Job summary
We are looking for a communications professional to lead and manage communications for the new NHS Children and Young People's Gender Service (London).
Working in partnership with other communications leads and the service team, the person we are looking for has strong media handling, project and stakeholder management skills. They will be the communications lead for the gender service, working with and supporting communications professionals from three partner organisations, other regional centres and NHS England.
National crisis communications experience is a must, along with the ability to act with flexibility, confidence, diplomacy, and in collaboration. They will be responsible for the media management of this service including leading media handling.
The successful candidate for this new role will regularly advise and liaise with senior clinicians, management and stakeholders in a complex environment.
For any informal conversations please contact Isabel.cockayne@gosh.nhs.uk.
Interviews will be held on 16 September 2024.
Main duties of the job
This role will develop, implement and evaluate the communications (internal and external), engagement and media handling for the NHS Children and Young People's Gender Service (London) on behalf of three organisations.
The closing date given is a guide only. There may be some occasions where we have to close a vacancy once sufficient applications have been received. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification criteria for this post will be shortlisted. Please note that where high volumes of applicants have been received, additional criteria may on occasion be used to determine the final shortlist.
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 theUK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
About us
We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants and employees are treated fairly and consistently. We are proud to be accredited as a Disability Confident Employer, a member of Business Disability Forum and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.
We have active and Executive supported BME, LGBT+ and Allies, Disability and Long-Term Health Conditions and Women's staff networks. Staff networks are employee-led groups formed around interests, issues and a common bond or background. Staff network members create a positive and inclusive work environment at Great Ormond Street Hospital by actively contributing to the Trust's mission, values and efforts specific to inclusion. All our staff networks are open to any employee.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.
Person Specification
Culture and Value
Essential
Academic/Professional qualification/Training
Essential
- Relevant degree level qualification or equivalent professional communications qualification or five years' experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development with strong communications and engagement element.
Desirable
- Communications, public relations or relevant master's qualification.
Experience/Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist knowledge and experience of delivering multiple internal and external communications and engagement projects at the same time, including stakeholder, patient, and public engagement in an NHS or other politically high-profile environment.
- Experience of communicating in crises / and specialist knowledge of media handling in major events
- Demonstrable track record of successful delivery of communications and engagement activities at a senior level.
- Successfully teaching, training and advising senior leaders to deliver media interviews on complex and contentious issues. Experience of line-management.
- Demonstrable experience of using social and digital media to communicate with key audiences
- Proven experience in proactively building relationships, to support cooperation across multiple internal and external partners.
- Evidence of providing and receiving highly complex, sensitive information and effectively communicating it
Desirable
- Considerable experience of leading successful media relations including confident handling of media interviews on contentious and sensitive subjects at a national level
- Experience of working with children and young people to gain feedback.
Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Demonstrable ability of handling high-profile media strategies.
- Strong project management skills, able to prioritise complex projects within competing demands and ensuring delivery to a high quality on time.
- Emotionally intelligent and politically astute with the ability to listen to audience/ stakeholder viewpoints, cooperate and use feedback to adjust communications.
- Strong track record of managing highly complex situations requiring analysis, interpretation comparison of a range of options and giving advice to senior colleagues.
- Experience of communicating complex information to a range of audiences, advising on the best approaches and procedures.
- Experience of horizon scanning, supporting people to embrace new ways of working and proactively managing issues that may arise.
- Extensive knowledge and ability to respond to national and NHS policy, adapting our local communications to deliver new policy requirements.
- Knowledge and experience of inclusive and accessible communications, acting as a champion for these areas to ensure targeted and understandable communications.
- Able to respond quickly on a daily basis to offer sound advice to senior leaders. Able to adapt and respond to complex, sensitive and changing issues.
- Skilled at commissioning, managing and analysing communications metrics to support high-profile service development, including managing a budget
- Able to work within processes and frameworks, including reporting verbally and in writing to key committees as required.
- Knowledge of evaluation practices, including monitoring the impact and quality of work and regularly reporting to the Director of Communications and other senior leaders, including the CEO.
Desirable
- Ability to work with and negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and potentially controversial issues.
- Ability to deliver presentations to a range of internal and external audiences.
Person Specification
Culture and Value
Essential
Academic/Professional qualification/Training
Essential
- Relevant degree level qualification or equivalent professional communications qualification or five years' experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development with strong communications and engagement element.
Desirable
- Communications, public relations or relevant master's qualification.
Experience/Knowledge
Essential
- Specialist knowledge and experience of delivering multiple internal and external communications and engagement projects at the same time, including stakeholder, patient, and public engagement in an NHS or other politically high-profile environment.
- Experience of communicating in crises / and specialist knowledge of media handling in major events
- Demonstrable track record of successful delivery of communications and engagement activities at a senior level.
- Successfully teaching, training and advising senior leaders to deliver media interviews on complex and contentious issues. Experience of line-management.
- Demonstrable experience of using social and digital media to communicate with key audiences
- Proven experience in proactively building relationships, to support cooperation across multiple internal and external partners.
- Evidence of providing and receiving highly complex, sensitive information and effectively communicating it
Desirable
- Considerable experience of leading successful media relations including confident handling of media interviews on contentious and sensitive subjects at a national level
- Experience of working with children and young people to gain feedback.
Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Demonstrable ability of handling high-profile media strategies.
- Strong project management skills, able to prioritise complex projects within competing demands and ensuring delivery to a high quality on time.
- Emotionally intelligent and politically astute with the ability to listen to audience/ stakeholder viewpoints, cooperate and use feedback to adjust communications.
- Strong track record of managing highly complex situations requiring analysis, interpretation comparison of a range of options and giving advice to senior colleagues.
- Experience of communicating complex information to a range of audiences, advising on the best approaches and procedures.
- Experience of horizon scanning, supporting people to embrace new ways of working and proactively managing issues that may arise.
- Extensive knowledge and ability to respond to national and NHS policy, adapting our local communications to deliver new policy requirements.
- Knowledge and experience of inclusive and accessible communications, acting as a champion for these areas to ensure targeted and understandable communications.
- Able to respond quickly on a daily basis to offer sound advice to senior leaders. Able to adapt and respond to complex, sensitive and changing issues.
- Skilled at commissioning, managing and analysing communications metrics to support high-profile service development, including managing a budget
- Able to work within processes and frameworks, including reporting verbally and in writing to key committees as required.
- Knowledge of evaluation practices, including monitoring the impact and quality of work and regularly reporting to the Director of Communications and other senior leaders, including the CEO.
Desirable
- Ability to work with and negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and potentially controversial issues.
- Ability to deliver presentations to a range of internal and external audiences.
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).
