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Senior communications consultant with strong experience in public sector, charity, education and sustainability sectors
Jessica Shepherd
,
London, United Kingdom
Experience
Other titles
Skills
I'm offering
I'm a senior communications consultant who has worked at the heart of government and has nine years' experience as the Guardian's Education Correspondent and then News Editor (Planning).
I now work with high-profile public, private and third sector clients offering communications strategies, speech writing, ghostwriting, content strategy, media relations, digital communications, stakeholder engagement, reputation management and media training.
I've worked for the Home Office's Commission for Countering Extremism, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, leading universities across the UK, edtech companies and membership bodies.
I now work with high-profile public, private and third sector clients offering communications strategies, speech writing, ghostwriting, content strategy, media relations, digital communications, stakeholder engagement, reputation management and media training.
I've worked for the Home Office's Commission for Countering Extremism, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, leading universities across the UK, edtech companies and membership bodies.
Markets
United Kingdom
Industries
Language
German
Good
English
Fluently
French
Good
Italian
Good
Ready for
Larger project
Ongoing relation / part-time
Available
My experience
2019 - ?
freelance
Communications consultant
Charities, public sector, education companies, edtech, start-ups, universities.
● I work with well-known education companies, cultural organisations, leading universities, charities, membership bodies and major education technology firms
● I raise their profile by:
- Developing communications strategies that lead to coverage in national, international and specialist media
- Growing my clients' reputation among their key stakeholders and on social media
● I ensure my clients' spokespeople are confident and prepared for any type of media interview or stakeholder meeting
● I write speeches, opinion pieces and blogs for leaders and senior management
● I carry out perception audits and give workshops on messaging, positioning, PR, comms and crisis management
● I raise their profile by:
- Developing communications strategies that lead to coverage in national, international and specialist media
- Growing my clients' reputation among their key stakeholders and on social media
● I ensure my clients' spokespeople are confident and prepared for any type of media interview or stakeholder meeting
● I write speeches, opinion pieces and blogs for leaders and senior management
● I carry out perception audits and give workshops on messaging, positioning, PR, comms and crisis management
Social Media, Crisis management, Media relations, Project Management, Speechwriting, Ghostwriting, Content Strategy, Crisis Communications, Influencer Marketing, Education sector, Sustainability sector, Energy sector
2017 - 2019
job
Communications specialist
UK Civil Service.
Key responsibilities:
● I worked for the Commission for Countering Extremism, an independent agency of the Home Office. My role covered speech writing, media relations, digital communications and stakeholder engagement.
I wrote speeches for the government's Lead Commissioner for Countering Extremism and advised on all reputation issues - reactive and proactive.
The role involved influencing key stakeholders, including the Home Secretary, social media and technology companies, government advisers, leading NGOs and academics. As part of this, I planned, developed and delivered stakeholder engagement visits, briefings and events.
● I worked for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy managing the press team responsible for corporate affairs, as well as press officers on the climate change, nuclear and renewable energy desk. I was also responsible for the PR team working on the department's flagship campaign, the Industrial Strategy.
The role included working closely with major energy firms and large businesses, such as EDF Energy, the Post Office and Royal Mail, as well as with ministers, special advisers and senior policy officials, providing fast and well-thought-out proactive and reactive media-handling advice and opinion pieces for national media.
On an average day, I planned a communications strategy for a forthcoming announcement, advised on a reputation issue, spoke to communications colleagues in leading businesses, fielded calls from national broadcast, print and online journalists, investigated an aspect of government policy and wrote opinion pieces on behalf of ministers.
Key achievements:
● I wrote opinion pieces and speeches that were covered in The Telegraph and the Evening Standard, among others. I oversaw a digital communications strategy which led to a 50% rise in positive online engagement with the Commission for Countering Extremism
● I successfully dealt with reputation management issues, turning sentiment from negative to neutral-positive.
● I secured a 60% increase in positive media coverage and worked with a wide range of journalists, from the Political Editor of The Sun to Home Affairs Editors, BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Panorama and Newsnight.
● I advised ministers on complex corporate crisis communications issues which led to coverage moving from negative to neutral or negative to positive.
● I led communications for meetings between the Business Secretary and the Saudi Crown Prince and the Business Secretary and Commonwealth Heads of Government. Both included leading specialists from internal comms, media relations and external affairs and working with partners overseas.
● I successfully secured positive national coverage for a highly controversial policy on how the government finds a safe and permanent way to dispose of dangerous radioactive waste.
● I worked for the Commission for Countering Extremism, an independent agency of the Home Office. My role covered speech writing, media relations, digital communications and stakeholder engagement.
I wrote speeches for the government's Lead Commissioner for Countering Extremism and advised on all reputation issues - reactive and proactive.
The role involved influencing key stakeholders, including the Home Secretary, social media and technology companies, government advisers, leading NGOs and academics. As part of this, I planned, developed and delivered stakeholder engagement visits, briefings and events.
● I worked for the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy managing the press team responsible for corporate affairs, as well as press officers on the climate change, nuclear and renewable energy desk. I was also responsible for the PR team working on the department's flagship campaign, the Industrial Strategy.
The role included working closely with major energy firms and large businesses, such as EDF Energy, the Post Office and Royal Mail, as well as with ministers, special advisers and senior policy officials, providing fast and well-thought-out proactive and reactive media-handling advice and opinion pieces for national media.
On an average day, I planned a communications strategy for a forthcoming announcement, advised on a reputation issue, spoke to communications colleagues in leading businesses, fielded calls from national broadcast, print and online journalists, investigated an aspect of government policy and wrote opinion pieces on behalf of ministers.
Key achievements:
● I wrote opinion pieces and speeches that were covered in The Telegraph and the Evening Standard, among others. I oversaw a digital communications strategy which led to a 50% rise in positive online engagement with the Commission for Countering Extremism
● I successfully dealt with reputation management issues, turning sentiment from negative to neutral-positive.
● I secured a 60% increase in positive media coverage and worked with a wide range of journalists, from the Political Editor of The Sun to Home Affairs Editors, BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Panorama and Newsnight.
● I advised ministers on complex corporate crisis communications issues which led to coverage moving from negative to neutral or negative to positive.
● I led communications for meetings between the Business Secretary and the Saudi Crown Prince and the Business Secretary and Commonwealth Heads of Government. Both included leading specialists from internal comms, media relations and external affairs and working with partners overseas.
● I successfully secured positive national coverage for a highly controversial policy on how the government finds a safe and permanent way to dispose of dangerous radioactive waste.
Media relations, Content Strategy, Strategic Communications, Ghostwriting, Speechwriting, Media training, Thought Leadership, Digital communications, Crisis Communications, Reputation Management
2016 - 2017
job
Head of Communications and Campaigns, The Challenge
unknown.
Key responsibilities:
● I oversaw media relations and crisis communications for The Challenge, a large government-funded charity of more than 750 employees. This included writing opinion pieces and managing media for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Integration for which Chuka Umunna MP was the chair.
● I coached all senior leaders, including the Chief Executive, in media engagement and crisis communications.
● I managed the charity's campaigning arm and sat on the charity's senior leadership team.
Key achievements:
● I oversaw a stakeholder engagement strategy which led to the number of face-to-face meetings between stakeholders and senior managers tripling and a 30% rise in online engagement.
● I managed a team of six during a restructure and a period of financial turbulence for the organisation.
● As the organisation's media spokesperson, I was regularly interviewed by broadcast media.
● Positive media coverage increased by more than 80% due to the strong relationships I I forged with The Times, BBC News at Six and BBC News at 10 and online influencers.
● I oversaw media relations and crisis communications for The Challenge, a large government-funded charity of more than 750 employees. This included writing opinion pieces and managing media for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Social Integration for which Chuka Umunna MP was the chair.
● I coached all senior leaders, including the Chief Executive, in media engagement and crisis communications.
● I managed the charity's campaigning arm and sat on the charity's senior leadership team.
Key achievements:
● I oversaw a stakeholder engagement strategy which led to the number of face-to-face meetings between stakeholders and senior managers tripling and a 30% rise in online engagement.
● I managed a team of six during a restructure and a period of financial turbulence for the organisation.
● As the organisation's media spokesperson, I was regularly interviewed by broadcast media.
● Positive media coverage increased by more than 80% due to the strong relationships I I forged with The Times, BBC News at Six and BBC News at 10 and online influencers.
Digital and social campaigns, Digital communications, Media relations, Thought Leadership, Strategic Communications, Content Strategy, Seo
2015 - 2016
temp
Head of Communications (Education and Student Affairs)
University College London.
Key responsibilities:
● I created, oversaw and implemented communications strategies on education and student affairs for one of the biggest universities in the UK, with more than 50,000 students and staff.
● I wrote opinion pieces and features for the media, as well as for staff and students' internal channels.
● I advised senior leaders on crisis communications.
Key achievements:
● I successfully oversaw and implemented crisis communications plans when the university's reputation for high-quality teaching was at risk.
● I secured successful stakeholder engagement from local businesses for the university's new multi-million-pound student centre.
● I set up a regular UCL podcast on education issues. This became a successful platform for the university's leaders to air their views to an international audience.
● I created, oversaw and implemented communications strategies on education and student affairs for one of the biggest universities in the UK, with more than 50,000 students and staff.
● I wrote opinion pieces and features for the media, as well as for staff and students' internal channels.
● I advised senior leaders on crisis communications.
Key achievements:
● I successfully oversaw and implemented crisis communications plans when the university's reputation for high-quality teaching was at risk.
● I secured successful stakeholder engagement from local businesses for the university's new multi-million-pound student centre.
● I set up a regular UCL podcast on education issues. This became a successful platform for the university's leaders to air their views to an international audience.
Podcast, Strategic Communications, Thought Leadership, Media training, Research communications, Media relations, Digital communications, Blogging, Public relations
2013 - 2015
job
News Editor (Planning), Guardian News & Media
unknown.
Planning, Journalism, Copywriting, Case studies, Feature Writing, Long-form writing, Profile writing
2006 - 2013
job
Education Correspondent
unknown.
Key responsibilities:
● I worked within a team of eight news editors overseeing and editing more than 40 reporters and correspondents' work and delegating tasks to them.
● I pitched ideas that set the news agenda at a weekly meeting with the Deputy Editor.
● I was responsible for the paper's forward planning grid and for strategically placing stories to run with maximum impact.
● I wrote front-page news stories, features and analysis articles on all education matters. The role required exceptional news judgment, outstanding written and digital communication skills, the ability to work quickly and juggle multiple competing tasks and good interpersonal skills.
● I developed and maintained high-level contacts with, among others, ministers and chief executives of leading education businesses and regulators.
Key achievements:
● I successfully pitched and wrote front-page stories.
● I commissioned high-profile external writers, including household names such as Michael Morpurgo and Wendy Cope. This included negotiating their fees and editing their copy.
● I managed teams of reporters on breaking news stories. This required calm, considered thinking and flexibility.
● I worked within a team of eight news editors overseeing and editing more than 40 reporters and correspondents' work and delegating tasks to them.
● I pitched ideas that set the news agenda at a weekly meeting with the Deputy Editor.
● I was responsible for the paper's forward planning grid and for strategically placing stories to run with maximum impact.
● I wrote front-page news stories, features and analysis articles on all education matters. The role required exceptional news judgment, outstanding written and digital communication skills, the ability to work quickly and juggle multiple competing tasks and good interpersonal skills.
● I developed and maintained high-level contacts with, among others, ministers and chief executives of leading education businesses and regulators.
Key achievements:
● I successfully pitched and wrote front-page stories.
● I commissioned high-profile external writers, including household names such as Michael Morpurgo and Wendy Cope. This included negotiating their fees and editing their copy.
● I managed teams of reporters on breaking news stories. This required calm, considered thinking and flexibility.
Planning, Copywriting, Journalism, Thought Leadership, Feature Writing
2004 - 2006
job
Reporter
The Times Higher Education Supplement.
● I wrote news stories, analysis pieces and features on all aspects of university life in Britain for the UK's leading higher education publication.
● I cultivated and nurtured high-level government contacts in the higher education sector.
● I cultivated and nurtured high-level government contacts in the higher education sector.
2003 - 2004
job
Reporter, The Birmingham Post
Social Media Strategy, Chartered Institute of Public Relations.
Recent courses:
● Social Media Strategy, Chartered Institute of Public Relations
● Fundamentals of Digital Marketing and SEO, Digital Garage
● Social Media Strategy, Chartered Institute of Public Relations
● Fundamentals of Digital Marketing and SEO, Digital Garage
Digital Marketing, Social Media, Marketing, Seo, Public relations, Social
My education
2002
-
2003
City University London
Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism, Newspaper Journalism
Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism, Newspaper Journalism
1997
-
2001
University of Bristol
Bachelors, French and Italian
Bachelors, French and Italian
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