Job Spotlight: Rebecca Kincade, Farrans Construction

Describe a typical day in your job?

In January I joined Farrans. At that time the company did not have an in-house team managing communications and marketing and it relied on forward thinking individuals in each region to drive activity, which resulted in a lack of consistency in how the brand was being represented.

It is my responsibility to set up this function within the business, build the strategy in line with our objectives, set out the processes and resource this work effectively to reach all of our audiences – both internally and externally.

What specific skills/training does your job demand? 

I work in a fast-moving industry which demands an ambition to keep learning. Communication tactics that worked a year ago, may not work now, and the company you work for will also evolve to face new challenges and objectives all the time.

To advise on marketing and communications at a senior level you must be robust in your reasons for making recommendations. You need to be adaptable, a creative thinker and strategic in your approach.

Many of these are best learned from working with industry professionals as opposed to through academic study, although it is essential to have a strong grasp of content creation, digital marketing, media relations and, more widely, business development techniques and current affairs. 

What about your role presents the biggest challenge and what brings you the most satisfaction? 

I arrived into a ‘blank canvas’ and I had support from the senior team to push forward quickly with adapting our approach. I planned out the first two years of everything that can and will be done. It is a long and sometimes daunting list, with some short term, quick wins and other longer-term milestones to achieve. The work ahead of me can be seen as my biggest challenge, but it is also the part that gives me the most satisfaction because with each small step forward we can measure and evaluate the positive impact this activity is having.