In our member spotlight, Britt-Anya Bursell sits down for a virtual chat with SMPS. Britt-Anya is marketing operations team lead/sr. proposal & content specialist for Tighe & Bond. She has been in the A/E/C industries for more than 20 years and an SMPS member for seven. In this spotlight, Britt-Anya shares the rewards of her career, her favorite part of the job, and what has contributed to her success.
How did you decide to have a career in the A/E/C industries? I kind of fell into it. Out of college, I was working for a startup that was acquired, and unfortunately, laid off some time later. Though I had a paid summer vacation with my severance package, I was restless after a few weeks of not working, so I started looking for a new job. I ended up at Cambridge Systematics, a transportation planning firm, where I stayed for almost 15 years.
How would you describe your role? I manage the marketing operations team at Tighe & Bond. We enable the marketing department to enhance marketing technology; manage data optimization and governance; develop metrics, reporting, and analysis; innovate process/facilitate continuous improvement; and provide staff training. The team ensures systems, processes, and tools are in place to support performance measurement and management, as well as maintains up-to-date qualifications materials, data, and insights for leadership decision-making and team productivity (including proactive processes so data and information are at the ready). Marketing Ops serves as a bridge between operations, proposals, content management, communications, and sales.
What has been your most meaningful project? I have rolled out firm-wide CRM software at two companies now. I have reveled in the challenges and rewards of these projects. It has been an amazing experience to be part of implementing these improvements to the business development systems and processes at my companies. There’s nothing quite like that a-ha moment when a coworker realizes the potential of the tool.
What has contributed to your success? I can say with confidence that SMPS has contributed to my success. I would not be where I am today without the opportunities that SMPS has opened up for me. The advice and real-life experiences of my peers has helped me to learn and grow in various positions in my career. I’ve been empowered to take risks and try new things. I’ve had the opportunity to learn and grow in areas that I might not have had exposure to in my day-to-day work. I was given the chance to discover and develop my leadership skills. I’ve forged many relationships, both personally and professionally, through SMPS.
What’s the best advice you’ve received regarding your career or working in A/E/C? Get involved! A manager encouraged me to join industry associations, get on a committee, and strive for leadership.
What’s on your bucket list? A trip to Italy. I studied French and Italian at university and while I spent a semester in Paris, I have not traveled in Italy yet. I long to visit Florence and explore the birthplace of the Renaissance.
Guilty pleasure: What can you not live without? I can’t imagine a life without music. I have loved music for as long as I can remember. I started singing in elementary school and have studied and performed music through college and into my adult life. I always try to have something playing while I’m working, planning, driving, and cooking. Music stimulates my mind and heals my soul.
