Kimberley Stiff: Authentic, confident, genuine

THE opportunity to serve and make a meaningful impact on the lives of others is what Kimberley Stiff loves most about her work, as well as demonstrating her unique and innovative storytelling capabilities to communicate value, respond to customer and market needs, and influencing positive change to improve the quality of lives of others.

Her authenticity, confidence, and genuine regard for the needs of other people, she says, sets her apart from others in the same field, and the assistant vice-president – marketing communications at the Port Authority of Jamaica (PAJ), explains that she did not choose this specific niche, rather this specific niche absolutely chose her.

“I have successfully moved systems and mindsets from the dark ages to the period of enlightenment, and if you know the corporate world…that is quite a tremendous feat!” she tells All Woman in describing her greatest career achievement to date.

Stiff’s current role entails all things marketing, communications, strategy, and business development, keenly focused on marketing and promotions of the PAJ’s ports/port facilities, its business services and development projects. She also manages communications programme planning and integrated marketing communications campaign development, as well as using digital media, social media platforms, and visual communication to tell the organisation’s brand story, in addition to responding to the needs of internal and external stakeholders.

“I am the daughter of Fay and Victor Stiff, a career educator who is the best teacher I know and the kindest, most loving man to ever walk the Earth, respectively,” begins her introduction. “I am deeply rooted in the love of Christ, purpose-driven and sharply focused on living my dream while leaving a positive impact and indelible mark on the hearts and minds of all who I meet. My name is Kim Stiff and I am a superstar!”

Bragging rights are merited for this Immaculate alumna – she has five degrees, and except for her Bachelor of Arts in Media and Communications, she pursued the other four full-time, while working full-time.

Stiff’s first bachelor’s degree is is in media and communications from The University of the West Indies (UWI); she also has a Master of Business Administration in International Business from Florida International University; a Bachelor of Law from the University of London; a Master of Arts in Teaching from UWI; and a Master of Law, Intellectual Property, from the University of Southern California. “I would say that I worked the hardest during the periods that I did full-time studies and worked simultaneously,” she said.

Stiff says her journey into the field was fuelled by always being very confident, doing a fair share of public speaking, and when she was in sixth form, many people opined that she had a great speaking voice.

“As a result, my mom sent me to do a two-part voice and speech certification at the Creative Production and Training Centre (CPTC). When it was time to decide on university, I became hesitant about law when I learned it meant going to Barbados. During my period of indecisiveness and having been involved in public speaking, my mom sent me to do the entry test for the Caribbean School of Media and Communication (CARIMAC), and I was one of the 50 successful candidates from the Caribbean in 1998 to be included in that year’s cohort, and the rest, as they say, is history!”

Stiff sees success as fulfilling God’s purpose and plans for her life, having a transformational and positive impact on the lives of those she encounters, “and if it is only one person that shares that I have influenced them in a meaningful way, it is one more life positively changed”.

Her love and fear of God is the root of her resilience – “for God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”.

“God motivates me always,” she explains. “My mom still has and reminds me constantly of a note I wrote to her when I was 10 years old about my life’s ambitions, and over the years she has found subtle ways to ensure I stay the course. I love her and I am happy that she does. In recent times, I have found solace, motivation, and immense appreciation in a gem that Earl Moore, a former boss and then president/CEO at my previous employer, constantly shared with me: ‘He who makes the gold makes the rules’. The aim is not to be liked, but to make sure you add value, so they need you – but on your terms.”

A typical day for Stiff begins with praising God for another day she’s blessed with life, talking to her mom, then responding to e-mails, messages, and calls in response to the needs and requests of various stakeholders.

She can also be found “planning, writing, creating, writing, innovating, presenting, negotiating, writing, researching, solving – did I say writing? Lol. Supporting friends and colleagues who are similarly meandering the maze of life. Exclaiming that it’s another day I missed the gym – DWL! I laugh a lot – daily”.

And she has a lot to be proud of, indeed – Stiff highlights a project she’s particularly proud of: the development of the Historic Naval Dockyard in Port Royal.

“This was one of the rare occasions that I was involved in a monumental project at work from the embryonic stage. I was able to learn tremendously about so many facets of the business while engaging with external stakeholders,” she said. “This engagement was critical because it enabled me to discern how those outside of the organisation related to its work and extracted value. It allowed me to see their perspective on how they perceived a Government should work to fulfil a broad need. Personally, for me, I was able to experience a Government building something meaningful and tangible from thought, to concept, to reality, other than roads.”

She said during the planning for the visit of the first cruise ship, she learned the global prowess and far-reaching impact of the Port Royal/Jamaican brand.

“It is immense. We trended locally, regionally, and globally when the first ship visited, and it was heart-warming to see so many keenly interested in the history, heritage, and mystique of the little seaside community of Port Royal nestled on the renowned Kingston Harbour,” she remembered.

“For a moment in time everyone was happy. The Administration, the Opposition, the organisation’s leadership and employees, the cruise visitors, the cruise executives, industry stakeholders, locals, visitors, the public, global interests, Jamaicans here and abroad – everyone was elated and that, in my view, is absolutely admirable!”

For young people looking towards a career in the field, the trained teacher had this advice:

“Most people think this is a ‘pretty’ field that isn’t premised on scientific methodologies. Don’t let them belittle and undermine your training, talent, and competencies. Always remember that you are the specialist expert!”

Stiff said she is a living testament of God’s love and goodness. His grace, combined with her genuine kindness, stand out to people she meets – she is told almost daily that her smile brightens someone’s day.

And all things sports, music, fashion, food, interior design, and travel hold her interest outside of work, and on weekends she says she can be found in bed with a book, magazine, or on her iPad researching; at a resort, attraction, or a restaurant; at the movies or travelling.

“I am obsessed with retail statistics ­– especially in the sports, beauty, fashion, tech, and entertainment industries, and all that The NPD Group’s Matt Powell has to say. I’m currently intrigued by Rihanna’s numbers and how she’s stacking!”

She’s a strong proponent of God’s word and a lover of literature.

“Read your Bible, believe me – there is a scripture for everything! There is also a Shakespearean quote and lesson for most circumstances you will encounter! I love reading literature and books which usually have great takeaways. Even if you are too busy, just buy books, you will eventually read them. Hamlet, Waiting for Godot, and Who Moved My Cheese are timeless classics.”