David Grocott

Current

Change Communications Manager at Essex County Council

Past

Communications Manager at Essex County Council
Communications and Marketing Officer at Firstsite
Chief Reporter at Newsquest

Reporter at Various national newspapers

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1 more...

Education

London Metropolitan University
The Open University
The Open University

National Council for the Training of Journalists
University of Durham

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2 more...

Recommended

5 people have recommended David

Connections

69 connections

Industry

Public Relations and Communications

Websites

David Grocott’s Summary

Award winning senior communicator with over ten years experience in journalism, press relations, communications planning, communications measurement, crisis communications, public engagement and internal and change communications in large complex organisations.

David Grocott’s Specialties:

Internal communications,
External communications,
Change communications,
Communications measurement,
Project management,
Heritage communications.

David Grocott’s Experience

Change Communications Manager

Essex County Council

(Government Agency; Government Administration industry)

February 2009 — Present (1 year 2 months)

Established the award winning EssexWorks: Customers First change communications strategy to deliver change communications to 39,000 employees in more than 400 locations.
* Worked with senior management to develop corporate vision
* Responsible for communicating to the organisation's 39,000 employees
* Managed colleagues to implement multi-channel communications strategy using extensive internal and external communications mix
* Stakeholder management, communications measurement and project reporting
* Developed new tools for measuring employee communications, reporting on employee communications and identifying ROI of employee engagement
Communications Manager

Essex County Council

(Government Agency; Government Administration industry)

April 2007 — January 2009 (1 year 10 months)

Responsible for all communications for Adults, Health and Community Wellbeing directorate consisting of 6,000 plus employees.
* Implementation of nationally recognised swine flue communications strategy
* Liaison with Department of Health to support implementation of the "Our Health, Our Care, Our Say" White Paper on social care.
Communications and Marketing Officer

Firstsite

(Public Relations and Communications industry)

November 2004 — April 2007 (2 years 6 months)

Responsible for all communications, internal, external and partner in international partner project to build new £16.5 million art gallery.
Highlights:
* Designing, developing and delivering public engagement event involving 400 school children marking shape of new gallery building to be photographed by media on military helicopter.
* Delivering promotional event at British Consul General's residence in Manhattan involving Secretary of State Tessa Jowell.
* Implementing integrated PR and media campaign on international, national and regional levels.
Chief Reporter

Newsquest

(Public Company; Newspapers industry)

2001 — 2004 (3 years )

Senior journalist in provincial newspaper group with responsibility for news editing several titles.
Highlights:
* Interviews with senior politicians and establishment figures including John Prescott, Boris Johnson, Tessa Jowell, Prince Philip, Prince Andrew.
* Investigative journalism involving travelling to sea with fishing trawlers.
Reporter

Various national newspapers

(Newspapers industry)

2001 — 2004 (3 years )

While working at Newsquest I was also shifting at several national newspapers as a reporter and sub-editor.
Shifting for The News of the World, The Times, The Independent, The Mirror.
Highlights:
* Investigative journalism leading to changes in NHS policy.
* Prize winning journalism for heritage feature writing.
* Travel to operational zones with British military.

David Grocott’s Education

London Metropolitan University

MA , Communications Management , 2008 — 2010 (expected)

Excellent training in communications measurement and developing methods of monitoring communications effectiveness.
The Open University

MBA , Business , 2005 — 2008
The Open University

MA , Popular Culture , 2002 — 2003
National Council for the Training of Journalists

NCE , Journalism , 1998 — 2001
University of Durham

BA (Hons) , Archaeology , 1995 — 1998

Additional Information

David Grocott’s Websites:

David Grocott’s Interests:

Heritage communications - I plan to study for a PhD in the communications strategies of English Heritage from 1983 - 2010. Writing - I am in the process of publishing my first novel