Fractional comms: the practical way small teams keep everyone on the same page
Most purpose-led teams don’t need a full-time comms hire. They need clear messages, regular updates and someone who ships the words. This is where you might need fractional communications support.
What is fractional communications?
A set number of days each month with a senior communicator who works like part of your team.
You get strategy and hands-on writing, without the overhead of a full-time role.
What I cover as a fractional comms partner:
Internal comms, staff updates, exec notes, newsletters etc.
Change comms for rebrands and restructures.
Tone of voice, messaging and simple templates.
Light editorial lead across website, social and email.
Outcome: fewer meetings, less scrambling and more consistent comms.
When fractional comms are handy
Rebrand or restructure. Lots of moving parts. Tight timelines.
Small or stretched team. One marketer doing everything.
Sensitive topics. You need plain English language and empathy.
Stakeholders everywhere. You need a clear message.
Content backlog. Drafts in six folders, nothing ready to send.
If two or more sound like you, fractional comms will save time, money and brain space.
The method I use: Signal → Shape → Ship
It’s not a rigid framework. It’s a scaffold that keeps work moving.
1) Signal
Agree what matters this month.
What staff must know.
What goes to clients/community.
Who approves and by when.
2) Shape
Turn signals into helpful words.
Pick channels: intranet, email, Teams, posters, SMS.
Choose the right sender: CEO, manager, project lead.
Draft plain-English copy with one clear action.
Add tone notes and quick do/don’ts.
3) Ship
Publish. Measure. Close the loop.
Send or post.
Track opens, clicks, questions.
Share a short “what worked / what’s next” wrap with leaders.
Some months we Ship fast and backfill the plan. Some months we Signal only and say less, clearly. We use the method that fits the work.
Case snapshot: Charles Darwin University
Context
CDU wanted a student wellbeing hub with plain-English content. Multiple stakeholders. Sensitive topics. Tight timelines.
My role
Comms meets editorial lead:
Planned the content approach and plan with the student comms team.
Wrote and edited 100+ student-led articles and resources.
Mentored two student copywriters to keep tone and quality but including the student voice/perspective.
Built simple templates, messaging pillars and brand voice/tone guidelines.
Why it worked
Strategic and aligned comms.
One source of truth for tone and messages.
Enough structure to move fast, enough flex to handle surprises and change.
Result
A growing content library and resource students can use daily and a team that kept shipping without reinventing the wheel every week.
Why bring in someone external?
An outsider can ask blunt questions nicely, cut across silos, hold deadlines and keep tone steady when things get tense. Then leave you with simple guardrails your team can use without me.
What working with me looks like
2–6 days/month on retainer.
Mix of strategy and doing.
Plain-English drafts you can ship the same day.
Light editorial lead so everything sounds like you, everywhere.
If your project is important and your team is stretched, I can help.