Jennifer Needham Email and Phone Number

Smith Communication Partners is a management consulting firm that specializes in employee, marketing and corporate communications. We provide our clients in-depth experience in human resources, benefits and compensation communications, as well as in employee training, marketing strategies and in a variety of corporate transactions such as mergers, acquisitions, spin-offs and workforce reductions.Jennifer is a Partner and Senior Consultant with Smith Communication Partners, a management consulting firm specializing in employee, marketing and corporate communications, with a focus on HR and benefits. With 18 years of organizational communication and consulting experience, Jennifer specializes in planning, developing and implementing comprehensive communication programs.She assists clients with campaigns for benefits open enrollment, retirement plan participation, compensation and performance management, mergers and acquisitions, Internet/intranet development and employee research. Prior to becoming a founding partner of Smith, she was an associate principal at Buck Consultants, where her work won several awards. Jennifer is a frequent speaker on employee communication topics.Specialties: Communication of retirement and health & welfare benefit programs, as well as organizational effectiveness topics, such as employee research, mergers/acquisitions, compensation and performance management. Expertise in a variety of media, including online platforms, social media, print, eMagazines, video and audio.

• Sold and managed approximately $850,000 in client work annually, including development of new clients, cross-selling of non-communication services, and expanding current client relationships• Developed communication strategies for clients in the areas of branding, open enrollment, merger/acquisition, personalized statements, employee research, compensation, and retirement• Specialized in variety of media, including print, audio, video, and Web communications• Led teams of writers, graphic designers, and production managers for client assignments with responsibility for ensuring billable time ratios of all junior staff• Managed and mentored interns and one direct report; participated in recruitment, hiring, and downsizing decisions; jointly managed business plan of local practice with other senior consultants• Supported firm initiatives, such as the integration of acquired groups, creation of sector intranet site, speech writing for senior leaders, product development, and training of communicators in writing summary plan descriptions• Pursued Certified Employee Benefits Specialist designation (completed exams 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8)Awards• 1999 Award of Excellence (Total Benefits Program), EBC Awards, Business Insurance magazine• 2000 Silver Quill (Benefits Communication), IABC District II• 2000 Best of Show (Intranet Communications), EBC Awards, Business Insurance magazine• 2001 Grand Award (Publication Excellence), APEX Awards• 2002 Award of Excellence (Audio Productions with church client), The Communicator Awards• 2002 Award of Excellence (Audio Productions with energy client), The Communicator Awards• 2003 Award of Merit (Benefits Communication), Dalton Pen Awards• 2003 Silver Quill (Benefits Communication), IABC Atlanta

Swimming Pool/Spa Age, monthly trade magazine with thirteenth issueAquatics International, bimonthly trade magazine• Reported and wrote cover stories, features, news departments, and subscriber newsletter• Edited, proofread, pasted up, and postscripted each issue• Developed editorial calendar and advertising supplement topics• Managed freelance writers and worked with Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games on regular feature

• Promoted product line by editing all literature, point of purchase, direct mail, training, advertising and collateral materials for Mass Market division, serving clients such as The Home Depot• Created, wrote, edited, and project managed internal and consumer newsletters• Designed and implemented Children’s Miracle Network promotion

• Planned corporate events• Proofread and project managed quarterly client newsletter