MarkFarmer.net

Essential digital

Resume

Mark Farmer

Veteran digital communications strategist, leading teams that lead organizations

  • Building high-performing teams as a digital leader and change agent, with a demonstrated record of innovation.
  • Creating digital strategies and content that deliver tangible results.
  • Producing award-winning digital communications and marketing campaigns.
  • Leveraging analytics for data-driven decision-making.

Career Highlights

Expertise includes:

  • Web Design and Front-End Development
  • User Experience (UX) Design
  • User Interface (UI) Design
  • Accessibility
  • Social Media Communications and Marketing
  • Email Communications and Marketing
  • Content Strategy
  • Analytics and Reporting
  • Crisis and Issues Management

Experience

Ontario College of Teachers, Toronto ON

Senior Digital Strategist
2016 – 2022
Leading digital media specialists and contractors building websites, intranets, social media, email communications and mobile applications (apps) for Canada’s largest professional regulator.
  • Created ad copy and collaterals, managed budget, set targeting and produced detailed performance reports for 2016’s #Just1Word social media advertising campaign, reaching 2.6 million Ontarians.
  • Directed redesign of annual report microsite, including new architecture, driving 300% increase in yearly visits.
  • Led app redevelopment, achieving 84% increase in users.
  • Spearheaded project to edit and update 45,000 words of English and French content on oct.ca, producing a 32% increase in visits and pageviews.
  • Led project to make 3,100 pages of PDF content accessible and compliant with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

York University, Toronto ON

Digital Strategist
2012 – 2016
Directed institutional digital communications, content marketing and digital crisis / issue management.
  • Managed institutional social media accounts, driving growth of 127% in audience, 400% in engagement and almost 1,400% in reach for Facebook alone over two years.
  • Won international Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Gold Award for interactive social media project at spring 2015 convocation.
    • Almost 6,000 mentions, 6.1 million in potential reach and 97.5% positive sentiment.
    • #YorkUConvo trended nationally.
  • Created and executed institutional social media strategy for the CASE Circle of Excellence Gold Award-winning “Yes to York” campaign.
  • Won “Top Instagram Account” at the 2015 Canadian University & College Social Media Awards.
  • Outperformed agency cost-per-click in Facebook ads by 100%.
  • Created a cross-functional digital team of over 100 digital media practitioners.

Intuit, Global Business Division, Toronto ON

Social Media Manager
2012
Led social media marketing for Quickbooks and GoPayment.
  • Launched Intuit Canada Small Business blog.
  • Directed social media for Small Business Week campaign, including webinar series with over 150 registrations for inaugural event.
  • Developed online customer care apparatus for GoPayment, leading support team triaging and resolving issues and crisis situations.

Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto ON

Web Redesign Manager
2010 – 2012
Managed cross-functional team of internal developers / designers / producers and web development, project management and design vendors, implementing content management system and redeveloping website and online content.
  • Coordinated multiple stakeholders and led weekly strategy sessions with senior leadership, including Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
  • Championed institutional social media efforts, developing a cross-functional stakeholder team.
  • Partnered with Google, initiating museum’s participation in Google Cultural Institute.

Additional Experience

The Canada-UK Chamber of Commerce, London UK
TC Energy, Calgary AB
Brightworks Interactive Marketing, Toronto ON
Digital Communications and Web Design Specialist
Association of Canadian Advertisers, Toronto ON
Communications Specialist
Earth Day Canada, Toronto ON
Webmaster / Creative Director

Education and Professional Development

Languages

  • Fluent in English and French

Computer Skills

  • Adobe suite
    Acrobat Pro, Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere Pro
  • Advertising
    Facebook, Google, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter
  • Content management
    Sitecore
  • Email communications
    LISTSERV Maestro, Litmus
  • Microsoft
    Excel, PowerPoint, Project Professional, Visio, Word
  • Social media and web analytics
    Brandwatch, Cision, Google Analytics, Hootsuite, Meltwater, Siteimprove, Sprout Social
  • UX
    Morae, Optimal Workshop
  • Web design and development
    CSS, HTML, JavaScript, MS SharePoint, MS Team Foundation Server, MS Visual Studio, XHTML

Awards

Teaching & Lecturing

  • University of Guelph-Humber, Toronto: 2021
    • Guest lecturer on social media listening and measurement tools for fourth-year Bachelor of Public Relations Students
  • University of Toronto, Faculty of Information, Toronto ON: 2018
    • Guest lecturer on accessibility practices for a course in the Faculty of Information, “KMD 2002H: Technologies for Knowledge Media,” at the University of Toronto.
  • York University, Toronto ON: 2016
    • Online & in-class lectures to graduate students on using social media for academia / research.
  • Schulich School of Business, York University, Toronto ON: 2015
    • Hands-on workshops for social media monitoring & measurement for Schulich’s MBA and BBA programs.
  • George Brown College, Centre for Continuous Learning, Toronto ON: 2014 – 2015
    • Taught a hands-on Facebook marketing course to post-graduate students.
    • Taught both online and offline versions of the course, and developed course curriculum and lesson plans.
  • Ryerson University, ADaPT program & School of Continuing Education, Toronto ON: 2013 – 2015
    • Lecturing and hands-on workshops in social media monitoring & metrics, and social media dashboards.
  • Seneca College & Centennial College, Toronto ON: 2013
    • Guest lecturer in social media monitoring & metrics, and writing for social media.

Speaking & Volunteer Highlights

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