Job summary
We are a small, experienced and dynamic team working to destigmatise mental health and make the case for the value of relational and talking therapies. We are responsible for managing all aspects of the communications for the organisation, internal and external, across all channels.
We are a specialist mental health trust looking for a communications all-rounder to lead the communications team, supporting the strategic objectives of the organisation through a wide range communications and engagement activities.
The communications team is small with a high workload, and the job will require excellent planning and management skills, with the ability to pitch in where necessary to support the team in the creation of publications, podcasts and videos (using the Adobe Creative Suite), mass-mailings, creating social content, and writing high-quality copy for a range of audiences.
You will work closely with a number of external organisations and NHS bodies, liaising and providing expertise to people at all levels. You will routinely handle complex media enquiries from the national press that have the potential to be front-cover stories.
You will line-manage the Communications Managers in the team and be a source of expert support for them. You will coordinate the ownership of their portfolios, troubleshooting, ensuring appropriate professional development and reassigning areas as necessary.
Main duties of the job
Being responsible for operational delivery of all communications and engagement work of the Trust
Ensuring an effective strategic stakeholder engagement function to support the Trust's strategic planning - maintaining constructive relationships with a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, and participating in relevant meetings.
Managing the communications budget.
Developing strategies to establish goals and set standards to further the Trust's objectives.
Being prepared for highly reactive work - the post-holder will need to re-prioritise on the fly and plan longer term strategic work around this fact, allowing for frequent requirement for concentration where the work pattern is unpredictable.
Supporting and advising Director of Comms to work with the Board of Directors on internal and external communications matters
Maintaining expert knowledge of current technological and best practice developments across the communications field, satisfying continuing professional development requirements.
Measuring and evaluating the work of the Communications Team, providing reports summarising progress, confirming outcomes and identifying areas for further development
Ensuring appropriate communications support is provided during crisis situations or major incidents.
*** Please see the attached Job Description and Person specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.***
About us
Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. We are particularly keen to attract candidates from underrepresented backgrounds to better meet the needs of the service users and students that we serve.
The Trust
The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and wellbeing organisation. Alongside a full range of child and adolescent mental health services and psychological therapies, we have a focus on training and education. We are committed to improving mental health and emotional wellbeing, believing that high quality mental health services should be available for all who need them. Our contribution is distinctive in the importance we attach to social experience at all stages of people's lives. We focus on psychological and developmental approaches to the promotion of mental wellbeing and the prevention and treatment of mental ill-health.
In 2024, our Trust is undertaking a merger to ensure our future sustainability, aiming to complete the merger by Summer 2025. We have identified potential merger partners, and across the rest of the year will be working with them to select a preferred partner then undertake the merger. This programme of work will require a great deal of communications and engagement support, internally and externally, and will be a major focus for the Head of Communications and Engagement.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person specification for more information on the role requirements and duties.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent OR evidence of extensive evidence working in communications at a senior level, plus further evidence of specialist knowledge and experience in public relations
- Postgraduate diploma or master's level qualification, or equivalent communications project work in duration and complexity
- master's level qualification. Professional training in public relations, communications, marketing or journalism or demonstrable equivalent experience
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- CIPR membership
- Chartered status with the CIPR
Experience
Essential
- Extensive and demonstrable track record of delivering internal and external communications in large complex organisations.
- Experience leading a team
- Extensive experience of building excellent working relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders both internal and external
- Experience and understanding of developing policies and procedures to meet objectives.
- Experience using website content management systems and common media platforms
- Experience of writing and editing publications and reports.
- Experience of supporting change management
- Experience of partnership working
Desirable
- Experience of producing collateral using the Adobe Creative Suite
Skills
Essential
- Excellent planning and organisation skills.
- Ability and confidence to influence and communicate effectively with people at all levels and in all professions.
- Effective interpersonal, influencing and negotiation skills.
- Ability to manage hostile environments
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to disseminate complex information in plain English
- Effective problem solving and networking and alliance building abilities
- Confidence when presenting complex issues to a range of audiences
- Attention to detail and ability to proof-read effectively.
- Able to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to provide expert communications advice to colleagues
- Excellent analytical and judgment skills.
- Ability to work accurately at speed and to tight timescales
Knowledge
Essential
- Up to date knowledge of communications statutory requirements and best practice in communications
- Specialist knowledge and understanding of how the local and national media operate.
- Specialist knowledge and understanding of a wide range of communication methods including digital channels
- Expert knowledge in Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned channels, and how to combine them to maximise impact
- Expertise in crisis management
Personal attributes
Essential
- Resilience
- Confidence
- Personal drive, a can-do approach and a bias to action
- Able to deal with conflicting demands and pressures.
- Outcomes focused
- Committed to equalities and the promotion diversity in the workplace
- Able to build relationships and deal with people at all levels and in all professions.
- Highly credible with internal and external stakeholders.
- Ability to work flexibly and adapt to changing environments and work priorities.
- Committed to the values, principles of public services and health and social care.
- Innovative in approach to work and prepared to find creative solutions to problems.
Other
Essential
- Willing to work occasionally during evenings and weekends
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent OR evidence of extensive evidence working in communications at a senior level, plus further evidence of specialist knowledge and experience in public relations
- Postgraduate diploma or master's level qualification, or equivalent communications project work in duration and complexity
- master's level qualification. Professional training in public relations, communications, marketing or journalism or demonstrable equivalent experience
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- CIPR membership
- Chartered status with the CIPR
Experience
Essential
- Extensive and demonstrable track record of delivering internal and external communications in large complex organisations.
- Experience leading a team
- Extensive experience of building excellent working relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders both internal and external
- Experience and understanding of developing policies and procedures to meet objectives.
- Experience using website content management systems and common media platforms
- Experience of writing and editing publications and reports.
- Experience of supporting change management
- Experience of partnership working
Desirable
- Experience of producing collateral using the Adobe Creative Suite
Skills
Essential
- Excellent planning and organisation skills.
- Ability and confidence to influence and communicate effectively with people at all levels and in all professions.
- Effective interpersonal, influencing and negotiation skills.
- Ability to manage hostile environments
- Excellent written and oral communication skills.
- Ability to disseminate complex information in plain English
- Effective problem solving and networking and alliance building abilities
- Confidence when presenting complex issues to a range of audiences
- Attention to detail and ability to proof-read effectively.
- Able to maintain confidentiality.
- Ability to provide expert communications advice to colleagues
- Excellent analytical and judgment skills.
- Ability to work accurately at speed and to tight timescales
Knowledge
Essential
- Up to date knowledge of communications statutory requirements and best practice in communications
- Specialist knowledge and understanding of how the local and national media operate.
- Specialist knowledge and understanding of a wide range of communication methods including digital channels
- Expert knowledge in Paid, Earned, Shared, and Owned channels, and how to combine them to maximise impact
- Expertise in crisis management
Personal attributes
Essential
- Resilience
- Confidence
- Personal drive, a can-do approach and a bias to action
- Able to deal with conflicting demands and pressures.
- Outcomes focused
- Committed to equalities and the promotion diversity in the workplace
- Able to build relationships and deal with people at all levels and in all professions.
- Highly credible with internal and external stakeholders.
- Ability to work flexibly and adapt to changing environments and work priorities.
- Committed to the values, principles of public services and health and social care.
- Innovative in approach to work and prepared to find creative solutions to problems.
Other
Essential
- Willing to work occasionally during evenings and weekends
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).
