Fractional communications support for growing teams

| Melbourne, FL

Senior-level communications expertise. No full-time overhead.

When your organization needs experienced communications leadership — for a project, a season, or ongoing strategic support — I step in as a trusted partner who knows how to get the work done.

I'm Barbara Arnold, a communications strategist with 20+ years of experience across healthcare, energy, and manufacturing. I've supported internal communications, executive messaging, employee storytelling, content strategy, and brand narrative for complex, highly visible organizations. I bring both the strategic thinking and the hands-on execution to move your communications forward with clarity and confidence.

✦ 20+ Years Fortune 500 Communications Experience ✦ Healthcare | Energy | Manufacturing ✦ Internal Communications | Executive Messaging | Content Strategy ✦ PARWCC Member ✦ IABC Member

Who This Is For

Is this the right fit for your organization?

Fractional communications support works best for:

Small to midsize businesses that need senior communications expertise without a full-time hire
Growing organizations building their communications function from the ground up
Healthcare, energy, and manufacturing organizations navigating complex internal or external messaging needs
Marketing and communications teams that need experienced bandwidth during high-volume periods or special initiatives
Executives and leaders who need a trusted partner to help shape clear, credible messaging
Organizations navigating change — restructuring, growth, transitions, or high-stakes communications moments

If your team is stretched, your communications needs have outgrown your current capacity, or you need a seasoned partner who can step in quickly and hit the ground running — this is exactly what I do.

A young woman with reddish-brown hair and a light blue shirt smiling and looking out a window in a modern indoor space with wooden furniture and a potted plant.

How I Can Support Your Team

What fractional communications support looks like in practice

Internal communications Employee communications that inform, align, and engage your workforce — leadership messages, change communications, intranet and newsletter content, internal campaigns, team member stories, and editorial support.

Executive communications Clear, credible messaging for leaders who need to communicate with confidence. Talking points, speeches, presentations, executive announcements, thought leadership content, and strategic messaging for internal or external audiences.

Content strategy and creation Intentional, audience-focused content aligned with your goals — website copy, articles, blogs, LinkedIn content, messaging frameworks, campaign copy, and content planning.

Thought leadership Strategic content that helps leaders and organizations show up with authority and authenticity. Topic development, ghostwriting, profile positioning, and content planning that builds trust and visibility over time.

Project-based support Additional capacity for launches, transitions, campaigns, or high-volume periods when your internal team needs experienced support quickly and without a long onboarding runway.

What It's Like to Work With Me

Strategy and execution — not one or the other

I bring both to the table. That means I can help you think through the message, the audience, and the approach — then roll up my sleeves and develop the deliverables that bring it to life.

I know how to adapt to your voice, your goals, and your environment. I've worked inside large, complex organizations where communications has to be precise, politically aware, and operationally sound. I understand regulated industries, employee audiences, and the difference between a message that lands and one that doesn't.

Engagements can be structured as:

Fractional ongoing support
Monthly retainer partnerships
Project-based engagements
Short-term strategy or content support

Client Reviews

“I've worked with Barbara in both her strategic internal communications and career branding capacities, as a colleague and a client. Barbara consistently presents thoughtful, factual insights in her role, ultimately benefiting those who work with her. Her career branding consulting was vital in my latest career transition, and I can say without a doubt that without her professional assistance in updating my materials and her personal support during the transition, it would have been a much lonelier time. I value Barbara's approach and experience not only as a peer and client, but also as a friend, and wouldn't hesitate to work with her again in the future.”

- Elizabeth S.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working directly with Barb on the development and execution of some critical project Comms. Barb has real depth in her Comms strategies and tactical execution plans. She works across boundaries to help anyone with the expertise she possesses - a real TEAM player! As important as her technical capability, is her strong character and ethos, that make her stand out in approachability and as a willing co-collaborator! I’d work with Barb anytime - anywhere!”

- Jason A.

“I've had the pleasure of working with Barbara on a number of initiatives and projects. She has the rare capability of really understanding her audience/customers, leveraging technology and maintaining crucial human factors. She is detail oriented while still being able to execute with speed. She has a strong emphasis on meeting goals while maintaining quality. I've known her to be eager to learn new processes and tools. She manages stressful situations well and is the type of colleague everyone enjoys work with. Last but not least, all of our work was very collaborative and a group win for those involved.”

Philip K.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What industries do you have experience in? My background is deepest in healthcare, energy, and manufacturing — complex, regulated environments where precision and clarity in communications really matter. I'm also experienced supporting professional services organizations and growing businesses across sectors.

How quickly can you get started? Typically within one to two weeks of our initial conversation, depending on the scope of the engagement.

Do you work on retainer or by project? Both. Some clients bring me on for a specific project or campaign. Others value having consistent, ongoing communications support structured as a monthly retainer. We'll figure out what works best for your needs.

What does the process look like? We start with a conversation about your goals, current challenges, and the kind of support that would be most useful. From there, I'll outline an approach, and we'll align on scope, timeline, and deliverables before we begin.