Communications and Content Strategy

Candida Rodriguez-Lee

Internal & Executive Communications Narrative Design Employee Engagement Digital Workplace Strategy Rio Rico, AZ (Remote) 520-***-**** *******.**************@*****.*** Portfolio: candidarodriguezlee.com LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/candidarodriguezlee PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Internal and executive communications professional with 15+ years of experience partnering with senior leaders at Fortune 500 organizations to turn complex business and technology initiatives into clear messages employees understand and act on. Expert in stakeholder discovery and executive-level narrative design: conducts stakeholder interviews to uncover core insights and synthesizes them into all-hands narratives, leader messages, thought leadership, keynote speeches, and visual executive presentation decks. Directed communications for enterprise technology initiatives affecting 10,000+ employees, established communications governance to keep voice and brand consistent across channels, and built executive dashboards using communication KPIs to measure impact. Uses AI tools for drafting, research, and workflow efficiency. Managed a $1M budget and a team of four. CORE SKILLS

Executive & Leadership Communications: Executive messaging, leader messages, talking points, all-hands and town hall narratives, leadership updates, speechwriting, keynote speeches, thought leadership, leadership briefings, executive storytelling, narrative design, stakeholder discovery interviews, leadership presentations, executive deck design, visual narrative frameworks, Google Slides, PowerPoint, Keynote AI & Emerging Technology: AI-assisted content creation, prompt engineering, workflow optimization, advising clients on practical uses of AI

Internal & Change Communications: Internal communications, change communications, crisis communications, change management, employee engagement, HR communications, culture initiatives, manager toolkits, recognition programs, communications calendar, editorial calendars, communications governance, brand consistency Planning & Measurement: Communication KPIs, engagement analytics, executive dashboards, project management, stakeholder management, cross-functional collaboration, Agile Channels & Tools: Slack, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, intranets, newsletter and email platforms (PoliteMail), Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Docs, Google Slides), Microsoft Office, Zoom, Workfront, Confluence, Monday.com, Box Content & Creative: Storytelling, brand storytelling, newsletters, video production, podcasting, infographics, Canva, Adobe Creative Cloud, graphic design, web design, SEO SELECTED ACHIEVEMENTS

• Drove 90%+ adoption of a new online community among 25,000+ users at Cox Automotive within the first year.

• Launched global online communities at FICO that reached 90% user adoption and won Best New Community at JiveWorld.

• Increased internal community engagement by 65% at BMO through leader-hosted Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions and training workshops.

• Reduced enterprise email volume by 60% by launching PoliteMail and a newsletter strategy.

• Improved intranet usability by 79% and cut task search time by 68%.

• Increased enterprise collaboration by 33% and saved $500K+ annually through a SharePoint transition.

• Achieved 99% user engagement with internal community software at Blue Shield of California. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Founder R&L Consulting Remote 2023–Present

• Founded and lead R&L Consulting, providing communications, marketing, and digital strategy consulting to small businesses and community organizations, strengthening brands and improving how clients communicate with customers and stakeholders.

• Lead website redesign and digital transformation projects from discovery through launch, including content strategy, UX, SEO, answer engine optimization (AEO), brand messaging, and information architecture.

• Develop integrated marketing strategies across websites, social media, email, Google Business, print, and local campaigns to increase visibility, engagement, and customer acquisition.

• Advise clients on practical uses of AI, digital tools, e-commerce, and online ordering to improve communications, customer experience, and daily operations.

• Manage multiple client projects simultaneously, coordinating stakeholders, content, design, technology requirements, and timelines.

Vice President, Communications & Channels BMO Remote Jul 2018–Sep 2023

• Directed communications for enterprise technology initiatives affecting more than 10,000 employees.

• Created executive messaging, presentations, leadership updates, and town hall content; built executive dashboards using communication KPIs to measure effectiveness and guide leadership decisions; created manager toolkits and established communications governance and asset management.

• Handled crisis communications for enterprise bank issues and labor-related matters.

• Led the enterprise transition to SharePoint, increasing collaboration by 33% and saving more than $500K annually, and delivered 100+ instructor-led training sessions with an 87% attendance rate.

• Implemented enterprise newsletter strategy and launched the PoliteMail platform, reducing email volume by 60% while maintaining brand consistency.

• Redesigned the corporate intranet, improving usability by 79% and reducing task search time by 68%.

• Led a team of four and managed a $1M budget while advising senior leadership on communication best practices and change management.

• Led communication initiatives across community platforms, podcasts, video, digital signage, and email, increasing employee engagement for a mostly remote workforce, including Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions.

• Partnered with cross-functional stakeholders to plan and run branded internal marketing campaigns, tailoring content for diverse audiences and channels and aligning efforts through editorial calendars. Enterprise Community Manager BMO Remote Jun 2017–Jul 2018

• Communicated bank initiatives through leader-hosted Ask Me Anything (AMA) sessions, training workshops, and community engagement strategies, increasing internal community engagement by 65%.

• Partnered with executive leadership on enterprise-wide messaging and produced weekly executive reports and engagement analytics to drive communication strategy. Enterprise Community Manager Cisco Remote Apr 2017–Jun 2017

• Developed a global community strategy that increased customer engagement through social platforms, supporting Cisco events and the overall customer experience through strategic partnerships. Enterprise Community Manager Cox Automotive Dealertrack Remote Jun 2015–Jan 2017

• Built an engaging online community that achieved a 90%+ adoption rate among 25,000+ users within the first year. Enterprise Community Manager FICO Remote Jan 2014–May 2015

• Led the launch and promotion of global online communities, reaching 90% user adoption and integrating with Box and SharePoint.

• Wrote the keynote speech for Tony McGivern, CTO of FICO, at the JiveWorld conference, where the community won Best New Community.

Senior Product Consultant and Other Roles Blue Shield of California Remote Jun 2004–Nov 2013

• Ran employee resource groups and served as Chair of Blue Shield Cares.

• Wrote internal communications supporting HR initiatives, using graphic design, content creation, and multiple delivery methods to ensure clarity and engagement.

• Managed content acquisition, editing, and publication for 30 internal websites, ensuring adherence to brand and editorial standards.

• Led the implementation of internal community software, achieving 99% user engagement. EDUCATION

University of Phoenix Coursework in Business Communications American River College Coursework in Horticulture

Contact this candidate