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I'm a UX and Innovation Leader at Blood Cancer UK, the UK's largest blood cancer charity, I'm responsible for end-to-end product development.
I was given the opportunity to establish an innovation function at the charity in 2018, after almost 10 years working in the fundraising department, focussing on products and relationship development. In the past 4 years I have changed the charity's approach to product development, switching the methodology from a top-down, waterfall, approach to an agile and user-centred methodology, based on design thinking.
I'm really proud that some of the products I've developed have changed the lives of people with blood cancer; whether that's a fundraising product that went on to be the most successful product in the charity's 60 year history or overhauling the health information we provide to patients when they're first diagnosed with blood cancer.
More about my career to date
April 2022 - Present - Blood Cancer UK, UX and Innovation Lead
Responsible for leading UX activities across Blood Cancer UK and assessing and prioritising the best opportunities to deliver new and innovative products. I lead multi-disciplinary teams to deliver new products and improve existing ones, ensuring that they're both user-centred and driven by insight and data.
Specific projects:
- Undertook a piece of in-depth user research to understand how users were using our online health information. Research techniques included user interviews, moderated and unmoderated usability studies. Research insights fed into website product roadmap for coming 5 years.
- Currently redesigning mobile navigation experience of Blood Cancer UK website; building an improved menu, improved IA and new homepage.
December 2019 - Present - Product Development Manager
Organisation-wide responsibility for innovation and user-centred product development. Based within the digital team, but working in collaboratively with teams across the organisation and externally to embed user research techniques.
Specific projects:
- Researched, developed and delivered Walk of Light - the most successful fundraising event in the charity’s history, raising £450,000 net profit against a target of £50,000. Event shortlisted for 2021 Charity Times Digital Fundraising Event of the Year.
- Developed and implemented an innovation strategy, framework and toolkit. The framework can be viewed at bloodcancer.org.uk/innovation-framework
- Worked with blood cancer patients and our health information team to overhaul patient information for people affected by blood cancer, particularly at the point of diagnosis. The new resources are designed for patients newly diagnosed with blood cancer being accessed by 5x the number of people than before.
- Co-hosted patient workshop with Pfizer which enabled them to understand leukaemia patient need and recognise gaps in patient care. Workshop led to the development of three grants to meet unmet blood cancer patient need and led to a £200,000 grant.
Products & Engagement Manager, Fundraising
Responsible for innovation and user research within the fundraising department. The role enabled the department to develop user-centred products and strategies to ensure the long-term growth of fundraising income streams.
- Used user research to develop the Community Groups initiative, which is now the primary income growth strategy for the fundraising team, with a target of £200K this year.
- Redeveloped the Munro Challenge, a fitness-based challenge in partnership with actor Sam Heughan, increasing income from £7K to £40K.
- Led user research to develop a series of user do-it-yourself fundraising products.
- Remote line management of Products & Engagement Coordinator.
Area Development Manager - Regional Fundraising
Responsible for fundraising across Wales, Scotland and the South West of England, managing a remote team of six with an income target of £750K. Additionally responsible for product and campaign development to grow long term income on behalf of the regional team.
- Income increased from £550K in 2013/14 to £880K in 2017/18.
Regional Manager - London & the South East
Responsible for managing regional fundraising across the South East of England, increasing income from £750K in 2011/12 to £1.3M in 2013/14.long-term