Sarah Sysum

16 Garth Drive, Leeds, LS17 5BE

07714181879 / sarahsysum@gmail.com

Profile
Creative, enthusiastic, and goal-oriented internal communication professional with a strategic
vision. Experience translating business goals and strategies into creative campaigns and engaging
communications for high-profile media companies. Excellent at building relationships across all
levels in an organisation.

Specialties
Digital and social media, strategy, campaign management, development of marketing messages,
branding, website content management, marketing planning processes, event management,
external and internal corporate communications, digital and online marketing, creative content
writing and editing.

Career Journey
Sky (2020-PRESENT)
Senior Copywriter (Head of Copy for Internal Comms and Learning)
• Translating and taking ownership of objectives and requirements into effective Internal
Communication and Engagement strategies.
• Overseeing the successful delivery of all relevant copy (including events, training, branding, and
scripting)
• Provide effective support and counsel to senior leaders on employee-related matters. Managing
all leadership communication in partnership with members of the Senior LT
• Inputting into Internal Communication and Learning channels and continuously improving their
effectiveness using insight and measurement
• Deploy resources effectively, allocating resources and negotiating timescales to ensure optimum
progress against objectives. To collaborate with the Comms and Learning teams to ensure the most
effective use of skills and resources
• Ensure message consistency, alignment, and relevant translation across CSG Sky
• Drive high-impact communications messages and campaigns which drive engagement and
business performance
• Facilitate and deliver the necessary leadership engagement activities to inform and equip junior
managers to communicate with their colleagues

Sky (2018-2020)
Copywriter
• Working closely across Comms & Learning, CSG and Sky stakeholders to translate business
requirements into best-in-class communication and learning content and experiences. This has
included taking the copy and creative lead on timetolearn, our week@CSG strand (which I was
instrumental in creating and developing) and Home Service learning (for which I was awarded a
Sky Star and C&L employee of the month)
• Delivering sophisticated and technical information in a simple, effective way. To ensure clear
messaging across all campaigns with a strong eye for detail whilst making sure all key messages
and objectives are met
• Evaluating and editing existing materials, adjusting narratives to fit the most current learning
methods
• As and when required deputising for the Senior Copywriter, managing the team’s workload,
providing editorial and pastoral support
• Production of presentations and script writing for senior management
Provident Financial Group (2018)

Temporary Learning & Communications Editor

• Implementing and delivering a successful media & communications strategy, plans and cultural
engagement initiative. Achieved through effective communications, planning, event scheduling,
monitoring and measurement of all activity
• Generating content for current and future customers, stakeholders, and fellow employees across a
series of channels & campaigns. This included internal magazine features and articles and blogs
for the customer facing website and social media channels
• Working with people across the business, predominately L&D, to edit and build packages of
content that resonated with their intended audience
• Producing a series of induction programmes for new starters, which contains optimised mobile
content for apps, videos, podcasts, and presentations
• Designing both short and long-form packages of content across multiple disciplines using copy
for video and graphics that simplifies, and informs, whilst being highly engaging
• Seen as the copywriter expert and troubleshooter for the communications team with the ability to
'take a step back' and have the vision to transform problems, sometimes with confused objectives,
into informative and digestible content through engaging storytelling

Arup(2017-2018)
Temporary Online Communications Editor
• Creating content to inspire current and future customers, stakeholders, and fellow employees
across a series of channels & campaigns
• Implementing a robust content strategy with focus on increasing online conversion rate and
organic traffic using created SEO optimised content
• Overseeing the UKMEA Twitter and LinkedIn channels. Providing editorial calendars and
content for both
• Quality check projects, campaign and services pages before it appears on arup.com using a robust
editorial process created by myself
• Becoming a key contributor to the companies content roadmap, working closely with the
marketing teams to define themes and delivering content to key projects
• Managing the pipeline of content for all stakeholders, both nationally and internationally through
the creation of content calendars and workflow documents which allow for prioritising content and
any changes
• Seen as the ‘go to person’ on copywriting and editing within the Arup marketing network.
Leading and creating a range of webinars, coaching sessions, and training documents to provide
guidance with the marketing network on website best practice
• An expert on the CMS system, including sourcing and preparing visual content for use on the
website and providing training to others
• Creating press releases and blogs for publishing on the website and social media channels.
Including taking the lead on creating case studies, marketing collateral, and white papers, engaging
technical experts from within the company and externally

Which? (2016-2017)
Temporary Senior Writer
• Led and managed a wide range of projects including devising test programs for the company and
its international counterparts. All delivered on time and to brief
• Turning complex research into sharply focused, interesting, jargon-free well-structured copy over
a range of topics including, small domestic appliances, consumer investigations and food-based
stories
• Using a range of analytical software to monitor the free online content (produced by myself)
while making sure it met performance goals in SEO and conversion
• Writing, producing, and directing scripts for a range of advice guides
• Working as a mentor for junior colleagues. Coaching and guiding to ensure the highest possible
quality standards were employed across the team

BBC Easy Cook Magazine (2011-2016)

Deputy Editor
• With an editor based off site, managing the day-to-day workload of a team of 4, including
development needs. Mentoring and upskilling where necessary
• Developing the magazines social media presence. Including an active Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram accounts
• Using creative flair to develop concepts, including a range of new features, reader’s food diary,
celebrity interviews & on test pages
• Designing and producing the iPad version of the magazine, which included adding interactivity
to the issue and bespoke elements (such as step-by-step shots)
• Processing every page ready for publication, from writing copy to maintaining the editorial style
& tone including all headlines & sells. Proofreading every page and overseeing copy flow
• Writing marketing items (such as House Ads and Show guides) where a stronger ‘selling’ tone
was called for
• Writing a monthly gadget blog for bbc.goodfood.com. This proved to be a popular addition to the
site with an average of over 40,000 unique users per blog

BBC Good Food Magazine (2004-2011)

Shopping Editor
• Called upon monthly to write well-balanced & informative features on a range (but not limited)
to consumer products & issues, including on test pages, shopping round up’s & travel reviews
• Editor in chief of promotional supplements which included commissioning of all new material,
picture research, producing flat plans & supervising the designer & sub-editor
• Producing a monthly 4-page newsletter for subscribers. Sourcing prizes and supervising design
layout and editing copy
• Developing great working relationships with contributors, PR’s & agents & using these
connections to set up a Food Talent Database
• Creating a range of bespoke reports to allow for more accurate monitoring of expenditure

BBC Broadcast (2003-2004)

Production Assistant
• Using the SAP financial system to create a series of reports that allowed the department to
monitor project expenditure whilst identifying areas of potential overspend
• Responsible for the operation of a variety of analogue & digital Radio & TV equipment
Including non-linear editing, distribution of media & running of radio studio desks. Producing
show-reels, promos & audition tapes for a variety of clients including UKTV & BBC Local Radio
• Designing and curating the content for a BBC Broadcast intranet site

Software
Conversant in a range of information technology systems including Microsoft Office, In-Design,
CMS systems (including Sitecore), video editing software, WordPress, learning platforms
(including Thrive and Captivate), plus social media management systems

AOB
References available on request
Projected salary of 45K PA and/or above
4 week notice period