Job summary
Are you a talented communications professional with a passion for making a difference?
We are looking for a proactive, motivated and skilled Communications & Engagement Officer to join our friendly and welcoming Communications and Engagement team at Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust.
Are you a strong team player, with an eye for a good story, passion for great content and the ability to communicate complex topics in a simple and engaging way? We are looking for someone who can turn human interest stories into engaging content that grabs attention and showcases the great work of the Trust and our people.
As a small and busy team, we need someone who can manage competing deadlines whilst remaining calm under pressure. Is this you?
If you enjoy planning and delivering effective communications, are a creative thinker and have a keen eye for detail, apply today!
Main duties of the job
As a Communications and Engagement Officer, you will be responsible for:
- Developing, implementing and evaluating communications and engagement projects and strategies (both for specific initiatives and in relation to issue affecting the whole Trust).
- Developing a proactive approach to gathering good news stories and case studies from across the Trust for both internal and external use.
- Researching, writing and pitching press releases to raise the profile of the Trust across local and national media and trade press.
- Responding to media enquiries from local and national journalist, briefing journalists, overseeing FOI's and managing events (including press conferences and our Staff Awards).
- Providing digital communications expertise to services and co-ordinating the day-to-day use of Trust social media channels.
- Providing communications advice and support to staff across the organisation.
- Assisting in the production of marketing materials in keeping with the Trust's brand to promote campaigns and activities.
As we work across multiple sites, the postholder will be required to travel to other locations and have a full driving licence.
About us
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex. Our 6,000 staff serve a population of 1.3 million providing essential medical, nursing, and therapeutic care to adults and children.
Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community, helping people plan, manage, adapt to changes in their health, supporting avoidable hospital admissions and reducing hospital stay times.
We have opportunities for everyone across our wide variety of services including medical, clinical, support and corporate services.
Why work for us?
- Positive 2023 NHS Staff Survey results, scoring highly in compassionate culture & leadership, and staff wellbeing support
- Variety of working environments across the community, in patients' homes, within our community hospitals and bases across the county
- Supportive flexible working patterns such as: part time, flexi time, annualised hours, and flexi retirement options
- Excellent training and development opportunities
- Research opportunities
- Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove and Brighton
- Thriving BAME, Disability and Wellbeing, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief staff networks
- Level 3 accredited Disability Confident Leader, committed to creating inclusive workplaces
- Veteran Aware Trust, achieving accreditation from Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA)
- Located in stunning Sussex, with easy access to the South Downs and the coast
- Access to a wide range of benefits and discounts for NHS staff
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Develop, implement and evaluate communications and engagement projects and strategies (both for specific initiatives and in relation to issue affecting the whole organisation). This includes the ongoing response to public health issues, such as coronavirus and annual flu and vaccination campaigns.
- Developing a proactive approach to gathering and promoting good news stories and case studies from across the Trust both internally and externally.
- Ability to understand complex information in order to draft and edit content in an appropriate style, relevant for the audience. Respond to media enquiries from local and national journalist, briefing journalists, overseeing FOIs and managing events (including press conferences.
- Ongoing marketing of the Trusts services, including its charity.
- Provide digital communications expertise, including social media guidance, to services.
- Provide communications advice and support to staff across the organisation.
- Support the organisation to develop its multi-media digital communications through video and other platforms.
- Assist in the production of marketing materials in keeping with the Trusts brand to promote campaigns and activities.
Media relations
- Support the team in dealing with enquiries from the media
- Research, write, pitch (particularly to national print and broadcast media) press releases to raise the profile of the Trust across local and national media and trade press.
- Develop responses to media enquiries, often at short notice and under pressure.
- Help manage the administration of the Communications inbox and ensure that all enquiries are logged and responded to within deadlines, including FOI responses.
- Help maintain press release files, distribution lists and contact databases.
- Understand the sensitivities around complex / political issues.
Digital media
- Support the ongoing development of the Trust website and intranet. This will include working with other members of the Communications and Engagement Team and with Digital to ensure we have a modern, innovative, user friendly website and intranet that draws on best practice elsewhere within the healthcare sector.
- Provide digital communications expertise to services and co-ordinate the day-to-day use of Trust social media channels.
- Work with Digital to manage contracts with external providers regarding web and intranet hosting and content management support.
- Produce web content that is accessible and user-friendly.
- Support website research and usability / accessibility testing with staff, patients and public.
- Help develop and manage and introduce new offline and online bulletins and communications to staff and stakeholders.
- Provide website and social media statistics and analysis.
- Develop online polls and surveys in support of communication plans and campaigns.
Publications
- Research and write content for corporate publications, web publication and marketing material.
- Assist with editing, proofreading and co-ordinating publications and digital content.
- Ensure consistent use of the Trust logo and corporate brand.
Events and projects
- Help plan and manage corporate events including our annual Staff Awards event
- Co-ordinate arrangements for events and VIP visits such as MP visits, senior NHS stakeholders.
- Compile and maintain invitation lists for events.
- Compile and maintain supplier lists for events.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Develop, implement and evaluate communications and engagement projects and strategies (both for specific initiatives and in relation to issue affecting the whole organisation). This includes the ongoing response to public health issues, such as coronavirus and annual flu and vaccination campaigns.
- Developing a proactive approach to gathering and promoting good news stories and case studies from across the Trust both internally and externally.
- Ability to understand complex information in order to draft and edit content in an appropriate style, relevant for the audience. Respond to media enquiries from local and national journalist, briefing journalists, overseeing FOIs and managing events (including press conferences.
- Ongoing marketing of the Trusts services, including its charity.
- Provide digital communications expertise, including social media guidance, to services.
- Provide communications advice and support to staff across the organisation.
- Support the organisation to develop its multi-media digital communications through video and other platforms.
- Assist in the production of marketing materials in keeping with the Trusts brand to promote campaigns and activities.
Media relations
- Support the team in dealing with enquiries from the media
- Research, write, pitch (particularly to national print and broadcast media) press releases to raise the profile of the Trust across local and national media and trade press.
- Develop responses to media enquiries, often at short notice and under pressure.
- Help manage the administration of the Communications inbox and ensure that all enquiries are logged and responded to within deadlines, including FOI responses.
- Help maintain press release files, distribution lists and contact databases.
- Understand the sensitivities around complex / political issues.
Digital media
- Support the ongoing development of the Trust website and intranet. This will include working with other members of the Communications and Engagement Team and with Digital to ensure we have a modern, innovative, user friendly website and intranet that draws on best practice elsewhere within the healthcare sector.
- Provide digital communications expertise to services and co-ordinate the day-to-day use of Trust social media channels.
- Work with Digital to manage contracts with external providers regarding web and intranet hosting and content management support.
- Produce web content that is accessible and user-friendly.
- Support website research and usability / accessibility testing with staff, patients and public.
- Help develop and manage and introduce new offline and online bulletins and communications to staff and stakeholders.
- Provide website and social media statistics and analysis.
- Develop online polls and surveys in support of communication plans and campaigns.
Publications
- Research and write content for corporate publications, web publication and marketing material.
- Assist with editing, proofreading and co-ordinating publications and digital content.
- Ensure consistent use of the Trust logo and corporate brand.
Events and projects
- Help plan and manage corporate events including our annual Staff Awards event
- Co-ordinate arrangements for events and VIP visits such as MP visits, senior NHS stakeholders.
- Compile and maintain invitation lists for events.
- Compile and maintain supplier lists for events.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Relevant degree or equivalent level of experience.
- Training and/or experience in communications field to postgraduate diploma level.
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of communications, public relations, journalism and marketing communication techniques, approaches, and procedures.
- Experience of working in a media/communications setting.
- Experience of managing workloads effectively and allocating resources accordingly
Desirable
- Experience of working within an NHS organisation
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Provides and receives highly complex, sensitive information requiring negotiation and agreement; makes presentations and contributes to discussion on complex issues.
- Influences, persuades, staff and leaders on appropriate communications approach, journalists on high profile issues; make presentations on sensitive issues to staff, media.
- Deals with complex facts or situations requiring analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options.
- Decides how to run communications campaigns, how to respond to media requests on sensitive or complex issues.
- Decides how to present information for internal and external audiences and how to respond to media requests.
- Organises and project manages communications campaigns, manages events, press conferences, photo calls and visits.
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel). Familiar with web-based applications for intranet and website publishing including social media and survey development
- Uses VDU for most of working time, keyboard skills, frequent sitting.
Other
Essential
- The ability to travel to various sites across Sussex.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Relevant degree or equivalent level of experience.
- Training and/or experience in communications field to postgraduate diploma level.
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of communications, public relations, journalism and marketing communication techniques, approaches, and procedures.
- Experience of working in a media/communications setting.
- Experience of managing workloads effectively and allocating resources accordingly
Desirable
- Experience of working within an NHS organisation
Skills and knowledge
Essential
- Provides and receives highly complex, sensitive information requiring negotiation and agreement; makes presentations and contributes to discussion on complex issues.
- Influences, persuades, staff and leaders on appropriate communications approach, journalists on high profile issues; make presentations on sensitive issues to staff, media.
- Deals with complex facts or situations requiring analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options.
- Decides how to run communications campaigns, how to respond to media requests on sensitive or complex issues.
- Decides how to present information for internal and external audiences and how to respond to media requests.
- Organises and project manages communications campaigns, manages events, press conferences, photo calls and visits.
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel). Familiar with web-based applications for intranet and website publishing including social media and survey development
- Uses VDU for most of working time, keyboard skills, frequent sitting.
Other
Essential
- The ability to travel to various sites across Sussex.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
