan 2013 – Dec ‘13 Journalist/Photographer, Central West NSW Fairfax Media – Blayney Chronicle newspaper, weekly circulation 1,500 Managed a weekly newspaper from sourcing news, writing stories, processing community contributions, taking photographs, laying out the publication and meeting every deadline without fail Developed creative concepts for display ads and ad features (hard copy and online) for business and other clients; managed the process to publication Joint winner of the 2013-14 EC Sommerlad Memorial Award for Journalism (Country Press Association NSW) (Resigned to take a higher-paying role at Glenray) May ’10 – Jan ’13 Communications Specialist, NSW Penrith City Council, part of a team of 10 specialists Created and distributed/implemented media releases, strategies, social media and website posts, opinion editorials and took photographs Compiled the annual report (securing a bronze national award), staff newsletter (for 1100 staff) and community newsletter (circulated 55,000 copies to residents) (Resigned to work for Fairfax Media, closer to my new home in the Central West of NSW) Dec ‘08 – Apr ’10 Senior Communications Officer, contract (renewed) – part time NSW Officer of the Vice-Chancellor, Charles Sturt University, campuses in NSW/Vic/Canada Tackled day-to-day internal and external communications for the Vice-Chancellor: writing official letters, internal bulletins, web site, media releases/responses, speech notes, strategic messages, and annual report. Apr 2008 – Jun ‘09 Journalist/Sub-Editor/Ad Rep and Reliving Editor (casual) NSW Fairfax Media: Blayney Chronicle, Central Western Daily, Mid State Observer Wrote news and ad features, sub-edited and desktop designed pages, took photographs Helped design and implement concepts to sell advertising features and display ads Acting editor stints for The Blayney Chronicle and The Mid State Observer Aug 06 – Feb 08 Manager, Media Relations, Events & Promotions, Sydney NSW Holroyd City Council – managed a $750K budget, publications, media, and flagship events Successfully managed external communications Media liaison / created and implemented communications strategies Publication design/printing and distribution for web and hard copy Marketing / events management / maintained branded merchandise/mayoral gifts Managed a team of five staff and many volunteers to run Australia Day activities attracting about 17,000 people, Local Government Week activities plus a CityFest local festival comprising more than 20 local events held over 10 days (Resigned to move full-time to our hobby farm in Trunkey Creek, near Bathurst) July 95 – cont Contract/Freelance Writer/Communications and Media Specialist, Sydney NSW National, metro, regional, specialist and online publications Various sectors: education, farming, local govt, industry, energy, govt dpts/authorities Casual A-grade reporter for the Fairfax Community Newspapers and the Cumberland Newspaper Group Feature and news story writer for The Age (business), The Sunday Age, The Australian Financial Review, Youth Press (regular newsmagazine issued in Greece), Australian Educator, Australian Doctor, The Australian Farm Journal, Grass Roots, Small Farms, Overseas Trading, Parenting, Organic Garden, HR Report, WorkForce, E-Commerce Today and Town & Country Farmer. Layout designer of the quarterly Bathurst Regional Art Gallery Society’s newsletter Freelance copywriter of business profiles for Regus (multinational) Part-time editor of Integral Energy’s monthly staff newspaper Created three regular internal newsletters for NRMA Motoring & Services Media advisor for Hills Shire Council, TAFE NSW - Western Sydney University, Roads & Maritime Services, Sydney Catchment Authority, American Express, Macquarie University, WorkCover NSW, Finance Sector Union, Community Aid Abroad, Flights Under the Flight Path and Melbourne’s Council of Adult Education Jan ’95 – Jun ‘95 Chief Journalist, Foreign Press Bureau, Europe Ministry of Information, Croatia (during the war) Compiled twice-daily English-language news bulletins and general articles about Croatia for journalists and news agencies worldwide; liaised with media Sep ’93 – Dec 94 Editor, Corporate newsmagazine, Victoria Victoria University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria Planned, scheduled, wrote, commissioned articles for and managed the production and distribution of the university's corporate quarterly magazine, Horizons Jul ’89 – Aug ’93 Staff Journalist – initially cadet, then promoted to B-grade journalist over time The Sunday Age newspaper, Melbourne, Victoria Wrote regular business and news stories (including several for p1) and features from own ideas and direction. Interviewed prominent business figures. Provided a wide and sometimes critical coverage of residential, commercial and industrial property markets