Inside IMS: Charlotte Northwood

With only a few weeks behind her, Charlotte is new to the IMS team and is excited to get stuck in…

“I’m very new into the business, having only started in December. My background is predominately sales; however, I have been pivoting into a purely Marketing focused role and IMS Evolve was a fantastic opportunity that I couldn’t pass up!

Even though it has been a matter of weeks, I very much feel at home already. I have been fortunate enough to meet many of the wider team and they have not only made me feel welcome but are genuinely around to offer support and guidance to help the whole team succeed.”  

Charlottes background is wonderfully diverse which is reflected in her keen interest in travel and culture. Having spent part of her childhood living in Dubai where weekends were filled with picnics in the desert to later living by the beach as an adult in South America, Charlotte’s enthusiasm for travel and exploration has had an impact on her professional life too, adding depth and creativity to her work.

“I love to travel! Growing up I was fortunate enough to have experienced this from a young age, so having the freedom to travel as an adult was something I knew I wanted to explore.” Says Charlotte.

“After university I was doing what every graduate does and applying to lots of jobs, when I came across the application to work on a cruise ship. I didn’t think much of it…fast forward three months to where I was getting onboard and finding a love of the industry which allowed me to pursue a passion whilst also being paid to do so (despite the very long hours)!

Charlotte’s curiosity about people and cultures continues to inspire her, fuelling her desire to learn and grow. Beyond travel, she’s equally passionate about film, fashion, theatre, and sport.

“I grew up as a bit of a Gogglebox,” she laughs. “But I don’t think anyone realised just how much it would go on to influence both my hobbies and my professional path.”

Whilst at University, Charlotte studied Drama which nurtured her creativity and passion for expression. Even though she changed direction from her initial goal and fell into sales, starting in retail eventually moving up into corporate, she’s now thrilled that she has been able to weave her creativity into her profession with her move to Marketing.

“As I am learning about my role here, I can see that it is a truly varied Marketing one and that’s what appealed to me about it from the start! I feel lucky to be able to build on my transferrable skills from sales and move into a more creative role, which is something that I have been working towards for a while.”

Charlotte appreciates that the position encourages creativity as this is something she enjoys in her personal life – which has now become a hobby! Back when the pandemic hit, she was consuming most of her time on social media platforms which sparked an interest in product marketing. Combined with her sales background, this new area of curiosity became a fascinating blend of skills and insights.

“I have made a conscious effort to use my time wisely and practise skills where I could, even if I wasn’t doing it professionally.” Charlotte explains. “I’m always on Canva, whether that be creating an invite for a party, or most recently the menus for my wedding! So being able to add this into my job is genuinely enjoyable! I’m always wanting to learn new skills and improve upon what I can already do to keep up with how the industry moves. I’m already able to see how this will benefit me within this role.”

Charlotte’s role as Interim Marketing Assistant focuses on supporting the Brand and Marketing Manager, Kate Sharpe, within the department, as she goes on to explain the variety of the job.

“Every day is different (so far!). The core of the role consists of assisting the Brand and Marketing Manager and other key stakeholders with the necessary marketing material needed for everything from sales meetings and client updates to events. I’m also in constant contact liaising with the PR team to review and create content for the website, social media and company intranet. “ 

Even though these are the main duties in the role, Charlotte mentions that the job is still so varied and the pace and attitude of ‘jump in and let’s go’ is something which is challenging but fun.

“When I think of my favourite part of the job, it’s difficult to pinpoint, as there’s such variety! However, the communications side of the role – by that I mean having the opportunity to get to know and work alongside many different people within the business – is something which I love.”

Charlotte is excited to be part of discussions at a senior level, listening and learning from the experts in the business. Hearing them speak about topics which they are passionate about has encouraged her to become even more enthusiastic about the role and company as she continues to learn.

Charlotte and Kate work very closely together so having a good working relationship is essential for the department to thrive.

“It’s great to have a supportive partnership where you don’t feel silly to ask a question and can bounce ideas off each other, or simply be a soundboard to help with putting ideas into actions!” Charlotte says. “Communication is key… Monday mornings might start with a chat about our weekends, and before we know it, we’re diving into reviewing content and planning next steps!”

Looking ahead, Charlotte is excited to develop her career at IMS and is eager for what the next year has in store…

“There are some great projects coming up this year within IMS and it’s an exciting time to have joined the company. I am very much looking forward to growing and developing within the role!”