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.

Event Delivery > International Awards Event

Client: CIC working with UK government, MOD and VIPs

Brief:  Project manage, through to delivery, an international awards event, with VVIP guests, including high office, high rank government officials and celebrities.

Work: Coordinated stakeholders, from event and design agencies, to client’s staff and external parties (as well as supporting with copywriting, CRM and web development), to deliver on time and budget an event for over 500 guests. 

Skills: Gantt Project Planning. Brief writing. Event coordination (timings, budget, print and online content, venue and MOD / Metropolitan Police security liaison). Speech writing.  Talent, VIP and SLT liaison. Relationship building. Internal Communications.

Brand creation > SPOVoice.com

Client: Myself; Alex Kinnear-Mellor

Brief: Create a new movement to support 100,000+ Military Spouses, Partners and Other-Halves (SPOs) to make change to support our careers.

Work: Design branding, copy and website and begin the process of gaining traction with the UK government and MOD. Ongoing in 2022. SPOVoice.com

Skills: Website WordPress (UI and UX). Adobe Creative Suite; Photoshop. Illustrator. SEO. Copywriting. Research. Social Media. GDPR.

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

Global Account Director > Creative Agency

Employer: Linney, Create

Tenure: 2018 – 2019

Job Description: Deliver and evaluate superior, effective communication strategies and materials across a range of internal and external UK and global brands including Pizza Express, Costa Coffee and Boots. Direct the development of marketing proposals for all channels to market – print, screen, digital and conventional marketing. Aid sales proposition, demonstrating understanding of commercial and market dilemmas, to help clients overcome them, deliver on their ambitions and bring their brands to market effectively. Evaluate and help shape creative proposals, create opportunities with clients, and explore ways to help grow their business and the agency’s.

Skills: Team Leadership. Strategic thinking and delivery. Brand strategy. Marketing proposals and strategy. Social Media proposals, strategy and delivery. Market research. Competitor analysis. Presenting. Income generation. Biometrics. Insight. Behavioural analysis. POS.

Highlights:

• By leading a team of behavioural analysts, researchers, creatives, and directors, won a pitch for a trial of digital screens for Costa Coffee UK, delivering the agency a potential 6 figure annual income within 3 years.
• Directed and delivered content for a Pizza Express’ children’s menu. Implementing improved ways of working for the design and project management team resulted in agency design and delivery time reduction of 30%, whilst the client felt the design the best yet.
• Devised and directed core elements of a challenging international digital campaign for Costa Coffee UAE. On budget and on time, the engaging and relevant consumer campaign increased agency income by 40%.
• Devised and delivered winning agency strategy for Boots, retaining the agency’s contract during client’s multi-agency review.