Jill Wise

When Jill Wise left her home in North Norfolk to study at the University of Derby, she was seeking both challenge and opportunity.

Beginning her journey

The city and the University struck the perfect balance for her - big enough to feel exciting, but not so overwhelming that she couldn’t carve out her own path.

That curiosity and willingness to explore would become defining traits in Jill’s journey. Studying BA (Hons) English with Drama, she embraced the diversity of her course, from creative writing for TV and radio to literature and hands-on drama workshops. She even added film studies and social science modules into the mix. This blend of creativity, communication, and critical thinking laid the foundation for a career that would see her leading marketing and communications in both government and global business.

Learning independence at Derby

For Jill, her experience at Derby was about more than just the classroom. She remembers arriving just before term started to discover she hadn’t secured a place in halls and would need to attend a house-hunting weekend.

Those moments of independence built confidence in her decision-making and shaped her ability to structure ideas and make her voice heard skills that continue to underpin her professional success today.

From government to global business

After graduating, Jill embarked on a career that combined creativity, strategy, and communications.

Jill started her career at BT and was there for six years. She then transitioned to government information and communications services at the Cabinet Office’s Office of the e-Envoy, playing a leading role in digital transformation at a pivotal time.

As Senior Publicity Campaigns Manager, Jill led the award-winning national campaign for the launch of Directgov, the UK’s first major online government service. This is now widely recognised as GOV.UK.

“It was super exciting. For the first time, people could renew their passports online, do their taxes or apply for student loans. We achieved tremendous ROI, but the most satisfying element was genuinely managing to change perceptions both inside and outside of government.”

From there, Jill’s career flourished in the tech, telecoms, and public sector, before she took on a new challenge in property and estates management.

Today, she is Senior Marketing Propositions Manager for Mitie Group, where she develops strategic narratives and customer propositions to drive growth. Among her proudest achievements is the launch of Emissions Intelligence, a carbon accounting and reporting solution that helps organisations track progress against net zero goals.

Advice for students

Looking back, Jill credits her experience at Derby with sharpening the skills she uses every day. Even tough feedback became a gift.

"A short, hand-written note on the front page of one of my short stories told me that my written grammar was dreadful. That feedback seemed harsh at the time but has made me a better copy editor.”

Jill has clear advice for students aspiring to follow a similar path in marketing and communications.

“Marketing can be a busy role, so it’s easy to do exactly what’s asked without questioning too much. But those who go a step further, who make it their business to understand the rationale and look for ways to add value, demonstrate without words that they understand the value of marketing.”

She also encourages students to embrace the power of technology and storytelling. 

Looking ahead

Jill is excited about the future, particularly shaping new ventures and building partnerships in her current role. Longer term, she has her sights set on writing.

“I have book ideas and I’m living with the illusion that if I tell people this often enough it will make me accountable for getting on with developing the story.”

From her first independent steps in Derby to leading innovations that impact government, business, and the environment, Jill’s story is one of curiosity, creativity, and courage.