Author > Cancer Works – Balancing your career with not dying

Author of book – on Amazon and Audible

Website: www.kinnearmellor.com

Tenure: Ongoing

Description: Alex’s ‘Cancer Works: Balancing your career with not dying’ transcends the conventional narrative of cancer, transforming a personal battle into a beacon of hope and resilience for anyone navigating the complex intersection of professional life and a life-altering diagnosis.

This book is not just a memoir; it’s a guide, a companion, and a source of inspiration for those facing cancer directly or indirectly in the workplace.

“Cancer Works” was published on Amazon and Audible in April 2024 and has received 5 star reviews from medical professionals, business readers, cancer patients and more.

I wrote ‘Cancer Works’ to offer a beacon of hope and practical guidance for anyone navigating the uncertain journey of cancer alongside their career.

This book is born from my personal experiences, a testament to the resilience we can harness even in the face of adversity.

My aim is to challenge the conventional narratives around cancer, showing that it’s possible to continue thriving in our careers and lives despite a diagnosis. Through sharing my story, I hope to empower, educate, and inspire others to find their own path of resilience and strength.

Head of Global Communications > Manufacturing and Engineering

Employer: Doncasters Ltd

Tenure: 2022 – present

Job Description: Define and execute Doncasters’ transformative global communication strategies, supporting the strategic priorities of this £500M turnover Group.

Skills: Strategic Counsel · Investor Relations · Media Relations · Presentation · Communication · Internal Communications · Event Management · Copywriting · Creative Development · Writing · Editing · Marketing Strategy · Brand Development · Social Media · Team Leadership · Corporate Communications · Strategic Planning · Public Relations · Strategy Development · Change Management · Public Speaking · Strategy · Creative Direction · Management · Brand Management · Press Releases · Leadership · Project Management · Business Strategy · Strategic Communications · Market Planning · Influence At All Levels

Highlights:

• Building and delivering world class internal and external communication strategies supporting the global business strategy.
• Raising the profile of the 245 year old manufacturing and engineering business via external and internal channels.
• Working alongside the C Suite, advising on strategic direction and global projects, supporting over 3000 employees across three continents.
• Conceptualising, designing and delivering the new global communications platform, giving the global workforce who are predominantly deskless access to communications first hand.
• Researching the company history and delivering the extensive new historical website experience.
• Writing and delivering internal and external corporate films.
• Delivering global corporate events and exhibitions.

Communications, Marketing & PR Manager > National Equine Charity

Employer:  Bransby Horses Rescue and Welfare; one of the UK’s largest equine welfare charities.

Tenure: 2019 – 2021

Job Description:  Manage a graphic design and marketing team, as well as agencies. Working with the SLT to develop PR and marketing strategies which will deliver on the charity’s strategic targets, including fundraising, income generation, HR, operations and welfare, and leading all of the marketing and PR activities.

Skills: Team Leadership. Rebranding (working with agency) online and on site. Brand strategy, including audience profiling, segmentation and targeting. Marketing strategy. Social Media strategy, management and delivery. Fundraising and income generation initiatives. Retail. Internal Communications. Adobe Creative Suite; Illustrator, Indesign and Photoshop. Web design; WordPress. New ways of working conceptualisation and realisation. Copywriting. Press Release writing and distribution. Local and National Press and Television liaison (BBC). Event stand design. Event coordination. GDPR. CRM. Editorial.

Awards: The Legacy Futures Innovation Award 2021

Highlights: 

• Significantly increased brand reach and profile on social media by devising improved targeted, consistent content. This generated an average Facebook engagement rate of 4% compared to the UK average of 0.9%, 8.2% YOY Facebook follower increase and 18.6 YOY Instagram increase.
• Rebranded and overhauled content for the charity website, increasing page per sessions to 5.5 average and 10% reduction in bounce rates.
• Designed and delivered a legacy campaign that won The Legacy Futures Innovation Award, beating shortlist of Alzheimers Society, St Johns Ambulance and Royal Museum’s Greenwich.
• Redesigned and delivered the nationwide charity magazine whilst reworking improved methods for content collaboration, generating increased donations of 53% and sales of 330%.

Testimonial

Brand Strategy, Marketing, PR > Milspo CIC

Client: Milspo 

Brief: Establish the Brand Strategy and support with general communications

Work: Developed the Milspo CIC brand strategy as a response to the CIC’s rapid growth during the 2020 pandemic. All communications were revised to reflect this new strategy, which included the 2022 fundraising / funding strategy . The client stated that: “Alex went above and beyond the brief, and it’s her strategy that we will be using for a many years to come.” milspo.co.uk

Skills: Press release writing, distribution and journalist liaison. Online copywriting. Brand strategy, including audience profiling, segmentation and targeting. Marketing strategy. Fundraising strategy.

Testimonial

Pro Bono: Branding, Marketing, Design, PR > Community Fundraising

Client: Elston Community Pub Ltd

Brief: Help the countryside campaign to save the local pub in any way possible!

Work:  Designed company logo, website, share brochure (including copywriting and proofing), application forms, banner and T-Shirts, and gave advice on PR & Marketing opportunities.

Skills: PR. Press release writing and distribution. Marketing strategy. Fundraising strategy. Presenting. Adobe Creative Suite; Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign. Income generation.

PR & Marketing Coordinator > Air Ambulance Service and Trust

Employer: Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance

Tenure: 2015 – 2016

Job Description: Promote charity through a range of activities, events and initiatives, to grow brand awareness, engagement, fundraising opportunities and income generation. As an effective networker, develop strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders in both counties to help raise awareness of the charity and its life saving-service.

Skills: Brand strategy, including audience profiling, segmentation and targeting. Marketing strategy. Social Media strategy, management and delivery. Adobe Creative Suite; Illustrator, Indesign and Photoshop. Web design; WordPress. Copywriting. Press Release writing and distribution. Internal Communications. Local and National Press and Television liaison. Retail design. Event coordination. GDPR. CRM. Fundraising and income generation initiatives. Editorial. Crisis Management. 

Highlights:

• Raised the profile of the charity with local and national press through improved relations and quality content release, resulting in increases of over 50% for online, social media and print coverage, as well as significant television exposure such as The Paul O’Grady Show, Jeremy Kyles’ The Kyle Files and local BBC News.
•  Improved the quality of the charity’s brand strategy and assets by creating brand guidelines and online media library, the coordination of photoshoots, developing the charity website and producing an animated charity video.
• Enhanced Key Stakeholder relations, from Trustee to Volunteers, leveraging the charity’s key messages and appeals
• Worked with an agency to support the delivery of rebranded shops.
• Continued to support with marketing, fundraising and PR charity when I returned to consultancy work.

Testimonial