Job summary
Are you fascinated by change and innovation? Can you help the NHS adopt innovation faster to help deliver better care to patients?
At Health Innovation Wessex, we improve people's health, achieve excellence in healthcare and boost innovation and growth in our region's life sciences and healthcare sector.As one of 15 health innovation networks across England, we connect and support academics, NHS, industry and others to bring fresh energy to old problems, inspired thinking to new ones and to adopt innovative practice at scale.
Our communications function has a wide remit encompassing corporate, programme and internal communications and engagement, plus collaboration with our Health Innovation Network colleagues on local implementation of national workstreams and stakeholders across healthcare and innovation.
We're looking for an experienced Communications Manager with exceptional digital, copywriting and project management skills to join our team and play a pivotal role in delivering engaging content across a range of channels.
Main duties of the job
Attached you will find the person specification document which provides more detail about the essential and desirable skills and experience needed for this role. We highly recommend you review this document and use it when completing your application as these criteria are used by hiring managers as guidance during shortlisting.
For an overview of the main duties of the role please see the 'Job Description and Main Responsibilities' section below. To understand the day-to-day responsibilities in more detail please read the full job description document attached.
About us
Health Innovation Wessex is a company limited by guarantee, owned by the NHS and University members and hosted by University Hospital Southampton.
Based at Southampton Science Park in Chilworth in a bright modern office easily accessible from the M3, M27 and Southampton Parkway train station, the location offers free parking with a caf area and networking spaces on site. 27 acres of the Science Park site are designated a protected Conservation Area and open to staff.
We are keen to ensure that staff enjoy a successful work/life balance and offer flexible working dependent on the requirements of the role. Health Innovation Wessex endorses personal development and provides training allowances to help you deliver in the role and meet your career goals.We also have a proactive approach to wellbeing in line with our core values of being Innovative, Inclusive and Collaborative, with staff engagement groups shaping the organisation's culture and driving initiatives to allow our people to flourish despite times of challenge, change and high demand.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As our Communications Manager, youll play a strategic role with key responsibility for:
External communications including social media, media and online as well as messaging and providing support and advice to colleagues. Dealing with stakeholders, members and media to raise the profile of HIW and promote the adoption and spread of innovation to transform health and care. Managing specific digital communications projects such as the commission of a new website and developing channel strategies, liaising with colleagues and external suppliers to create and evaluate Overseeing and driving social and digital media campaigns for programme engagement and income generation. Overseeing and developing branded assets to promote the services, expertise and activity within HIW Internal communications contributing to internal communications activities for staff, partners and stakeholders. Provision of expert advice on communication strategies for specificprojects and programmes. Providing public relations support and developing media coverage for a range of projects and initiatives. Working with other health innovation networks on the delivery and promotion of programmes on behalf of the national Network Prudent commissioning of services from external suppliers to support HIW communication activities.
Job description
Job responsibilities
As our Communications Manager, youll play a strategic role with key responsibility for:
External communications including social media, media and online as well as messaging and providing support and advice to colleagues. Dealing with stakeholders, members and media to raise the profile of HIW and promote the adoption and spread of innovation to transform health and care. Managing specific digital communications projects such as the commission of a new website and developing channel strategies, liaising with colleagues and external suppliers to create and evaluate Overseeing and driving social and digital media campaigns for programme engagement and income generation. Overseeing and developing branded assets to promote the services, expertise and activity within HIW Internal communications contributing to internal communications activities for staff, partners and stakeholders. Provision of expert advice on communication strategies for specificprojects and programmes. Providing public relations support and developing media coverage for a range of projects and initiatives. Working with other health innovation networks on the delivery and promotion of programmes on behalf of the national Network Prudent commissioning of services from external suppliers to support HIW communication activities.
Person Specification
Qualifications / training required
Essential
- Educated to post graduate degree level or able to demonstrate significant equivalent knowledge, skills and experience of working at a similar level in the areas of communications, marketing, PR or journalism.
- Professional or postgraduate qualification in public relations, marketing communications or journalism.
Desirable
- Membership of a recognised PR or communications institute.
- Professional or postgraduate qualification in public relations, marketing communications or journalism.
Previous or relevant experience necessary
Essential
- Significant experience of working in the communications and engagement field and proven track record of delivery.
- Strong understanding of national, regional and specialist media alongside considerable experience of proactive and reactive media relations and issues management.
- Experience of delivering a communications strategy and developing creative and innovative campaigns.
- Experience of commissioning, developing and maintaining websites and content production
- Evidence of ability to identify, plan and create high quality content in a range of appropriate styles and formats to promote the organisation and the value of innovation adoption in health and care
- Significant experience of using social media to communicate with internal and external audiences.
- Experience and understanding of evaluating, measuring and reporting on performance, drawing from a variety of sources.
- Evidence of successful leadership, management and engagement across organisational and geographical boundaries to facilitate collaborative working.
- Experience of managing external suppliers such as photographers, videographers and graphic designers.
- Understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion principles.
- Experience of working with senior level staff
Desirable
- Experience of engaging with patients, carers and/or members of the public.
- Excellent understanding of the key issues facing the NHS and social care.
- Experience of working in a politically sensitive environment.
Values
Essential
- Patients First
- Always Improving
- Working Together
Person Specification
Qualifications / training required
Essential
- Educated to post graduate degree level or able to demonstrate significant equivalent knowledge, skills and experience of working at a similar level in the areas of communications, marketing, PR or journalism.
- Professional or postgraduate qualification in public relations, marketing communications or journalism.
Desirable
- Membership of a recognised PR or communications institute.
- Professional or postgraduate qualification in public relations, marketing communications or journalism.
Previous or relevant experience necessary
Essential
- Significant experience of working in the communications and engagement field and proven track record of delivery.
- Strong understanding of national, regional and specialist media alongside considerable experience of proactive and reactive media relations and issues management.
- Experience of delivering a communications strategy and developing creative and innovative campaigns.
- Experience of commissioning, developing and maintaining websites and content production
- Evidence of ability to identify, plan and create high quality content in a range of appropriate styles and formats to promote the organisation and the value of innovation adoption in health and care
- Significant experience of using social media to communicate with internal and external audiences.
- Experience and understanding of evaluating, measuring and reporting on performance, drawing from a variety of sources.
- Evidence of successful leadership, management and engagement across organisational and geographical boundaries to facilitate collaborative working.
- Experience of managing external suppliers such as photographers, videographers and graphic designers.
- Understanding of equality, diversity and inclusion principles.
- Experience of working with senior level staff
Desirable
- Experience of engaging with patients, carers and/or members of the public.
- Excellent understanding of the key issues facing the NHS and social care.
- Experience of working in a politically sensitive environment.
Values
Essential
- Patients First
- Always Improving
- Working Together
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
