Melissa Anne Manuel
Manager, Strategic Comms & Media Relations
Singapore
Summary
Collaborative leader with dedication to partnering with coworkers to promote engaged, empowering work culture. Documented strengths in building and maintaining relationships with diverse range of stakeholders in dynamic, fast-paced settings.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Manager, Strategic Comms & Media Relations
Land Transport Authority
07.2014 - Current
- Developed and executed communications plans for various major projects such as the completion of the Bus Service Enhancement Programme, On-Demand Public Bus Trial, Land Transport Master Plan 2040, Skills Framework for the Public Transport and Certification for Technical Specialist (Bus), Single Ticket Trip Cessation
- Prepared media releases and executed media events/ briefings
- Managed media queries and crafted forum page replies related to private and public transport matters
- Advised line departments on strategic communications matters and issues of public interests
- Oversee current media monitoring services and protocols providing feedback to the vendor on improving the accuracy of the compilation of daily media reports.
- Pro-active in suggesting review of existing practices that has led to removal of redundant practices and simplification of forms that eased back-end processing.
- Knowledge Management representative for the division.
- Group Learning Officer for Corporate Communications, Division Learning Coordinator for Media Relations, Staff Engagement Committee Treasurer.
- Plan and manage budget for the Strategic Communications and Media Relations team
Senior Executive, Corporate Communications
Health Promotion Board
07.2013 - 07.2014
- Managed PR agency to develop, manage and implement strategic media communication plans.
- Planned and executed the public relations portion of media publicity projects; Prepared and developed press materials; Organized and executed media events/briefings which include conducting site recces and rehearsals where necessary.
- Attended to media queries, crafted forum page replies and public feedback responses in relation to topics such as school dental services and screening.
Assistant Manager, Corporate Relations Division
Ministry of Communications and Information
02.2013 - 07.2013
- Planned, assessed, recommended, organized and executed visits for Political Officer Holders.
- Assessed and reviewed media responses and materials from the statutory boards such as the Media Development Authority.
Senior Executive, Corporate Communications
Health Promotion Board
07.2010 - 02.2013
- Capitalized on carefully built media relations to enhance outreach and public image.
- Aligned organizational objectives with company mission, increasing revenue, profit and business growth by collaboratively developing integrated strategies.
- With regards to WCTOH media coverage, it was more than 1 million worth of advertising value equivalency (AVE) for local and almost 2 million worth of AVE for foreign coverage.
- Strategised, developed and implemented the following for the 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) 2012
- Process of foreign and local media registration and accreditation (both before and during the conference).
- Media centre operations (catered to 70 foreign media and 20 local media) – includes SOP for media centre, layout of operations room, manpower schedule, logging of information/media queries etc, process of media facilitation for interviews and other media requests.
- Worked very closely with the corporate communications departments in partner organisations such as Bloomberg Philanthropies, American Cancer Society, Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids and the Framework Convention Alliance to ensure all their needs were adequately met and that there was no conflict in messaging with what Singapore & HPB intended.
- Monitor media coverage and potential hot topics related to HPB/ Singapore and prepare suitable responses
- Planned and executed the public relations portion of media publicity projects, such as the annual National Smoking Control Campaign, Shisha Campaign, Anti-Binge Drinking Campaign.
- Prepared and developed press materials such as blogger briefing notes as well as anticipated questions and answers.
- Engaged and developed rapport with a variety of media including magazines and bloggers to improve and increase media coverage.
- Worked with PR agencies to develop, manage and implement strategic media communication plans.
Senior Executive, Media Relations
Land Transport Authority
10.2006 - 07.2010
- Enabled revenue generation by pursuing partnerships, sourcing funding and capitalizing on market opportunities.
- Aligned organizational objectives with company mission, increasing revenue, profit and business growth by collaboratively developing integrated strategies.
- Spearheaded cross-functional initiatives across departments to achieve business goals for bottom-line profits.
- Resolved issues and recommended actions based on production and compliance reports.
- Planned and executed media publicity projects, which include a full spectrum of PR management activities such as conceptualisation, issue management, contingency planning and eventual implementation of the projects.
- Issues management by assessing, strategising and implementing best mode of communication for each announcement or incident to put LTA in a positive light in a timely fashion. For example, a taxi driver on strike outside one of LTA’s offices who invited the media down.
- Re-designated from ‘Executive’ to ‘Senior Executive’ and given permanent placement in 2010.
- Annual Report 2009/2010 (Completed first half of it)
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Bachelor of Arts (concentration in Mass Communicat
Oklahoma City University
01.2003 - 12.2005
Skills
Staff Management
Accomplishments
- Received the Five Year Service Appreciation Award in October 2020
- Received the Quarterly LTA Service Awards October – December 2020
- Received the individual LTA Merit Award in 2019
- Redesignated from ‘Deputy Manager’ to ‘Manager’ in 2018
- Received the Certificate of Appreciation for the US-DPRK Summit
- Promoted in LTE grade in 2017
- Received the Gold Award in the Category of "Excellence in Public Relations (Corporate Communications)". This was for PR for the World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH) 2012. Marketing Magazine's Marketing Excellence Awards 2012.
- LTA Corporate Communications Good Service Award 2010 for Circle Line publicity
- Gold Award for the National IQC Convention 2007 for positive media coverage for the ‘LTA Cares’ Fund
- Led the revamp of the daily media reporting in 2017 which was sent to all 7000 LTA staff. Prepared a SOP for all division staff to ensure consistent standards in the vetting process.
- From 2017 till 2019 was supervising one principal executive officer (administrative assistant). From 2020 till date, am supervising all three Admin Assistants in the same division.
- Supervised four interns and managed them while assisting in projects that I was handling such as the anti-binge drinking campaign, National Smoking Control Campaign and the preparation work such as foreign media registration for the 15th World Conference on Tobacco or Health (WCTOH).
- Part of the panel that selected and interviewed candidates to take on role as Media Relations, Executive Assistant in 2007.
- In 2006 & 2007, was also part of the team supervising and managing two Media Relations, Admin Assistants.
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Timeline
Manager, Strategic Comms & Media Relations
Land Transport Authority
07.2014 - Current
Senior Executive, Corporate Communications
Health Promotion Board
07.2013 - 07.2014
Assistant Manager, Corporate Relations Division
Ministry of Communications and Information
02.2013 - 07.2013
Senior Executive, Corporate Communications
Health Promotion Board
07.2010 - 02.2013
Senior Executive, Media Relations
Land Transport Authority
10.2006 - 07.2010
Bachelor of Arts - Bachelor of Arts (concentration in Mass Communicat
Oklahoma City University
01.2003 - 12.2005
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