Job summary
We are looking for an experienced and confident senior communications lead. This role leads KHP's communications service and works across the full range of organisational and strategic needs to further the vision and mission of the partnership, as well as leading the development and implementation of integrated and creative communications strategies.
This is an exciting time to join the team as we develop the KHP 2030 strategy.
Our ideal candidate will be a strategic thinker, with a masters or equivalent qualification or demonstrable experience at this level and able to demonstrate continued learning and development.
You should have extensive experience of working in public relations or a communications environment, preferably within an NHS, Academic or Research setting
It will be essential to have experience in senior communications leadership and governance, including sitting on or working closely with Executives/Boards and material development/business case delivery at this level.
A team player, with strong management skills as a leader of a team, you will also have the political acumen and experience of working in a highly complex and sensitive environment and able to demonstrate significant influencing and persuasion skills.
Main duties of the job
You will be a member of the KHP Executive and Senior Management Group working with the Joint Clinical Strategy Directors and Professors of key programmes to oversee delivery progress.
You should have excellent communications and relationship building skills in order to maximise stakeholder management at a local, regional, national and global level, including:
- Our own partnership and South East London Integrated Care System (ICS), focussing on population health communications work for the joint programme, as well as across all south east London NHS trusts, primary care, boroughs and healthcare organisations (including Healthwatch, South East London Cancer Alliance, Black Thrive, Impact of Urban Health).
- Within London, for SC1 London Life Sciences Innovation District, which was jointly founded by KHP, Lambeth and Southwark Local Authorities and the GSTT Foundation as well as a dotted line of responsibility for the South East London Cancer Alliance's communications lead.
- Nationally, with the wider Academic Health Science Centre network, playing a key role in the partnership's reporting and accreditation process into NHS England and Improvement and the National Institute for Health Research
- Globally, with members of the European University Health Alliance, and a range of international partners to lead KHP's communications about joint work, e.g., with healthcare and educational organisations in Sydney, Denmark, the US, Africa and India.
About us
You will lead our communications team which is one of the central teams within KHP. We have about 60 core staff within KHP central, including teams for education, partnerships and programmes, clinical academic partnerships, Mind & Body and business support.
The core team has a Deputy Head of Communications, a Communications Officer and Digital Communications Officer and an Events and Engagement Project Officer.
At KHP, we have a very active programme of professional development, which includes "all team" strategy meetings, lunch and learns, conferences and other events, with lots of opportunity to get involved in new initiatives and work.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To lead and manage an effective and efficient communications function for Kings Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC). This includes:
- Leadership of the communications teams across the full range of communications activities, including professional management of associated communications staff.
- Management of the strategic planning, oversight of operational delivery and management of the budget for Kings Health Partners core communications strategy and functions.
- Providing strategic advice to the KHP Executive Director, Director of Partnerships and Operations, Director of Strategy , Executive Group and Senior Leadership Team on the strategic direction and approach for all KHP workstreams and proposals.
- Leading on the management, strategic planning, delivery, evaluation and continuous improvement of all KHP communications channels including its website, social media, internal and external events, stakeholder engagement and newsletter.
- Management of all media relations for the Academic Health Sciences Centre and its Senior Leadership Team.
- Leading on communications for the core programmes of work within Kings Health Partners (Centre for Translational Medicine, KHP Digital Health Hub, Clinical Academic Groups and Clinical Academic Partnerships, KHP Mind & Body Programme, KHP Education and Kings Clinical Academic Training Office (KCATO), the joint SEL ICS and KHP Population Health and Equity Programme, Academic Surgery) providing expert advice, guidance and oversight to embedded communications staff as required.
- Leading on relationships with our partnerships various fundraising teams, ensuring promotion of their work and campaigns, brand governance and alignment and offering strategic communications advice.
- Leading communications strategies for the development of the Clinical Academic Partnerships (CAPs) and Clinical Academic Groups (CAGs) , ensuring effective collaboration across partner organisation Communications Directors, providing appropriate communications leadership, direction and support for the programme boards, KHP Senior Leadership Team..
- Provide leadership and strategic communications direction for the Academic Health Science Centres implementation of its strategy.
- Holding and building the relationships with other Academic Health Science Centres and Health Innovation Networks to ensure that KHP maintains a leading position in its field, working out and through external groups to achieve this.
- Holding and building our relationships with our four partner Communications teams, SEL ICS, and our key system stakeholder communications teams including the Health Innovation Network South London and NIHR infrastructure
- Leading and overseeingall international communications, including with EUHA, our Global Health programme and our international collaborations and partnerships.
- Providing expert advice, guidance and oversight to embedded communications staff and ensuring brand and style governance is maintained throughout all KHP sub-channels.
- Ensuring that all of KHPs communications channels and content are in line accessibility legislation and good practice, and building on diversity, inclusion and equity within all channels and content.
- Building on the success of the YouTube funded partnership for its health strategy for KHP, working with communications leads from Kings College London and South London and Maudsley.
- Leading on strategic communications advice and guidance for our business and operational management and working with the other senior staff to support office, staff and operational management and direction.
- Leading the communications strategies for the Clinical Academic Partnerships , ensuring effective collaboration across partner organisation Communications Directors, providing appropriate communications leadership, direction and support.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To lead and manage an effective and efficient communications function for Kings Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC). This includes:
- Leadership of the communications teams across the full range of communications activities, including professional management of associated communications staff.
- Management of the strategic planning, oversight of operational delivery and management of the budget for Kings Health Partners core communications strategy and functions.
- Providing strategic advice to the KHP Executive Director, Director of Partnerships and Operations, Director of Strategy , Executive Group and Senior Leadership Team on the strategic direction and approach for all KHP workstreams and proposals.
- Leading on the management, strategic planning, delivery, evaluation and continuous improvement of all KHP communications channels including its website, social media, internal and external events, stakeholder engagement and newsletter.
- Management of all media relations for the Academic Health Sciences Centre and its Senior Leadership Team.
- Leading on communications for the core programmes of work within Kings Health Partners (Centre for Translational Medicine, KHP Digital Health Hub, Clinical Academic Groups and Clinical Academic Partnerships, KHP Mind & Body Programme, KHP Education and Kings Clinical Academic Training Office (KCATO), the joint SEL ICS and KHP Population Health and Equity Programme, Academic Surgery) providing expert advice, guidance and oversight to embedded communications staff as required.
- Leading on relationships with our partnerships various fundraising teams, ensuring promotion of their work and campaigns, brand governance and alignment and offering strategic communications advice.
- Leading communications strategies for the development of the Clinical Academic Partnerships (CAPs) and Clinical Academic Groups (CAGs) , ensuring effective collaboration across partner organisation Communications Directors, providing appropriate communications leadership, direction and support for the programme boards, KHP Senior Leadership Team..
- Provide leadership and strategic communications direction for the Academic Health Science Centres implementation of its strategy.
- Holding and building the relationships with other Academic Health Science Centres and Health Innovation Networks to ensure that KHP maintains a leading position in its field, working out and through external groups to achieve this.
- Holding and building our relationships with our four partner Communications teams, SEL ICS, and our key system stakeholder communications teams including the Health Innovation Network South London and NIHR infrastructure
- Leading and overseeingall international communications, including with EUHA, our Global Health programme and our international collaborations and partnerships.
- Providing expert advice, guidance and oversight to embedded communications staff and ensuring brand and style governance is maintained throughout all KHP sub-channels.
- Ensuring that all of KHPs communications channels and content are in line accessibility legislation and good practice, and building on diversity, inclusion and equity within all channels and content.
- Building on the success of the YouTube funded partnership for its health strategy for KHP, working with communications leads from Kings College London and South London and Maudsley.
- Leading on strategic communications advice and guidance for our business and operational management and working with the other senior staff to support office, staff and operational management and direction.
- Leading the communications strategies for the Clinical Academic Partnerships , ensuring effective collaboration across partner organisation Communications Directors, providing appropriate communications leadership, direction and support.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters or equivalent experience with evidence of continued learning/development and/or further study
Desirable
- Post graduate communications or management qualification
Experience
Essential
- Experience in senior communications leadership and governance role (ideally in NHS, Academic or Research setting), including sitting on or working closely with Executives/Boards and material development/business case creation and delivery
Skills
Essential
- A strategic thinker with excellent communications skills (written and verbal) and demonstrable stakeholder and team management
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters or equivalent experience with evidence of continued learning/development and/or further study
Desirable
- Post graduate communications or management qualification
Experience
Essential
- Experience in senior communications leadership and governance role (ideally in NHS, Academic or Research setting), including sitting on or working closely with Executives/Boards and material development/business case creation and delivery
Skills
Essential
- A strategic thinker with excellent communications skills (written and verbal) and demonstrable stakeholder and team management
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).
