Group Head of Media, Content and External Campaigns

Job summary

After 10 years at gesh and a number of promotions, our current head of media is leaving London to take up an exciting new role.

This creates a rare opportunity for an experienced media manager to head up our media, content and campaigns function in our award-winning communications team.

This is a role that oversees the handling of around 50 media enquiries every month, the running of our social media channels with tens of thousands of followers and our public health messaging that helps keep our communities safe and well.

Our integrated campaigns have led to a fall in attendances to emergency departments, higher levels of staff engagement and record-breaking attendances at public meetings and we are keen that our new head of media can continue to have a positive impact on our staff and communities.

This role also leads on our crisis communications and helps ensure we meet our statutory duty to warn and inform during an incident.

We are currently involved in make two documentaries and the head of media leads on this with the support of colleagues.

If you would like a discussion about this role, please contact chief communications officer, Anna Macarthur, on 07777 623883 or emailanna.macarthur@stgeorges.nhs.uk

Main duties of the job

The Group Head of Media, Content and External Campaigns plays a crucial role in developing proactive news, features and content opportunities that helps us deliver on our ambition of providing "outstanding care together."

The postholder will provide high-quality strategic advice to senior executives, enhancing and protecting the reputation of both Trusts.

This role manages a 24-hour press office including out-of-hours service for journalists, ensuring all enquiries are handled effectively. The postholder will lead on issues management, offer timely advice and act as the major incident lead for the Group.

About us

St George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group (gesh) is a group of hospitals and community services in South West London and Surrey. We came together to form a group in early 2022 and we are now one of the largest NHS organisations in England with 17,000 staff caring for 4 million patients each year.

For over a year our communications teams worked closer together under the leadership of a single group communications director, sharing our expertise, skills and resources while providing a more resilient and dynamic communications and engagement function for our staff, patients, and communities. In January 2024 our teams fully merged and we have one communications team for the Group.

By working together, our integrated campaigns have led to a fall in attendances to emergency departments, higher levels of staff engagement with colleagues taking part in our monthly events and record-breaking attendances at public meetings. We retain a high profile in the media with our staff regularly featured on broadcast, in print and online national news. We have a growing public affairs function and we are developing how we communicate with and listen to our communities.