Nicole Bartlett-Dunn

Management, Design and Communication BA (Hons)

Nicole took a gap year teaching English in Kenya, which helped her decide to study Management, Design and Communication at BCU. After graduating, she built a career across the charity and education sectors, working in fundraising, events, and external relations. She now works as Sales and Operations Manager at Victoria Eggs, a British homeware company run by her university friend.

“For a long time, I wasn’t sure whether university was right for me and I didn’t know what I wanted to study. I took a gap year teaching English at a high school in Kenya and travelling to Uganda and Tanzania. That year gave me time to think, to gain perspective, and learn more about myself.

I decided to choose a broad subject that would keep my options open, rather than locking myself into a single path before I was ready. So, I chose Management, Design and Communication. Looking back, that unconventional journey shaped not just what I chose to study, but how I approach learning and opportunity.

I have a lot of good memories from my time at BCU, and much of that comes down to how varied and dynamic the course was; one minute I’d be studying advertising, and the next I’d be learning about human resource management. I could be writing an essay one week and delivering a presentation the next. Just as importantly, I met some really good friends on the course.

During my studies, I took part in placements, which were a really important part of my experience. My first placement was at a PR agency in Birmingham, which gave me valuable insight into working in a professional communications environment.

My second placement was with the charity Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO). At the end of my first year, I joined an overseas charity trek to Peru, raising money for VSO. This experience led directly to my work placement with the organisation in my final year.

Now, I’m the Sales and Operations Manager at Victoria Eggs, a British homeware company. The company is run by Victoria Eggs herself, who is also a fellow BCU alumna and someone I’ve been best friends with since our university days. I joined the business just over five years ago, and working together has been a really rewarding experience. It’s been great to work with someone I love, whilst also applying the skills and experiences I have gained over the years.

Since graduating, I’ve worked across the charity sector, education sector, and now the retail sector. My first job was in London with the charity VSO, which came off the back of my work placement. I worked in their events department for around three and a half years, organising overseas treks, parachute jumps, physical challenge events and black-tie fundraising events.

After this, I continued working in the charity sector, organising fundraising events and later becoming Southwest Regional Fundraising Manager at Sparks, overseeing overseas challenges and community fundraising.

After relocating to Oxfordshire, I worked for the Air Ambulance service and later a private school, managing alumni relations, fundraising and events. Five years ago, I moved into retail and joined Victoria Eggs, marking an exciting new chapter in my career.

My course in Management, Design, and Communication helped me develop skills in organising projects efficiently, approaching challenges creatively, and communicating clearly with colleagues and clients. These are skills that allow me to contribute effectively and add value to my team every day.

A typical workday for me usually starts with a catch-up with my colleague, who handles all our order processing and customer service enquiries. We review any challenges or small issues from the previous day and then prioritise tasks for the day.

After that, I’ll set aside some focused time to work on specific tasks or projects. In my role, this could involve approaching new contacts or stockists, pursuing bespoke work opportunities, strengthening relationships with existing stockists, or conducting research to support the business.

The rest of my day is varied. I respond to emails, liaise with stockists on bespoke projects and orders, manage stock and invoicing, and review sales performance. My role covers both sales and operations, supporting the smooth running and growth of the business.

Overall, my role is really dynamic, and I enjoy the variety, as it allows me to balance client-facing work with operational tasks, all while supporting the growth and smooth running of the business.

The biggest challenge I’ve faced was during my time in the education sector. I was organising events and managing external affairs, and suddenly we couldn’t run events due to the pandemic, so my role changed significantly. It was a challenging time, but it also opened up a new opportunity, as I was able to have conversations with Victoria and transition into my current role. In hindsight, it turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it forced us to take a leap and start working together.

My proudest achievements since graduating have been climbing Mount Kilimanjaro twice, which was both a physical and mental challenge, and having my daughter. I’m also proud of the way I continually set myself new challenges each year, both physically and mentally, and actively seek out new experiences. I think these achievements reflect my determination, resilience, and willingness to push myself outside of my comfort zone.

In the long term, I hope to continue being happy, fulfilled, and challenged in my work. I’m passionate about what we do at Victoria Eggs, and I love the fact that I get to work alongside my best friend. I take pride in contributing to the growth and success of the business each year, and my hope for the future is that I can continue to develop with Victoria Eggs, celebrating our achievements while continuing to grow the business.

My advice to students and graduates is to trust your instincts and stay open to opportunities. My own career shows that it’s okay to change sectors and try different things. Focus on what interests you, take every opportunity to learn new skills, and immerse yourself in your organisation. Build relationships, ask questions, and make the most of every experience.

To me, ‘I AM BCU’ means friendship. The biggest thing I took from my time there was the incredible friendships I made. I met wonderful, supportive, kind, and funny friends who have remained a huge part of my life. I honestly can’t imagine my life without them. They’ve been with me through every up and down, acting as my biggest cheerleaders and strongest support network. I truly wouldn’t be where I am today without them. For me, BCU will always represent the friendships and connections that shaped my time there.”