Job summary
The Communications and Engagement Team Leader - Campaigns and Media, is a key senior role within our Communications and Engagement Team . We are looking for someone experienced, values-driven and who brings as much compassion as they do communications skill and expertise.
The interview for this role will consist of a stakeholder panel, main interview panel and a short test.
The Communications and Engagement Team works to these strategic objectives:
- Support two-way communications with patients, families and carers.
- Support two-way communications with staff.
- Maintain mutually beneficial relationships with all other key stakeholders.
- Support charity communications
Supporting communications with patients:
- Managing patient and visitor screens.
- Managing the Trust's website and online presence.
- Creating, reviewing and revising information aimed at patients and visitors
- Undertaking campaigns to change behaviour
- Running large events such as Open Days
Supporting communications with staff:
- Working with more than 9,000 staff and volunteers to ensure two-way communications channels are effective.
- Running specialist campaigns such as the annual flu campaign
- Training and upskilling staff to use communications, including social media
Main duties of the job
You will work with the Head of Communications to lead a professional Trust-wide communications service. This service works to establish and maintain good communications and relationships with key stakeholders including staff, patients, public, partner organisations and the media.
You will be responsible for leading on and overseeing day-to-day operational communications, supporting the strategic developments of the team's digital communications (social media, web-based, internal comms), providing operational communications support to the trust, and developing our proactive and reactive media portfolio. You will act as a trusted advisor to colleagues, including senior leadership and the Board and make recommendations on listening to and communicating complex and sensitive information with a wide range of stakeholders.
As a skilled and qualified communications professional, you will be committed to best practice in communications and undertake CPD.
You will have specialist knowledge and be skilled in all areas of communications practice including developing relationships with stakeholders, use and development of online channels, social media and media management, storytelling using words, visuals and video, crisis and event management.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
About us
We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Leading the Trusts operational communications
You will be skilled in the planning and delivery of successful campaigns which drive behavioural and service change, as evaluated using frameworks such as AMEC and the Government Communications Services OASIS. Your responsibility will include oversight of all aspects of campaign planning, media relations, social media and internal communications. You will lead the operational communications hub, overseeing communications around the Trusts services, including community sites and integrated care on a daily basis. You will be the lead for proactive and reactive media and social media work.
- Leading the Communications and Engagement hub on a day-to-day basis
This includes line managing staff and providing advice and support to other team members. You will be a confident and skilled people manager and competent in the areas defined by the Trusts Managers Passport. You will be required to purchase new equipment and maintain stock control.
- Leading the Communications and Engagement Team work on internal and external campaigns
This includes planning and overseeing the delivery and evaluation of communication and engagement plans to support targeted campaigns focused on aspects such as wellbeing, winter, and operationally focussed work.
- Leading the Communications and Engagement Team on proactive and reactive media work
The trust receives regular complex media enquiries from local and national titles. You will be skilled at leading the response on behalf of the trust, and be adept at landscape scanning for any potential enquiries that may arise and preparing for them e.g. Inquests. You will also be able to develop proactive media plans to help promote the work of the trust and look for ways to use your contacts with media partners to tell stories.
- Using communication skills to support the organisation in delivering its strategic objectives
You will support the organisation to achieve its objectives using your skills in all areas of communications practice, including:
- developing relationships with stakeholders
- data analysis to understand audiences
- research to gain and interpret insight
- social media and media management
- the theory and practice of behaviour change
- storytelling using words, visuals and video to create great content
- crisis and event management
- using and developing online channels
- Interpersonal skills in one-to-one communications and presenting
- You will manage your own portfolio of specialist work in one or more of the above areas
As a skilled and qualified communications professional, you will be committed to best practice in communications and undertake Continuous Professional Development in the field. You will ensure your specialist field of knowledge is used to continually drive forward the Trusts use of communications.
- You will act as a trusted advisor to senior colleagues
You will act as a trusted advisor to colleagues, including senior leadership, and make recommendations on listening to and communicating complex, sensitive and often contentious information with a wide range of stakeholders. You will provide highly specialist and highly complex advice, including crisis communications advice and guidance to all staff, in particular to Directors and senior management. In a complex, large and specialist Trust this happens on a daily basis and involves working in pressured, complex and sensitive situations. Often this involves making sense of complex information where expert opinions may differ and using judgement to influence decisions and outcomes. You will also provide guidance and support to on-call managers and on-call Executive Directors on untoward or crisis communications.
- Major Incident
You will assist in planning and preparing for major incidents and participate in them as needed or as directed by the Head of Communications.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Leading the Trusts operational communications
You will be skilled in the planning and delivery of successful campaigns which drive behavioural and service change, as evaluated using frameworks such as AMEC and the Government Communications Services OASIS. Your responsibility will include oversight of all aspects of campaign planning, media relations, social media and internal communications. You will lead the operational communications hub, overseeing communications around the Trusts services, including community sites and integrated care on a daily basis. You will be the lead for proactive and reactive media and social media work.
- Leading the Communications and Engagement hub on a day-to-day basis
This includes line managing staff and providing advice and support to other team members. You will be a confident and skilled people manager and competent in the areas defined by the Trusts Managers Passport. You will be required to purchase new equipment and maintain stock control.
- Leading the Communications and Engagement Team work on internal and external campaigns
This includes planning and overseeing the delivery and evaluation of communication and engagement plans to support targeted campaigns focused on aspects such as wellbeing, winter, and operationally focussed work.
- Leading the Communications and Engagement Team on proactive and reactive media work
The trust receives regular complex media enquiries from local and national titles. You will be skilled at leading the response on behalf of the trust, and be adept at landscape scanning for any potential enquiries that may arise and preparing for them e.g. Inquests. You will also be able to develop proactive media plans to help promote the work of the trust and look for ways to use your contacts with media partners to tell stories.
- Using communication skills to support the organisation in delivering its strategic objectives
You will support the organisation to achieve its objectives using your skills in all areas of communications practice, including:
- developing relationships with stakeholders
- data analysis to understand audiences
- research to gain and interpret insight
- social media and media management
- the theory and practice of behaviour change
- storytelling using words, visuals and video to create great content
- crisis and event management
- using and developing online channels
- Interpersonal skills in one-to-one communications and presenting
- You will manage your own portfolio of specialist work in one or more of the above areas
As a skilled and qualified communications professional, you will be committed to best practice in communications and undertake Continuous Professional Development in the field. You will ensure your specialist field of knowledge is used to continually drive forward the Trusts use of communications.
- You will act as a trusted advisor to senior colleagues
You will act as a trusted advisor to colleagues, including senior leadership, and make recommendations on listening to and communicating complex, sensitive and often contentious information with a wide range of stakeholders. You will provide highly specialist and highly complex advice, including crisis communications advice and guidance to all staff, in particular to Directors and senior management. In a complex, large and specialist Trust this happens on a daily basis and involves working in pressured, complex and sensitive situations. Often this involves making sense of complex information where expert opinions may differ and using judgement to influence decisions and outcomes. You will also provide guidance and support to on-call managers and on-call Executive Directors on untoward or crisis communications.
- Major Incident
You will assist in planning and preparing for major incidents and participate in them as needed or as directed by the Head of Communications.
Person Specification
Qualifications or equivalent
Essential
- Masters level qualification in Communications or a related field (such as marketing) or post graduate diploma plus relevant demonstrable experience or highly specialist proven knowledge in PR/Communications equivalent to Master's Level.
- Educated to degree level in a relevant subject, giving rise to critical thinking capability in this area or equivalent demonstrable experience to demonstrate required knowledge and capability
Desirable
- oMembership of CIPR, CIM or PRCA
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Significant demonstrable experience in PR/Communications, including in the public sector, giving rise to a thorough and highly developed specialist knowledge of communications, public relations and marketing techniques, theory and practice
- Significant demonstrable experience of planning, implementing and evaluating successful communications campaigns and projects
- A track record in media and social management and can demonstrate innovative use of social media, including analytics across campaigns
Person Specification
Qualifications or equivalent
Essential
- Masters level qualification in Communications or a related field (such as marketing) or post graduate diploma plus relevant demonstrable experience or highly specialist proven knowledge in PR/Communications equivalent to Master's Level.
- Educated to degree level in a relevant subject, giving rise to critical thinking capability in this area or equivalent demonstrable experience to demonstrate required knowledge and capability
Desirable
- oMembership of CIPR, CIM or PRCA
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Significant demonstrable experience in PR/Communications, including in the public sector, giving rise to a thorough and highly developed specialist knowledge of communications, public relations and marketing techniques, theory and practice
- Significant demonstrable experience of planning, implementing and evaluating successful communications campaigns and projects
- A track record in media and social management and can demonstrate innovative use of social media, including analytics across campaigns
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
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).
