Later today I’ll leave the University and my role as Head of Web Services without knowing exactly when I’ll return. After 3 1/2 years here I am taking some time out to focus on a new role… motherhood (to twins)!
It’ll be a shock to go from managing and directing to being managed and directed by two tiny babies but I am excited about everything that is to come and confident I am leaving the team in very capable hands.
Naturally with any departure a period of change follows. I am handing over the reins to Phil Wilson who will become the Head of Web Services from Monday and Tom Natt who will step into Phil’s Web Development Manager shoes.
We’re also recruiting a Project Manager to fill in the gaps whilst I’m away.
Alongside this we’ll also be welcoming our new Web Content Editor, Sophie Ottaway, to the team on Monday and we hope to have a new Web Content Manager and Web Supporter joining us shortly.
So lots of big changes to the Web Services team!
Before I leave though I just wanted to say something about the existing team…
In the last 3 1/2 years we’ve transformed ourselves from a technical service provision to a Digital Marketing team. We’ve not only been overhauling the website but changing the culture at the University and ensuring ‘the web’ is seen and handled in a different way – as the primary Marketing/Communications tool it is.
I’m proud of all that we’ve achieved so far and feel lucky to have had such a passionate and engaged team to work with. There are still too many Star Wars references, they are far too excited about lego and the geekometer is still higher than I would like but I shall miss them all and miss being part of the projects that are set to come to fruition in the coming months.
Goodbye for now.
Posted in: communication
10 Month Fixed Term Contract (Maternity Cover)
We are a passionate web team with interests ranging from developing mobile web applications to creating the best environment for all our users and are looking for a Project Manager with experience of agile delivery to co-ordinate and run our web projects.
You’ll be working closely with the Development Manager and Content Manager to ensure that our projects are clearly prioritised, scoped and successfully delivered.
A self-starter, you’re an excellent communicator and know how to manage multiple concurrent projects, whilst maintaining our quality standards.
We have projects ranging from in-house application development to maintenance of existing projects and developing sites for the mobile web.
This post is available following a re-organisation of work to cover maternity leave and is expected to be required for 10 months.
Take a look at the Job Description and Person Specification. If you’re interested in this post, you can apply online via our jobs page or call Phil Wilson, Web Development Manager (and Acting Head of Web Services from 1st August) on 01225 383785 for an informal discussion.
Salary: £29,972 to £35,788
Closing Date: Tuesday 19 July 2011
In the meantime meet the team you’d be working with and take a look at our management structure.
Posted in: communication
We are looking for a talented online marketing and communications professional who is as comfortable scoping out the finer points of a big project as they are managing the day-to-day activities of a small team. If you are used to using research and analytics to inform decisions about content strategy, then we’d like to hear from you.
The Web Content Manager will develop and implement strategies for key stakeholder groups and establish protocols for managing their effectiveness. As an advocate for quality content, you’ll develop training programmes and materials for web maintainers to ensure all content across our website is clear, engaging and informative.
The role will allow you to use your creative streak and knowledge of a great online user experience to contribute to the development of our website and direction of Web Services.
We are a passionate web team with interests ranging from developing mobile web applications to creating the best environment for all our users.
Take a look at the Job Description and Person Specification. If you’re interested in this post, you can apply online via our jobs page or call Alison Kerwin, Head of Web Services on 01225 385381 for an informal discussion.
Salary: £36,862 to £44,016
Closing Date: Thursday 07 July 2011
In the meantime meet the team you’d be working with, take a look at our management structure and read our newest recruit’s thoughts on joining Web Services.
Posted in: communication
If you have experience delivering excellent customer service and are proficient using online tools and editing/fixing html, then we’d like to hear from you. In this new role as Web Supporter in the central Web Services team, you’ll be responsible for the day-to-day management of support queries. You’ll provide timely and accurate advice and support and know when to escalate a query to others in the team.
With a strong technical background you’ll be an excellent troubleshooter who thrives on providing clear advice and support to customers. You will get to work alongside developers, designers and editors supporting a wide range of applications and services giving you opportunities to develop your knowledge and skills. We are a dynamic and lively web team with interests ranging from the mobile web to creating the best environment for all our users.
Take a look at the Job Description and Person Specification. If you’re interested in this post you can apply online via our jobs page.
In the meantime meet the team you’d be working with and read our newest recruit’s thoughts on joining Web Services.
Posted in: communication
April21
By: Alison Kerwin
We are looking for a talented web writer who is as comfortable writing and editing content as they are delving into the source code. If you can distil complex information from a range of sources into compelling audience-focused content, then we’d like to hear from you.
The Web Content Editor will primarily focus on developing research and business content for the University website. You will work closely with our Corporate Communications, Research Development and Support and Bath Ventures departments to develop engaging, informative and clear information for a range of audiences.
The role will require you to make sure your facts are correct, hunt down appealing imagery, and work with a variety of people within the University and beyond. You’ll need knowledge of effective marketing and communications, an ability to edit html to perfect your page layout and an appreciation for the changing nature of the web.
We are a dynamic and lively web team with interests ranging from developing mobile web applications to creating the best environment for all our users.
Take a look at the Job Description and Person Specification. If you’re interested in this post can apply online via our jobs page.
In the meantime meet the team you’d be working with and read our newest recruits thoughts on her Content Editor role. You can also call Alison Kerwin, Head of Web Services, on 01225 385381 for an informal discussion about the role.
Update: This vacancy is now closed.
Posted in: communication, team
March17
By: Alison Kerwin
Since we announced the launch of our new homepage we’ve been asked about our criteria for measuring homepage success. This is something we intend to monitor and refine over the coming months but for now you can see what we’re aiming for:
Success criteria
- Increase in visitors to international pages to 15% – currently 10 per cent
- All calls to action are used
- Increase in traffic to features and key areas – eg. Study 5%, People searching for Programmes, interacting with the features area (previously links to news articles with no pictures)
- Lowered bounce rate
- Set process for adding promos
Increase in visitors to international pages
Currently 10% of international visitors to the home page will then click through to the international pages.
We would like to see this percentage increase as a result of the new homepage design and the stronger focus on the international areas of the site, this should be measured over a period of 6 months from home page launch.
This can be measured using Google analytics.
All calls to action are used
We will monitor the calls to action using both Crazy Egg and Google Analytics. This will allow us to remove any that aren’t being used after a certain period of time or consider how we could amend them for a better result.
Set process for adding promos
Having a set process to add promos should reduce the time spent creating them, and hopefully remove the reliance on the web designer to always be involved. This will be measured by keeping track of new promos as they are added and getting feedback from the team and those who wish to add them as to the time taken and the simplicity of the process.
Increase in traffic to features and key areas
We have figures for traffic to areas such as Induction and Open Day from the home page promos we have used in 2010, these (and the general visitor numbers) can be used as a baseline to see if recorded visits increase with the new features and key areas on the home page. We can also use Crazy Egg to monitor if there are large areas of home page real estate that aren’t getting any traffic.
Lowered bounce rate
From the 24 October 2009 to 24 October 2010 the bounce rate for the homepage (external and internal traffic) averaged 56.46%
As a general guide, for a home page, a bounce rate of less than 20% is very difficult to achieve, anything over 35% is a cause for concern and over 50% should be worrying.
Our aim (a suggestion) should be to reduce this figure to less than 35% over the next 3 – 6 months after it goes live, which can be measured using Google Analytics.
Posted in: communication
