Communications Capability Building
Our Services
Even the most professional communications operations need regular reviews to check that they are keeping pace with both new media developments and rising public expectations over engagement. Portland has unmatched expertise to help clients assess the effectiveness of their communications operation, recommend how to fill the gaps and put solutions in place. Our leadership team has been responsible for the overhaul and modernisation of communications structures around the world, including the UK Prime Minister’s office. Using this experience, we have created our own unique capabilitybuilding process, helping clients to audit, design, build and operate their communications for domestic and international audiences. We also understand that we are there to help not to take over. Whether through one-off training programmes, intensive in-house mentoring or the full redesign of functions and systems, we work to build lasting communications capability for governments, NGOs and corporate brands.
We bring a rigorous approach to our services with: • rapid diagnoses of problem areas • unparalleled insights and organisational design experience • creative implementation of tried and tested solutions, carefully tailored to your needs With headquarters in London, offices in New York and Nairobi, and partner agencies throughout the rest of the globe we offer energy, agility and focus with the capacity and international reach to deliver for clients of any size or scale.
Short and long-term reputation gains
Our phased approach 1.
Audit
Is your team delivering? Is your reputation where you want it to be?
2. Design
Audit
Design
Build
Recruiting the right people Training your team
We assess the strengths and weaknesses of your communications function
We design robust new structures and processes, mending skills and systems gaps
We deliver tailored training programmes covering the full range of media skills
4. Operate Strategic advice and counsel
Working with your team to deliver real-time media results
Strengthened commmunications operation
Alastair Campbell
Toby Orr
Portland advisor, led the modernisation of the UK government’s communications structure under Prime Minister Tony Blair
Head of Portland International and former co-founder of Africa Practice, specialist in public affairs and communications design for African and development clients
Tim Allan
Charles McLean
Portland Managing Director, formerly a Downing Street advisor and Director of Communications at BSkyB, oversees Portland’s capability building offering
Former Director of Communications at the World Economic Forum and NBC News journalist, manages and delivers Portland’s training offering
Steve Morris
Mark Flanagan
Former EU and Downing Street advisor, leads Portland’s audit services for government, corporate and non-profit clients
Digital advisor to three UK Prime Ministers, leads Portland’s digital audits and digital training programmes
Martin Sheehan
Laura Kyrke-Smith
Former Downing Street advisor responsible for strengthening cross-government coordination, directs Portland’s capability work for foreign governments
Former UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Speechwriter and Policy Analyst, plays a lead role in our global capability building programmes
Operate
Top-class team structure Internal operating procedures
3. Build
Our Team
We provide intensive in-house mentoring at all levels of seniority to embed new systems, deliver real-time media results and ensure lasting value
London 1 Red Lion Court London EC4A 3EB Nairobi 4th Floor, Laiboni Centre Lenana Road Kilimani, Kenya New York The Chrysler Building 405 Lexington Avenue 26th Floor New York, NY 10174 t: +44 (0) 20 7842 0123 f: +44 (0) 20 7842 0145 www.portland-communications.com info@portland-communications.com Twitter: @PortlandComms
EMEA Public Affairs Consultancy of the Year
Winner 2012