Senior comms strategist and voluntary leader with extensive experience across public, private and third sectors. Specialising in inclusive board governance, multi-project management, stakeholder engagement, and brilliantly inclusive internal and external communications

Key skills and competencies

● EDI leadership: Board lead for Literacy Pirates' first EDI framework; led trustee recruitment and governance culture at board level, with a deep personal and professional commitment to equity and diversity

● Board governance and trustee expertise: Vice Chair and governance committee chair at Literacy Pirates; Chair of Well Street Common Friends. Nearly four years as Communications Director at Getting on Board, a leading trustee recruitment charity, giving me deep knowledge of governance best practice and the trustee recruitment ecosystem

● Strategic planning and communications: Specialist in multi-platform communications strategy across public, private and third sectors. Delivered measurable results including a 33% increase in ticket sales (Eastside People), a 30% uptick in website traffic (Getting on Board), and tripled turnover (Well Street Common Friends)

● Operations and project management: End-to-end delivery of complex projects and programmes, including operational planning, governance processes, budgeting, logistics, digital infrastructure, and multi-stakeholder coordination across charities, social enterprises, and community organisations.

● Programme coordination, volunteer and freelancer management: Experienced in recruiting, managing and coordinating volunteers and freelancers, and in board administration including papers, trustee communications and governance processes. Steering committee member for the Festival of Trusteeship; director of Well Street Common Friends' annual festival, growing attendance significantly.

● Funding and business development: Developed and delivered winning bid strategies securing grants from national foundations (WSCF); supported fundraising policy and sponsorship strategy with a track record of building revenue through strategic partnerships (Getting on Board, Literacy Pirates, WSCF)

● Direct sector relevance: Currently working with Eastside People, a direct BRDUK partner, and formerly Communications Director at Getting on Board, giving me established relationships and sector knowledge to support BRDUK's mission

Employment and voluntary leadership roles

Eastside People Nov 2024 - present

Strategic communications consultant, recruitment agency

● Developing multi-platform content strategies to promote Eastside People’s takeover of the Festival of Trusteeship. Measurably increasing awareness, engagement and conference ticket sales. 2025 ticket sales had an uptick of 33% as a result.

● Leading voice on steering committee shaping tone of voice, impact measurement and direction of the festival with a particular focus on evolving the offer from a charitable enterprise to a social enterprise and commercially viable one.

Smallwood Trust May 2024 - present

Strategic communications and external affairs consultant, grant making trust

● Monitoring and responding to relevant political, policy and media developments

● Developing comms strategy for inclusive storytelling that empowers beneficiaries

● Developing engagement strategy for partnerships with local & combined authorities

● Writing and ghosting articles for sector press on the charity’s initiatives

Reach charity June 2024- Oct 2024

Strategic communications consultant, health charity

● Leading internal comms strategy for a health charity undergoing structural change
– Developing transparent comms plan detailing changes to members’ voting rights
– Delivering comms that centred trust and clarity, resulting in a successful transition

Getting on Board Dec 2020 – July 2024

Communications Director, trustee recruitment charity

● Hugely increased awareness, reach and impact of this infrastructure charity positioning it as one of the leading governance voices of the third sector

● Contributed to major reports, national conference programming and training product design, working groups with government departments and others resulting in recommendations made at national level to trustee recommendations

● Led communication strategy and theory of change to position charity for growth

● Led story-led case studies strategy and created a multi-use case study library

● Directed strategy, campaigns and wrote and recorded content across all channels - web, newsletters, social media, guides and press

● Led on brand voice and tone, creating consistent narrative across channels

● Wireframed and directed website overhaul. Managed the streamlined, simplified website resulting in a 30% uptick in traffic and guide downloads

● Drafted press releases and corporate comms and reports resulting in increased press coverage, and therefore sponsor partnerships

● Represented the charity at real world events and hosted online events

● Managed workflow for freelance comms team and set up streamlining processes

ATRD (now Board Racial Diversity UK) Dec 2020 – Jun 2021

Communications and Membership Engagement Lead (freelance)

● Set up and managed the organisation’s Mighty Networks membership platform, growing the community to 500 active members within six months

● Designed and delivered membership engagement campaigns, webinars, and advocacy sessions connecting aspiring trustees with experienced board members

● Created a thriving peer-to-peer learning and networking space through regular posts, discussions and interviews, strengthening engagement and collaboration

● Established digital infrastructure and community culture to support the organisation’s future growth and programming

Literacy Pirates 2020-present

Vice Chair of the board and chair of HR and Governance committee education charity (voluntary)

● Leading trustee recruitment, board appraisals and internal governance culture

● Board lead for the charity’s first equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) framework

● Designing and delivering training and team development sessions

● Building board and organisation culture with a focus on inclusion and accountability

Chair of Well Street Common Friends 2018-present

Chair of London community group and Festival Director (voluntary)

● Director of free annual community festival, leading on organisation strategy, logistics, marketing, and festival delivery.

● Incrementally increased footfall from <500 in 2019 to 1,500+ attendees in 2024

● Managing the group’s finances, festival budget and directing fundraising policy

● Developing bid strategy and overseeing winning bids from national foundations

● Developing marketing and comms strategy to incorporate fundraising and sponsorship, and subsequently tripling turnover

● Building volunteering teams and local networks, increasing community reach and participation

● Developing strategy to increase demographic reach, leading outreach to work with local groups including London youth organisations, community groups and schools.

Hackney New School (now Waterside Academy) Sept 2017-April 2021

Head of Careers and Head Librarian

Quadrangle Research July 2018– Oct 2020

Head of Content & Digital Marketing, market research agency

● Designed and directed case study library, delivered a new brand narrative and voice

● Led high-performing campaigns to increase client acquisition and engagement

● Held marketing budget and agency relationships including CRM management

Various consultancy clients Sept 2016 – July 2017

● Leading content strategy, writing content plans, creating digital and print content

Fitpro Media April April 2011 – Aug 2016

Editor & Head of Content Strategy, fitness professional educator

Time Out London Sept 2002 – Aug 2008

Health & Fitness Editor; Culture & Lifestyle Writer

Phoenix Community Housing Co-operative Oct 2001-Nov 2008

Management committee & development committee member

● Elected committee member leading the organisation through restructure:

○ Established policies compliant with the regulatory body

○ Established good governance procedures

○ Led the recruitment process for appointing a new housing manager

○ Established a five-year strategy that including sale and purchase of property, and identifying local authorities with whom to partner for short-term lets

○ Worked with the finance committee to improve the co-op’s financial health

○ Improved member (tenant) engagement and relations through an internal communications plan

Education & Languages

BA Hons Spanish with Writing and Publishing Studies (2:1) — Middlesex University
Fluent in Spanish

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Fiona McAuslan