Communications management

I’m an experienced communications manager who can ‘parachute’ into projects, learn quickly and help teams engage their stakeholders.

I specialise in supporting complex change programmes and new initiatives, often in the health and higher education sectors. I also review and improve existing communications for staff, students, participants, neighbours, supporters and other audiences.

What do I actually do?

• Research – I meet with stakeholders, audit existing communications and make pragmatic recommendations.
• Planning – I ask questions, learn quickly and develop plans and messaging to engage diverse audiences.
• Management – I collaborate across and between organisations to project manage campaigns and develop simple content to explain complex ideas.
• Capacity building – I help teams to implement new channels and increase capacity to make their work more sustainable in the future.

“I really can’t emphasise enough how much your skill and effort has carried the initiative to this point.”

– COVID-19 saliva testing programme colleague

While my background is in communications, I’m an organiser at heart and bring project management skills to all of my work. I am in my element contributing to fast-moving initiatives and am relied on to deliver with minimal fuss, which gives busy leaders one less thing to worry about.

Unlike a full-time contractor, I work flexibly and at short notice. This is often of use to:

• Internal communications managers who are already stretched but frequently called on to support new initiatives in their organisations.
• Change programme leaders who are under pressure to engage their colleagues but don’t have anyone looking after their communications.
• Service design teams that are looking to improve the way they talk to their participants and other stakeholders.
• Sustainability managers who are eager to communicate environmental objectives and improvements, especially before external audits.

“You’ve made a huge difference to the way that we talk about sustainability. Everything is so much more understandable.”

– Environment and sustainability manager

Ultimately, how does this help organisations?

• Well-managed communications increase the effectiveness of projects, ensuring that stakeholders are engaged, better informed and less anxious about change.
• Proper planning helps teams to do more with limited time and budgets, getting clear messages out to the right people, at the right time and in the right way.
• Having a trusted adviser who’s a quick learner and strong organiser reduces pressure on local teams, freeing them up to focus on what they do best.

“You have been an essential member of the project team. Your ideas, enthusiasm and commitment have been integral to the success of our work.”

– Business improvement project colleague

My recent communications experience

Through the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, I managed the communications for a groundbreaking saliva testing trial, collaborating at pace with NHS, local government, public health, school and university teams to build a new service from the ground up, engage participants and share lessons for wider rollouts (case study). When the programme expanded, I consulted on the transition to new management and then helped a participating university with its communications about COVID safety on campus.
⇑ Increased participation ⇑ Engaged diverse stakeholders

I coordinated the communications for a programme of work designed to encourage health practitioners explore routes into academic research – including the launch of a new network and supporting website (case study).
⇑ Launched new channels ⇑ Created positive engagement

I worked with an MBA leadership team to research, prioritise and then project manage a number of improvements to their internal and external communications (case study).
⇑ Reduced team workload ⇑ Improved student and alumni engagement

I collaborated across a large organisation to find new and innovative ways to celebrate investments in energy reduction, using the communications to positively influence behaviours. This work was subsequently commended by ISO 14001 auditors.
⇑ Engaged students, staff and visitors ⇑ Celebrated changes

I managed a campaign to celebrate investments in the student experience at a Russell Group university, including generating initial ideas, coordinating external designers and planning its roll-out across the institution.
⇑ Highlighted investments ⇑ Demonstrated value for money

I led the communications for a university faculty restructuring, working with multiple teams and senior leaders to produce simple, accurate content about the complex changes.
⇑ Explained complex information ⇑ Reduced anxiety about change