9 Signs Your Organization Could Benefit from a Fractional Chief of Communications

When Seneca Family of Agencies needed a communications leader to fill in for their Chief Strategy Officer, they offered me the opportunity. It was my first time stepping into a role at multi-state nonprofit with almost 2,000 employees. I was responsible for keeping both internal and external communications channels on track, but it was one particular ask that stands out for me.

One staffer reached out because she had a public speaking opportunity that would be covered by the media. She had never been in this kind of situation and needed help preparing. I identified talking points for her and suggested wardrobe considerations like sticking to solids and being mindful of noisy jewelry. And of course, I made sure to coordinate with the public relations staff that was hosting the event to ensure everything ran smoothly. The feedback she received was stellar, singing her praises at being so thoughtful in her remarks and so well prepared overall.

It's all to common that nonprofits don’t have the budget for a full-time Chief of Communications but often still face the same high stakes as private companies with big budgets. Fractional leadership is a budget-friendly way to solve this problem. 

Here are nine signs that your nonprofit could benefit from fractional communications leadership:

1. Your brand message feels scattered across channels. Your messaging comes from different teams using different voices and pushing different messages. You don't have a unified narrative or strategy.

2. You have big stories but no clear strategy to share them. You have great programs with powerful impact but you're either cross-posting the same thing to every audience or you don't have a consistent plan to amplify those stories.

3. Media opportunities come and go because no one is ready. You get media inquiries but scramble to respond, or you simply miss out altogether.

4. Your comms team is overworked or non-existent. Anyone who works at a nonprofit knows that everyone is expected to wear multiple hats. When it comes to communications, you may have one person doing it all. Or maybe everyone on your small team is expected to pitch in when they can. Or you're relying on junior staff without experience or strategic guidance.

5. Your leadership team spends time doing comms work they shouldn’t. Is your CEO writing the newsletter? Is your program director handling social media? Their time is in demand and better leveraged elsewhere.

6. You’re planning a big campaign, launch, or pivot. Big messaging calls for expert support. You need a trusted expert to steer messaging, stakeholders, and crisis-proof the rollout.

7. Your reputation has taken a hit, or it could if issues aren’t managed. From negative reviews to staff changes to mission drift and more, your organization needs careful and thoughtful storytelling.

8. Your donors, board, or funders need measurable communications. You need measurable results and smart reporting, but lack time or expertise.

9. You need high-level comms support but can’t justify a full-time hire. You’d love a seasoned CCO, but it’s just not in the budget.

If any of these signs feel familiar, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to solve it alone, either.

As a fractional Chief of Communications, I partner with nonprofits to strengthen your message, protect your reputation, and free up your leadership team to focus on what they do best. You get executive-level communications support only when you need it, and always within your budget.

Ready to see what’s possible? Let’s talk about how I can help your organization shine. Drop me a message here on LinkedIn or reach out through my website.

This article was originally published on LinkedIn.