'Council comms can be challenging but you can’t afford to be dull'

Name: Matt Dunn        

Job title and company: Digital and creative lead, Wirral Council

Location: Merseyside

Time in PR: 11 years

What does your current role involve? In short, overseeing our digital channels and making sure our messages are delivered in the best possible way. And it’s about finding improvements, contributing to objectives and looking at the data for insights. You need a creative spark too: council comms can be challenging but you can’t afford to be dull.

Career highlight so far?
I was a relatively late starter in PR, so I’ll say winning Outstanding Young Communicator in the CIPR North West PRide Awards at an organisation I loved working for. The idea of entering awards was revolutionary to me but we had a leader who really championed us. As a small team we achieved so much with her backing and that was huge for my self-belief.

How long have you been a member and what made you join? I’d been a member for a short time in the past but because I’ve always specialised in digital, I’d spent too long worrying about whether I was a legitimate PR professional if I didn’t do media relations. I’m much more comfortable with that now. I rejoined in January – thanks to Socially Mobile CIC – but I got Chartered in March so I’ve joined for the long haul!

How does the CIPR support your career? The CPD structure is great. You’re challenged to think about what and why you want to learn something and there are tons of resources. I don’t really like reading long reports on a screen so other formats like podcasts are good for a commute. It’s a cliché but I’ve still only scratched the surface and I’d like to get involved with the CIPR North West group. I’m also looking into mentorship as I try to figure out what the next few years holds.

Best piece of career advice you’ve been given? You have to find ways to invest in your own potential. I got a career’s worth of good advice through the Socially Mobile course and two things that really resonated with me are 1) measure what matters: you want to be seen as a strategic value adder and not an operational cost, and 2) as you progress through your career, it’s okay to accept you can’t be across all the details. Others will make decisions you might not make yourself and that’s fine.

Discover more about membership of the CIPR and how you can join the world's only chartered body for public relations professionals.