Job summary
We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic communications professional with an eye for a story to help secure media coverage for one the largest hospital trusts in the country.
By joining our media team, you'll be responsible for responding to a high level of media enquiries, using your creativity and flair to secure positive media coverage and knowledge of social media to promote the achievements of our organisation. This role will also lead on research communications for the Trust.
You'll use your experience and excellent news judgement to make decisions quickly and confidently and be in your element when faced with short deadlines and complex information. You will be able to form good working relationships across the Trust, and thrive on interacting with senior staff and external stakeholders, including national journalists.
When you're not dealing with the media, you'll be focused on cross-team projects such as communications strategies, events management, supporting the rest of the team in producing copy for our channels such as website blogs and articles for the staff magazine, and supporting the team's Freedom of Information function.
You'll be adept in a crisis and ready to provide support in a major incident, you also understand the need for teamwork and are happy to pitch in with the administrative side of the job and supervise filming projects in our hospitals.
Main duties of the job
- Providing effective media relations and issues management to promote and protect the Trust's reputation and support the wider communications and engagement strategy.
- Delivering and developing media relations elements of integrated communications campaigns and projects - corporately and for divisions and services.
- Providing media relations and issues management expertise, advice and support to Trust leaders and spokespeople.
- Providing leadership to staff working in media relations team, and inspire confidence in colleagues in the Trust in the expertise within the department.
- Contributing to wider communications team materials including blogs and articles
About us
At Imperial College Healthcare you can achieve extraordinary things with extraordinary people, working with leading clinicians pushing boundaries in patient care. Become part of a vibrant team living our values - expert, kind, collaborative and aspirational. You'll get an experience like no other and will fast forward your career. Benefits include career development, flexible working and wellbeing, staff recognition scheme. Make use of optional benefits including Cycle to work, car lease schemes, season ticket loan or membership options for onsite leisure facilities.
The statutory requirement to be fully Covid-19 vaccinated as a condition of employment from April 2022 is subject to legislative review. At Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, we strongly encourage and support vaccination uptake as this remains the best line of defence against COVID19. The successful applicant may have contact with patients and service users and as part of our pre-employment checks and risk assessments, we will ask all candidates to confirm whether or not they have been fully vaccinated or have a medical exemption.
As part of our continued response to Covid19 we are still conducting the majority of our interviews virtually.
We are committed to equal opportunities and improving the working lives of our staff and will consider applications to work flexibly, part-time or job share. Please talk to us at interview.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1 Strategy, development and planning1.1 Develop effective networks internally and externally to identify and understandemerging challenges and opportunities for the Trust and specific services1.2 Contribute to the communications team content and forward planning activity
2. Media relations2.1 Liaise with Trust staff to identify stories to pitch to the media, draft press releases,briefings, statements and other messages for media and stakeholders, as part ofa rolling programme of proactive media coverage2.2 Develop and nurture constructive relationships with journalists, other press officesand stakeholders.2.3 Work with Trust spokespeople to ensure they are well trained and supported onmedia issues2.4 Manage media and stakeholder enquiries in a professional and timely manner,recording enquiries and responses2.5 Advise and brief staff, patients, families and their representatives on contact withthe media2.6 Provide comprehensive media monitoring and evaluation alerting Trust staff torelevant media coverage; write and distribute reports on media coverage asrequired2.7 Work with Trust staff to plan and manage events for the media, stakeholders andpatients, such as filming documentaries, high profile visits, and co-ordinating anymedia interest around these2.8 Participate in Trust 24 hour on-call media response rota2.9 Support the communications team during a media incident or major incidentincluding out of hours where necessary
3 Providing support and expertise3.1 Working in partnership with communications colleagues and with divisions, clinicalservices and corporate departments, to deliver media relations elements ofintegrated projects3.2 Provide expert knowledge, advice and support to the Trust to help identify andmanage issues that are likely to impact negatively on the reputation of the Trustand its staff.3.3 Help services and divisions to identify positive stories and potential issues thatneed managing3.4 Act as an expert resource to staff on Trust communications policies andprocedures3.5 Contribute to all communication channels when required including social media,Trust magazine, partner update, website and intranet content, staff messaging,and GP newsletter3.6 Provide support to the Freedom of Information function as required
4.0 Leadership4.1 Provide support to junior members of the team4.2 Deputise for the head of media as required
Job description
Job responsibilities
1 Strategy, development and planning1.1 Develop effective networks internally and externally to identify and understandemerging challenges and opportunities for the Trust and specific services1.2 Contribute to the communications team content and forward planning activity
2. Media relations2.1 Liaise with Trust staff to identify stories to pitch to the media, draft press releases,briefings, statements and other messages for media and stakeholders, as part ofa rolling programme of proactive media coverage2.2 Develop and nurture constructive relationships with journalists, other press officesand stakeholders.2.3 Work with Trust spokespeople to ensure they are well trained and supported onmedia issues2.4 Manage media and stakeholder enquiries in a professional and timely manner,recording enquiries and responses2.5 Advise and brief staff, patients, families and their representatives on contact withthe media2.6 Provide comprehensive media monitoring and evaluation alerting Trust staff torelevant media coverage; write and distribute reports on media coverage asrequired2.7 Work with Trust staff to plan and manage events for the media, stakeholders andpatients, such as filming documentaries, high profile visits, and co-ordinating anymedia interest around these2.8 Participate in Trust 24 hour on-call media response rota2.9 Support the communications team during a media incident or major incidentincluding out of hours where necessary
3 Providing support and expertise3.1 Working in partnership with communications colleagues and with divisions, clinicalservices and corporate departments, to deliver media relations elements ofintegrated projects3.2 Provide expert knowledge, advice and support to the Trust to help identify andmanage issues that are likely to impact negatively on the reputation of the Trustand its staff.3.3 Help services and divisions to identify positive stories and potential issues thatneed managing3.4 Act as an expert resource to staff on Trust communications policies andprocedures3.5 Contribute to all communication channels when required including social media,Trust magazine, partner update, website and intranet content, staff messaging,and GP newsletter3.6 Provide support to the Freedom of Information function as required
4.0 Leadership4.1 Provide support to junior members of the team4.2 Deputise for the head of media as required
Person Specification
EDUCATION
Essential
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent
- Qualifications in PR, communications or journalism
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Essential
- Highly effective communication and relationship skills, able to utilise and process complex and sensitive information
- Able to communicate with a wide range of people within the organization
- Effective copywriting skills
- Able to motivate others, negotiate and persuade
- Excellent written communication skills in a variety of formats for a variety of audiences
Desirable
- Presentation skills, including the skills to present to groups
GENERAL SKILLS
Essential
- Able to organise and prioritise own workload, working productively to tight or urgent deadlines
Desirable
- Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and other relevant programmes and software
EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Experience in a communications department or newspaper newsroom
- Experience of Media relations in a complex, multi-audience organisation
- Proven track record in developing and delivering effective media relations as part of wider integrated communications campaigns
- Experience of issues management
Person Specification
EDUCATION
Essential
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent
- Qualifications in PR, communications or journalism
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Essential
- Highly effective communication and relationship skills, able to utilise and process complex and sensitive information
- Able to communicate with a wide range of people within the organization
- Effective copywriting skills
- Able to motivate others, negotiate and persuade
- Excellent written communication skills in a variety of formats for a variety of audiences
Desirable
- Presentation skills, including the skills to present to groups
GENERAL SKILLS
Essential
- Able to organise and prioritise own workload, working productively to tight or urgent deadlines
Desirable
- Proficient in the use of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and other relevant programmes and software
EXPERIENCE
Essential
- Experience in a communications department or newspaper newsroom
- Experience of Media relations in a complex, multi-audience organisation
- Proven track record in developing and delivering effective media relations as part of wider integrated communications campaigns
- Experience of issues management
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).
