After graduating from OMBS in 2015, Polly built a successful career in digital marketing across the education and charity sectors.
Ten years on, she’s come full circle by returning to OMBS as our Digital Marketing Tutor, where she now inspires the next generation of marketers with her industry experience, confidence, and creativity.
Here we catch up with her to find out more about her career to date….
When did you graduate from OMBS?
After finishing an English & Creative Writing degree at Aberystwyth University, I left wondering what on earth I was going to do next. I wasn’t sure what I was really qualified for, or what I was actually interested in.
Struggling to answer these questions, and with a sister already in a great role after recently graduating from OMBS, I decided to sign up for the Professional Business Diploma.
I graduated in 2015 with the business workplace skills and confidence to secure my first job as a Fundraising and Marketing Coordinator before I had even finished the course.
What is your current job role, company and location?
Following ten years working in the marketing world (and two babies later), I now lead and teach the Digital Marketing module at Oxford Media & Business School.
What have been the highlights of your career to date?
I moved from my first role as a Fundraising and Marketing Coordinator at the Child Brain Injury Trust, which I really enjoyed, to being appointed Marketing and Communications Manager at JCS Online Resources. This was a big step up and one I thoroughly enjoyed.
The role gave me greater responsibility and the chance to work on exciting projects, including implementing a new website, developing a social media strategy, creating videos with study influencers, promoting large conferences, writing articles for external blogs and journals, and working with publishers across the globe.
Later, as Marketing Manager, Content and Creative at SAE, I managed festival partnerships with Sound City and All Points East. I supported local marketing officers and my central content team in planning and delivering social media assets, as well as designing printed materials. I was also responsible for reporting on sponsorship performance to the senior leadership team.
What do you love most about teaching marketing to young people?
Seeing students go from never having thought about marketing before, to confidently presenting campaign ideas with real conviction.
I also love exploring new and emerging trends, and analysing great marketing case studies together.
What skills learned at OMBS were most beneficial in your early career?
The presentation skills I gained have been invaluable. In my very first job interview I was required to create a presentation — something I’ve had to do many times since, both for interviews and internally at work.
The Microsoft Office skills I developed, ranging from editing documents to speed typing, have also been incredibly useful. A large part of my career has involved writing and editing marketing copy.
How did studying at OMBS help you feel confident about starting your career?
I left university with no clear career direction and a lack of confidence in what I could do, having had only two contact hours a week in my final year. Subsequently signing up to the Professional Business Diploma and working through the Personal Development Planning module during my time at OMBS was hugely beneficial. Learning more about myself, what I enjoyed, and the industries and roles I might be interested in helped me gain both focus, confidence, and the clarity to apply for roles.
What advice would you give an OMBS student looking to enter a marketing career?
Be confident in expressing your ideas. In a world of AI-generated content, original thoughts and opinions are more important than ever.
There are so many different areas of marketing and routes to explore. Starting in a generalist role can be a great way to discover what you really enjoy.
I was once told that you should aim to be either earning, learning or loving what you do. Ideally, you’d want to be achieving all three, but as long as you have one, you’re doing well.
Would you like to know more about studying for the Professional Business Diploma? Find out more about the curriculum here, or get in touch with our Director of Admissions at info@oxfordbusiness.co.uk to make an appointment to visit.