Fractional Head of Communications

Own the story

One narrative the whole company can tell

A message house that survives contact with reporters, sales calls and the board, and that everyone senior tells the same way.

• Narrative and message house
• Claim and proof matrix with named owners
• Message discipline across teams
• Quarterly review as the product changes

Own the function

A press operation that runs

Whether the press work is in-house, agency-run or both, one senior person owns the calendar, the quality bar and the relationships.

• Agency oversight and brief-setting
• Editorial calendar and moment planning
• Media relationships at senior level
• Coverage reporting with the boundary stated

Own the risk

Ready before the question is asked

Most reputational damage comes from being unprepared for a predictable question, not from being ambushed.

• Spokesperson development and preparation
• Issues register and prepared positions
• Escalation paths agreed in advance
• Internal and executive communications

Operating policy

• Time commitment. A fixed number of days per month, on a set rhythm, with the leadership meetings named.
• Decision rights. What the comms lead decides, what they recommend, and what stays with the founder or CEO.
• Speaking authority. Who may speak to press, who approves a statement, and how fast that can happen.
• Escalation path. What counts as an issue, who is told, and in what order, written down before it is needed.
• Documentation. Message house, prepared positions and playbooks written down as the work happens.
• The exit. Success is a permanent communications lead briefed, recruited and handed a function that already works.