WORKING WITH PEOPLE
FOUR WORKING MODES · THREE REFERENCES
People.
Most of the work in a senior content role is done through other people. Direct reports when the role calls for it; contributors, agencies and cross-functional teams far more often. The discipline is the same in every case: trust, clarity and raising the quality of work around me.
Direct reports
Rebecca Prescott as news editor at FoodBev Media. Julian Yates as web designer at Sorted. In both cases the job was to create the conditions where good work happened consistently.
Contributor networks
BankNXT contributors across global fintech: founders, analysts and working journalists. Podcast guests across FoodBev, BankNXT, ieDigital and Sorted. The editorial judgement to commission well, brief tightly and edit without flattening voice.
Agencies & specialists
External design and creative resource at Sorted, where I also brought PR and SEO in-house from agencies. The discipline of being a good client: clear briefs, fast decisions and scope held without softening the standard.
Cross-cultural client teams
ieDigital, Aito (Finland), Indeed (UK), 11:FS, Intel, Plumery, 10x Banking, Atos. At ieDigital and Aito I was embedded and accountable for the editorial line as one member of a larger team. At Indeed I worked through an agency, to someone else's brand and brief.
THREE VANTAGE POINTS
DIRECT REPORT
News editor I managed at FoodBev Media
"Shaun was my line manager at FoodBev Media. He was an exceptional mentor and educator, teaching me about video interviews, podcasts, and social media – new technology to many journalists at the time. His expertise, patience, and ability to communicate his skills in an approachable way made him a great manager. He became a go-to source for both technical guidance and career advice."
DIRECT REPORT
Web designer I managed at Sorted
"From day one, he made it easy to feel supported and valued … He has a rare ability to turn complex challenges into clear actionable strategies … I genuinely learned a lot from Shaun, both professionally and personally."
CONTRIBUTOR
External specialist I commissioned at BankNXT
"As Senior Editor, Shaun is overseeing a content operation that demands attention to detail, making key judgement calls to ensure editorial quality as well as interacting with many contributors (some being world-renowned specialists). Shaun accomplishes all that with great efficiency and diplomacy."
THE TRANSFERABLE THING
"The skill that scales from one direct report to a department is the same skill that scales from one freelance writer to a global contributor network: set the editorial line, give people clarity and trust them to do the work well."
REFERENCES
What people have said.
Founder, Wiser
early BankNXT collaborator, writing on insurtech · co-hosted Big Tech Little Tech
"In the world of generative AI, we need humans like Shaun to remind us that we're not done yet!"
EVP, OSF Digital
formerly CCO, ieDigital · client 2018–2022
"Shaun has consistently demonstrated an exceptional level of expertise and professionalism in every project I worked with him. He possesses a remarkable ability to craft content that meets and exceeds our expectations."
Account Executive, HubSpot
worked with Shaun at Sorted Group
"I was consistently impressed with his ability to create compelling content that truly resonated with our audience. Shaun has a rare talent for understanding the complex customer journey in the carrier management space …"
Three of more than 30 references on file from across my career. Full list available on request.
GET IN TOUCH
Available now for senior roles in B2B technology.
Head of Content, Head of Communications or content strategy leadership at a scaling B2B SaaS or fintech company. Permanent by preference, and open to contract for the right brief. Remote-first, or hybrid in Leeds, York or Harrogate. I'll happily share my CV and references on request.