CV
PROFILE
- Full-service communications specialist: 15 years’ experience spanning journalism, advocacy and research communications, with a track record of working across the pipeline – from high-level strategy and messaging to hands-on editorial, design and digital delivery.
- Strategic communications: advise leadership and policy teams on communications, brand and advocacy strategy, translating complex, technical subject matter into compelling narratives and key messages for diverse and senior audiences.
- End-to-end delivery: equally at home typesetting a publication, editing copy, building a webpage, designing social media assets or running an event. I can single-handedly take a project from concept to polished output.
- Brand and positioning: experienced in leading brand refreshes and repositioning organisations for new strategic priorities.
- Convenor and connector: extensive experience designing and delivering thought-leadership events and engaging diverse stakeholders, from grassroots members to government funders, to build consensus around shared messaging.
SELECTED EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
Senior Communications and Digital Manager, CDAC Network
April 2022–present
- Lead all internal and external communications and digital activities for CDAC Network – the global network of humanitarian, development and media organisations working to ensure people can communicate and access safe, trustworthy information during crises – spanning strategy, brand, events, publications, social media and website management.
- Led high-level communications strategy for SAFE AI, the first operational governance framework for AI in humanitarian action, from concept through to its launch at the UK Foreign Secretary’s Global Partnerships Conference – generating an organic social media response that reached far beyond the Network’s usual audience.
- Drive CDAC’s strategic repositioning as a thought leader on AI and other frontier threats facing information integrity, shaping the Network’s public narrative for a new digital- and AI-driven age.
- Develop advocacy strategy for communicating CDAC’s key policy messages across channels to achieve maximum impact with targeted stakeholders.
- Lead on conceptualising and organising CDAC’s online, in-person and hybrid events, including its annual Public Forum and three-day General Assembly, and position the Network as a thought leader through strategic engagement with external events and policy fora.
- Conceptualise, edit and design CDAC Network products, publishing and disseminating them to meet strategic communications objectives; introduced best-practice accessibility standards to ensure CDAC resources reach diverse audiences.
- Grow the Network’s public profile through management of its digital and social media presence and ongoing website development.
- Previously served also as CDAC’s membership focal point, leading member engagement and communications, including a regular member newsletter, Network events and joint advocacy.
Senior Publications Officer, Humanitarian Policy Group (HPG) at ODI
April 2020–April 2022
- Managed the busy publication schedule for the humanitarian programme at this world-leading thinktank, including budgets, author/editor/funder liaison, and research publishing strategy and best practice.
- Sole responsibility for the HPG brand and publishing processes, including conceptualising and implementing an extensive brand refresh in which I created a new visual identity and designed the full package of brand assets across the Adobe Creative and Microsoft Office suites.
- Championed accessibility and inclusion in publishing outputs: optimised publications for assistive technologies and managed HPG’s translation partnership, increasing translated output eightfold over 18 months.
- Typeset and proofread all HPG publications to tight and often conflicting deadlines.
- Wrote digital content and built webpages in ODI’s CMS; designed graphics and promotional materials for digital and social media.
- Line-managed editor and publications officers.
- Commissioned and task-managed external suppliers and contractors.
Communications and Editorial Consultant (self-employed)
October 2018–April 2020
- Communications consultant and developmental editor for flagship projects at the United Nations University – Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA): advised on project communications strategy and messaging, led writing workshops for researchers and steering group, and acted as penholder for report drafting.
- Retained as publications consultant for HPG: commissioning and briefing freelance designers, typesetting and proofreading, and managing production schedules.
- Provided editorial, publications and engagement strategy support for high-profile projects at ODI, and developed brand materials and publication templates for a Thomson Reuters Foundation-led consortium project tackling worst forms of child labour.
Communications Officer – Publications Lead, ODI
April 2018–October 2018
- Project-managed the production and publishing of all publications across four programmes at ODI, conceptualising bespoke products, commissioning external suppliers and maintaining cohesive branding, voice and house style.
Freelance Journalist and Editorial Consultant (self-employed)
May 2016–April 2018
- Researched and wrote longform feature stories for broadsheets and consumer magazines; copyedited academic, technical and consumer books for publishers including Taylor & Francis and Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA); provided ghostwriting and writing-coaching services.
Deputy Editor, ITP Publishing
August 2014–May 2016
- Deputy editor of the Middle East editions of Stylist and Women’s Health – overseeing all departments, managing external suppliers and editorial budget, and writing and subediting features and columns to tight deadlines.
EDUCATION
MA Magazine Journalism (Merit), City University
BA English (2.1), University of Cambridge
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Adobe Creative Suite • Microsoft Office Suite • Video editing software • CSS, HTML & CMS platforms • Google Analytics • Copyediting & proofreading