Summary
Overview
Work history
Education
Skills
Timeline
Generic

Jo Clayton

Droylsden,Manchester

Summary

Senior strategic communications leader with extensive experience shaping high-impact, integrated external communications strategies across complex, high-profile organisations. Proven ability to translate organisational goals into clear, audience-led narratives, advise and influence senior leaders, and lead cross-functional teams and agency partners to deliver measurable impact. Strong track record in purposeful storytelling, reputation management, and strategic planning, with experience spanning BBC/BBC Studios global brands, and not-for-profit and health-related organisations.

Overview

2026
2026
years of professional experience

Work history

Communications Manager, Kids & Family / Global Communications Lead – Bluey

BBC Studios
London
2023.06 - 2026.02
  • Lead integrated communications strategies for the Kids & Family genre and animated global hit Bluey, translating organisational priorities into industry and audience-led narratives across press, digital, social and stakeholder channels, supporting brand growth in the UK and international markets.
  • Develop and own key messaging frameworks, thematic narratives and briefing materials, based on industry and audience insight/research, advise senior executives and raise the profile of the Managing Director, leadership team and the division through media, speaking opportunities and strategic thought leadership to coincide with key trade beats.
  • Direct global communications planning for Bluey across multiple territories, coordinating regional teams and agency partners to deliver a cohesive, high-impact strategy in partnership with Disney and ABC Australia.
  • Manage reputation and issues communications, including crisis response, media enquiries, lines-to-take and Q&As, ensuring consistent, timely and risk-aware communications.
  • Launched successful high profile consumer campaigns around content including the digital relaunch of Blue Peter, The Primrose Railway Children, Pudsey and the Thread of Hope by Tom Fletcher
  • Line-manage publicists delivering priority campaigns.
  • Increased brand visibility for Bluey. Led the global launch strategy for Bluey: The Sign driving widespread cultural conversation and securing its place in public zeitgeist, contributing to the show becoming the most watched show across any genre on both Disney and across the US in 2024.
  • Lead the team in organising high-profile corporate events, enhancing brand image.
  • Establish strong relationships with industry influencers for collaborative opportunities.
  • Establish industry contacts and relationships with media, building positive, productive relationships to maximise brand exposure.
  • Collaborat with marketing team on promotional efforts, boosting brand recognition.

Strategic Communications Consultant

Freelance PR & Social Media Consultant
Home based
2008.02 - 2026.02
  • Clients include NGO's and charities, Relief International and International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease; Oldham Council, United Utilities, book publishers and independent production companies
  • Delivered strategic external and internal communications programmes for public sector bodies, NGOs and not-for-profit organisations, aligning communications activity to organisational strategy and change objectives.
  • Designed and implemented change communications strategies for complex services, including Oldham Council's Adult Social Care, supporting transformation through clear messaging, stakeholder engagement and audience insight.
  • Advised senior leaders on media strategy, crisis communications, public positioning and stakeholder engagement, including speechwriting, conference communications and opinion-former outreach.
  • Planned and executed integrated digital and social media campaigns, overseeing content strategy, editorial planning, analytics and performance reporting including increasing engagement by 150percent for WriteUnite's platforms during launch of their Visions of the Future global art exhibition.
  • Managed agency partners and commissioned creative content, using insight and evaluation to refine messaging and demonstrate measurable impact.

Press Officer, BBC Children's & Education

BBC, MediaCityUK
Salford
2011.02 - 2023.06
  • Planned and delivered integrated publicity campaigns across national and regional media, digital platforms and influencers, strengthening brand reputation and audience engagement, including launching The Clangers, achieving positive wall to wall coverage for Blue Peter's 60th Birthday, turning initial negative sentiment into positives, and the successful launch of Tiny Happy People with the Princess of Wales including front page coverage on key nationals.
  • Acted as first point of contact for media on reputational and corporate issues, providing crisis communications support and out-of-hours media handling.
  • Built and maintained strong relationships with senior stakeholders, on-air talent, production teams, independent producers and PR agencies to deliver aligned communications.
  • Produced high-quality press materials, internal briefings and stakeholder communications to ensure clarity, consistency and strategic alignment.

Communications Manager, English Regions North (Interim)

BBC, MediaCityUK
Salford
  • Provided strategic leadership for regional communications, overseeing reputation management, stakeholder strategy and high-profile external communications across the North of England.
  • Line-managed and developed a team of publicists, ensuring delivery of aligned, high-quality campaigns across multiple channels.
  • Deputised for the Head of Communications England, advising senior leaders and managing day-to-day communications operations.
  • Represented the BBC at senior stakeholder level, acting as spokesperson with MPs, editors and regional opinion formers to strengthen organisational reputation.

Press & PR Officer – North West / North East

BBC, Oxford Road, Manchester
  • Delivered 360-degree media campaigns aligned to organisational priorities, integrating press, broadcast and social media to reach diverse audiences.
  • Coordinated press briefings, interviews and creative media opportunities, continuously innovating approaches to maximise reach and engagement.

Producer – 24-Hour Drumathon

BBC Children in Need (Temporary Attachment)
  • Led press, publicity and social media activity for the most successful 24-hour challenge to date, supporting fundraising objectives through real-time content and media engagement.
  • Managed talent, research, briefing materials and live content production during a 24-hour broadcast, ensuring consistent messaging and audience impact.

Ashton Weekly Newspapers | Trainee to Senior Journalist

BBC | Various Communications, Media and Research Roles
  • Developed strong foundations in journalism, media relations, research and content creation
  • Pitched innovative story ideas regularly, contributed to editorial planning.
  • Adhered to strict deadlines to ensure consistent publication schedule.
  • Documented proceedings at council meetings for transparency in governance.
  • Wrote feature articles, enriched the newspaper's variety of content.
  • Crafted compelling narratives from raw data, stimulated reader interest.

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Media & Communications

University of Central England
Birmingham

Proficiency Test in Newspaper Journalism - Journalism

National Council for the Training of Journalists
Newport

NCTJ Diploma in Newspaper Journalism, University o - Journalism

University of Central Lancashire
Preston

A-Levels - Sociology, Biology, English Literature, General Studios

A Levels
Stockport

GCSEs - 7

Bredbury County Comprehensive School
Stockport

Skills

  • Integrated communications strategy Campaign Management & Optimisation Key Messaging & Narrative Development Senior Stakeholder Advisory Strategic Thought Leadership Cross-Functional Team Leadership Line Management & Staff Development Agency & Partner Management Crisis Communications Planning & Management Media Relations Management Change Management & Internal Communications Content Strategy & Editorial Planning Digital Content Strategy & Social Media Campaigns Event Planning & Stakeholder Engagement Campaign Evaluation & Insights Brand & Reputation Management Public Sector / NGO / Charity Communications Global Communications Coordination Speechwriting & Executive Briefings Research/Insight-Led Communications

Timeline

Communications Manager, Kids & Family / Global Communications Lead – Bluey

BBC Studios
2023.06 - 2026.02

Press Officer, BBC Children's & Education

BBC, MediaCityUK
2011.02 - 2023.06

Strategic Communications Consultant

Freelance PR & Social Media Consultant
2008.02 - 2026.02

Communications Manager, English Regions North (Interim)

BBC, MediaCityUK

Press & PR Officer – North West / North East

BBC, Oxford Road, Manchester

Producer – 24-Hour Drumathon

BBC Children in Need (Temporary Attachment)

Ashton Weekly Newspapers | Trainee to Senior Journalist

BBC | Various Communications, Media and Research Roles

Bachelor of Arts - Media & Communications

University of Central England

Proficiency Test in Newspaper Journalism - Journalism

National Council for the Training of Journalists

NCTJ Diploma in Newspaper Journalism, University o - Journalism

University of Central Lancashire

A-Levels - Sociology, Biology, English Literature, General Studios

A Levels

GCSEs - 7

Bredbury County Comprehensive School
Jo Clayton