About me

With a wide experience in design for print, digital print, exhibition and display, customer services, project management, budgeting and general marketing, I am well positioned to direct and control multiple tasks across a business unit.

I currently have responsibility for the day to day activities of a Multi Media Centre, supporting a Military contract. I oversee all aspects of Design, production, video and photography. I am activley invovled in customer briefings, pricing, planning, quality control and delivery of items that are required. This ranges from A5 flyers, through to documentary style media to display boards. I constantly liaise with team members and hold regular production meetings ensuring that all timelines are met.

I've direct publishing experience whilst Production Manager at Yachting Pages, being directly responsible for all printed and on-line material. This consisted of printed International Directories, web, marketing items, advertising. The directories concentrated on the international luxury yacht market and I managed the production teams workload including ad design, copy corrections, placing ads, confirming output integrity, flat planning/lay out, final book proofing and pass off on press. I also negotiated the print deals. I took a lead role in developing the websites introducing a 'Yell' style search function and a range of advertising capabilities.

Under my management I was able to put in systems that helped the company develope the internal proofing system, improve brand consistency, achieve better customer retention, quicker turnaround of customer adverts, higher sign off rates, major input into the function of the websites. Each directory has its own unique style and that always needs to be reflected in the design, from front cover through to stock used and the print processes required, however it is essential that they all kept to time and budget. Aside from my day to day tasks, I was also involved in recruiting and developing my team and project work.

I've previously undertaken roles in fast turnaround studio environments, controlling the day to day traffic for a display and exhibition company, reporting to the MD about efficiencies, new products and procedures and making sure that projects got out on time and to budget. I undertook projects on behalf of clients for Kickers, Mattell, Clarks, Bristol Zoo, Lombok and the National Trust amongst others.

Prevously I was resposible for 20 designers, Admin and Production staff, responding to Sales team requests for marketing collateral for customers. I visited customers with the National Sales Managers, taking briefs and discussing options, briefing my senior designers and managing customer expectation.

I've advanced skills in Indesign, Quark, Photoshop and Illustrator, Dreamweaver alongside MS office products, honed making everything from a simple advert to multi chapter publications.

Regards

Kevin Stephens

Kevin