CIPR

In this interview CIPR Member Sara Reed talks about the challenges – and thrills - of running communications for the Ministry of Defence in Scotland.

Quick summary of personal and career background

My family is originally from East Yorkshire but we lived in a number of different places whilst growing up (Southport, Wales, Hull, and Cambridge) so I learnt to be adaptable and sociable from an early age - good skills for public relations!

You could say that I'm a failed journalist and fell into PR by accident but I believe things happen for a reason and it's certainly worked out to be the best for me and my family.

I graduated with a BA Hons in Combined Art at university in Devon and headed to Scotland to work as a journalist. When the newspaper I was working for folded unexpectedly, I took a job as marketing and communications assistant for a prestigious Edinburgh motor group, and that was the start of my PR career. Since then I've worked in public and private sector roles at Lothian and Borders Police, KLP Euro RSCG and Weber Shandwick where I focused on building a portfolio of commercial property clients whilst the Scottish real estate industry was booming.

When I saw the MoD advertise for someone to create and build a new press office in Scotland, I jumped at the chance. Since I started there ten years ago defence has been continually at the top of the news agenda and my work has taken me from Helmand to the Hebrides.

I live across the park from Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh with my sports-daft family - husband Ben, children Lewis (9) and Jemima (7), and Hooper the dog. When not working or taking the kids to rugby/hockey/football/skiing/cricket, you'll find me out on my mountain or road bike, doing sprint triathlons, tramping up a mountain, running with the dog, on the ski slopes or sharing a bottle of wine with girlfriends. Well-earnt holidays are spent exploring Scottish islands and French Provence.

What is your current role and what sort of businesses are you working with?

I run MoD communications in Scotland, working with talented armed forces press teams across the country to improve defence communications. I devise, implement and evaluate the communications strategy, advising Government Ministers and military commanders. Much of my effort is driving forward proactive opportunities and stakeholder relationships, working with departments across Westminster and the Scottish Government, defence industry, manufacturers and a myriad of different defence agencies. But it's not just about the military - I've had to become an expert on war to wind farms and everything in between.

The job used to be focused on media relations, but in recent years we've integrated social media channels and activity into our PR plans, and I regularly tweet news about defence in Scotland. Our challenges ahead will be to communicate the evolution of the MoD as a result of the strategic defence review, and the eventual handover of Afghanistan. More immediately I am dealing with the closure of military bases in Scotland and helping Edinburgh city Council to host the national celebrations for Armed Forces Day 2011. Of course we'll be doing all this with dramatically reduced resources and budgets, but I've seen the private sector go through similar hardships in recent years and the public sector should be no different.

It's an exciting, varied, challenging role and I've done things I'd never thought I'd do - hanging out of helicopters, launching ships, driving tanks, and managing media projects in Afghanistan. I feel privileged to work for members of the Armed Forces, they are inspirational people and I've learnt so much from them. When you see them at work in Afghanistan it's truly humbling - they are so good at what they do and get on with the job in pretty harsh conditions.

Describe the PR profession in Scotland?

PR is a thriving and very important industry in Scotland, embedded in many different sectors and communities. It's a myth that you have to 'go to London' to have a successful career - in Scotland there are so many different options and career choices and you will often find 'the best of the best' working here. There are consultancies (big and small), public sector organisations, large corporates, financial services, the energy sector, retail HQs, international sporting events and a vast media industry. Glasgow and Edinburgh tend to be the main business hubs but there are also interesting PR roles, creative agencies and company HQs across the country in Perth, Inverness and Stirling. Just this month I was sitting with two award winning teams from Aberdeen at the Scottish PRide awards.

Education is also strong with reputable communications faculties at Queen Margaret and Stirling Universities.

Three words to sum up Scotland:

Quality of life.

Have you always lived in the region?

I drove to Scotland the day after my University Finals ball (once I'd sobered up of course) and never looked back. I packed my trusty Ford Fiesta with all my worldly goods, travelling from Devon to Edinburgh to start work as a reporter, and 18 years later I'm still here.

What makes you stay?

My family, the people, the great outdoors, the buzz, and the hope that one day I'll watch the Scottish rugby team win the Grand Slam (ever the optimist).

I love the fact that Edinburgh is a village – I've yet to walk through town and not bump into a friend or business contact. All the business and culture opportunities that a capital city has to offer are on your doorstep and within walking distance, but in half an hour you can be walking along a beautiful beach or up a mountain with no-one else around. The city also spans the generations – it's a great place to work or live as a youngster, with a family or in retirement.

If not, what made you move there?

I moved there for work at Sunday Times Scotland, and (I hate to admit it) for a man. The Sunday Times job didn't last that long, but the man did – we've been together for 18 years and married for ten.

Was your impression of the region the same as reality?

I'd only ever been to Scotland once for a short break, so didn't have many preconceptions. Some might say that was a high risk strategy but I like taking a risk and once I've made a decision, I'm always determined to make a go of it.

Whenever a colleague from Westminster comes to visit, I always take time to show them round the Scottish Parliament because I don't think people in England fully appreciate the impact that devolution has had on the country. It's true that the Scottish Government was not born overnight and has taken time to develop and mature. But it has made significant improvements to people's lives in Scotland and given the country greater strength, direction, purpose and national pride.

What do you feel is the biggest misconception about Scotland?

That it's a region! Scotland is a country with its own Government, culture, thriving industries and national identity.

And that the weather is bad. It's no different to anywhere else in the UK – sometimes it's sunny, sometimes it rains, but as long as you wear the right clothing you're fine.

What are its selling points?

There's a real spirit of collaboration and inclusion amongst communications professionals and the Scottish business community in general. Of course there is still healthy competition, but without the ruthlessness you might find elsewhere. It's a small pond and you can't afford to make enemies along the way, so everyone pulls together - I like that ethos.

I can also walk my kids to school, cycle to the office, get a bus to a meeting (perhaps one day it will be a tram!), and be home in ten minutes at the end of the day to do the kids' homework and take them to ski training.

I suppose my message is that in Scotland you don't have to choose between a career and quality family life – you can have both.

What can you do in Scotland that you can't do anywhere else in the UK?

Be on the ski slopes in an hour and a half.

Climb a mountain over 4000 feet.

Hop on a ferry to the stunning Outer and Inner Hebrides.