CONNECTING TALENTED PEOPLE AND GROWING CAREERS IN PR & COMMUNICATIONS.
Working with CEOs, line managers, HR and jobseekers, I unleash potential by bringing great talent and exceptional businesses together for a perfect fit. My core areas of expertise are PR and communications, Public Affairs and Social / Digital. Currently recruiting across UK and Europe.
Hi, I’m Celia Wyndham.
After 18 years of recruitment experience working in London both within agencies and with in-house talent teams, in 2024 I established my own independent consultancy, Sunbird People, directed at consolidating this recruitment experience.
Whilst PR and Communications are at the centre of my professional practice, I have also had extensive exposure to a range of disciplines gained whilst working in-house within major FTSE100 companies. My client portfolio has embraced high-growth start-ups, SMEs as well as working with globally established brands.
Why work with Sunbird People?
Experience, insight & understanding
As well as sourcing the best candidates and roles across the PR and communications industry I also provide industry insights into salary benchmarking, industry trends, benefits, the recruitment process, CV writing and interview techniques and tips.
PEOPLE
I don’t work with anyone and everyone. I know my network. I have strong professional and personal relationships with them. I know their drivers, I know their comfort zones, I know their boundaries and I know their potential.
FLEXIBLE SERVICE
Benefiting from both agency and in-house across all levels I can be flexible on how we work, be it a unique position or building teams.
CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING
Truly understanding the nuances of organisations is what makes me tick, ensuring I always deliver people with the right cultural fit.
LATERAL THINKER
I’m known for my successful (and slightly left field) creative solutions that work.
HUMAN
With the ever-evolving landscape of AI systems at your fingertips it’s easy to wonder whether the role of a recruiter is actually necessary. They are devoid of everything I am. I have a unique moral compass that guides actions. This crucial absence can lead to decisions that, while logically sound, will almost certainly lack fairness, empathy or compassion in the hiring process.
SERVICES
CONTINGENT
With the entire fee based on success, this is a model best suited for junior to mid-level roles.
TARGETED
More senior positions (i.e. Senior Managers, Directors and C-suite) ordinarily require individuals with a unique skill-set, market exposure and a certain persona for them to be successful in the position and to execute on the company’s vision. These specific requirements will narrow the appropriate talent pool and therefore requires a more precise, focused and deeper search.
FREELANCE/CONTRACT
This flexible hiring is based on project needs, seasonal demands and is aligned with your budgetary requirements. Contracts can be short-term, long-term, and renewable. We have an exceptional network of interim talent and known in the industry as the ‘go to’ interim specialist. Freelancers are usually self-employed and work independently.
VALUES
ETHICAL
Honesty and integrity is always priority. I’m not in it for short term gains, I’m here to build long standing trusted relationships.
RESPECT
Treat everyone as an individual. Recruitment is an emotive process for both clients and candidates, kindness is key. As Maya Angelou famously said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel”.
MOVE FAST
Work with pace and be agile. Deliver results quickly.
HAVE FUN!
Enjoy what you do and take the stress out of the process.
DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION
Diverse teams make better decisions, drive innovation, and outperform their competitors.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are not just buzzwords—they are essential for businesses that want to thrive in today’s global economy. As a recruiter, I am committed to ensuring that my clients have access to exceptional talent from a wide range of genders, ethnicities, and backgrounds. By prioritizing inclusive hiring, I help organisations stay globally competitive while advancing equity and diversityin the workplace.
Partnering with DE&I expert Edleen John
To further enhance my impact in this space, I am proud to partner with Edleen John, a multi-award-winning Diversity, Inclusion, Belonging & Culture Expert who works across industries on a global scale.
Our journey together began at Nomura, where we navigated the fast-paced world of graduate recruitment for a leading Japanese Investment Bank. Despite covering different regions, we quickly bonded over the intensity and challenges of managing thousands of applications and meeting the demands of senior investment bankers. Midnight calls turned into shared laughs and a strong professional foundation was built.
Fast forward four years, and fate reunited us at Morgan Stanley – this time, in a Diversity & Inclusion capacity. Edleen led firmwide DE&I programs, while I focused on proactively sourcing diverse talent across multiple business units. This hands-on experience gave me a unique and deep-rooted understanding of what it truly takes to embed diversity, equity, and inclusion into the recruitment process.
How can Edleen support your DE&I goals?
Edleen is a dynamic, engaging, and insightful consultant, trainer, and facilitator who helps businesses understand and address the challenges, benefits, and practical solutions of diversity and inclusion.
She works closely with organisations to conduct in-depth analysis and implement tangible, pragmatic strategies that improve representation and workplace culture at every stage of the employee lifecycle.
Do you need to build a more inclusive workforce?
TESTIMONIALS
“Celia is an exceptional, expert recruiter. I partnered with her to build my team during a pivotal, high-growth phase of CityFibre’s journey, including a critical appointment at a defining moment for the business. She quickly grasped the strategic direction of the organisation and ensured every hire was aligned to our goals. She operates at pace while maintaining a consistently high level of attention to detail and thoughtfulness, ensuring every step of the process is both efficient and carefully considered.”
WILL BRAYNE – Group Director of Corporate Communications, CityFibre
“I have worked with Celia from both sides and she is absolutely brilliant. She placed me in a role I’ve gone on to grow at for 10 years. She also helps source top quality candidates. All of this while being a lovely person who’s a joy to be around.”
RACHEL RIX – Chief Growth Officer & Group Managing Director, Brand, Social & Influence, Ketchum
“If you want a recruiter who has the most enviable black book then look no further than Celia. She is so respected and liked by clients and candidates alike. She will undoubtably be able to find the perfect person for your role and will keep going until she can. Taking real pride when matching the right person to the right role.
Celia asks all the right questions to really understand you and your business from a client’s perspective and the same from a candidate point of view. Celia used to recruit me into the best contract roles when I was freelancing, and she also got me my favourite job ever as the Head of PR at the National Trust in London in the Southeast.
For any comms roles requirements, I wouldn’t hesitate to highly recommend Celia. Not only will she deliver to the highest standard, you will thoroughly enjoy working with her on that journey.”
JO DYSON, Head of PR at the National Trust in London in the Southeast
“I’ve worked with Celia for well over a decade and in that time she has found roles for me as jobseeker, and found me some great candidates when I’ve been recruiting. Celia is an outstanding recruiter. First and foremost, she’s amazing with people, always interested and curious. This means she takes time to really get to know her candidates and understand the kinds of roles they are looking for and suited to. Meanwhile, she’ll always get under the skin of a client brief to fully understand what they are looking for in a candidate. The result is a clear and efficient process, excellent counsel and support, and lots of great hires!”
FRANCESCA RIVETT CARNAC – Senior PR Comms & Sustainable Business Consultant
“Celia has the knack of matching the right person to the right place at the right time. She operates with heart and verve, and is a pleasure to deal with.
CLAIRE SPARKS – Communications Director
“Celia immediately understood both our agency and the brief – including the nuances of the kind of person we were looking for. This is not a given with recruiters, but Celia is so much more than that. I knew she would represent our agency to candidates exactly the way that I would, which is very reassuring. The person she found for us is perfect and Celia will forever be a go to for me in terms of hires. She operates with heart and verve, and is a pleasure to deal with.”
LYNSEY BARRY – CEO & co-founder, Five not 10
“Working with Celia was an absolute delight. She took the time to understand my professional context and the type of challenge I was looking for next. Celia encouraged me to think outside the box and helped me to find a fantastic senior-level contract opportunity, which was the perfect move for me at the time. Celia is warm, friendly and considered, I couldn’t recommend her more highly.”
LAURA OSBORNE – Managing Director, WPI Economics
“Celia has secured me several contracts and I have found her to be a considerable source of guidance and support as I build my freelance career. She took the time to listen and understand my skills and she has found me engaging work that aligns with my interests and professional goals. Her comms and PA industry knowledge has been invaluable. It can be hard to find a recruiter who genuinely has your interests at heart, but I feel like she’s got my back when it comes to negotiating contracts, fees and terms – I can’t recommend working with Celia highly enough!”
DAVID PATTERSON – Public Affairs & Corporate Comms Senior Consultant
“As a small business, finding the right person for the role was crucial. Celia swiftly understood our requirements and has successfully found the next addition to our dynamic team. We’ve loved working with Celia – she is agile, efficient and has helped us grow the team.”
ALIA JAMAL – Founder of Doubleshot
“I’ve worked with Celia for nearly a decade and honestly she’s always been my go to whether I’m looking for a couple of weeks work in between assignments or permanent senior level role. She really listens and gets exactly what both candidate and employer are looking for, and she’s matched me with some of my all-time favourite gigs. Ones I’ve been able to excel in and been asked to come back for. When I come to Celia I know I have a partner who is on it, and that’s why I don’t bother with other recruiters who waste my time with irreverent positions. She’s a bespoke service, a trusted friend, and a champion of real talent. She’s the absolute best in the business.”
JAMES WONG – Freelance Journalist & Senior PR Manager