Job summary
Are you interested in medical research and passionate about using your skills to have a positive impact on people living with rare conditions? Do you have experience in public or patient engagement and effective communication of research to a range of people and audiences?
We are looking for an experienced, self-motivated, and passionate Communications and Engagement Lead to support a vibrant and growing team within the Manchester Rare Conditions Centre (MRCC). The post holder will lead on the development of the Centre's research communication and engagement strategy, ensuring patients and families have a voice in our service and research development plans and projects.
If you're inspired by this opportunity and have the right skills to drive forward our vision of inclusive and impactful research into rare conditions, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will lead the development, implementation and monitoring of the MRCC's Communication strategy and Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) initiatives and work plans within the centre. The post-holder will particularly focus on establishing a programme of patient engagement around Kabuki Syndrome, a rare, multisystem disorder of which there are several world experts here in Manchester.
The role involves working collaboratively to:
- Develop and implement effective communication strategies within the MRCC, including creating web content, videos, podcasts, and in-person community engagement activities and events.
- Develop and embed a patient and public involvement strategy for research within the MRCC.
- Meaningfully encourage and support people with lived experience of rare conditions to express their voice in MRCC supported research projects, service improvements and other initiatives.
- Work with patients, carers and families to promote awareness and advocacy for individuals with rare conditions.
About us
MFT is England's largest NHS Trust with a turnover of £2.5bn & is on a different scale than most other NHS Trusts. We're creating an exceptional integrated health & social care system for the 1 million patients who rely on our services every year.
Bringing together 10 hospitals & community services from across Manchester, Trafford & beyond, we champion collaborative working & transformation, encouraging our 28,000 workforce to pursue their most ambitious goals. We set standards that other Trusts seek to emulate so you'll benefit from a scale of opportunity that is nothing short of extraordinary.
We've also created a digitally enabled organisation to improve clinical quality, patient & staff experience, operational effectiveness & driving research and innovation through the introduction of Hive; our brand-new Electronic Patient Record system which we've launched in September 2022.
We're proud to be a major academic Research Centre & Education provider, providing you with a robust infrastructure to encourage and facilitate high-quality research programmes. What's more, we're excited to be embarking on our new Green Plan which will set out how MFT continues to play its part in making healthcare more sustainable.
At MFT, we create and foster a culture of inclusion and belonging, provide equal opportunities for career development that are fair, open and transparent, protecting your health and wellbeing and shaping the future of our organisation together.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading. So that youre even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, youll need to take time to read the Candidate Essentials Guide that sits with the Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides you with details about the Trust, our benefits and outlines how we care for you as you care for others. Most importantly, it also contains critical information youll need to be aware of before you submit an application form.
COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst COVID-19 vaccination is not currently a condition of employment, we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, there is helpful advice and information available by searching on the NHS England website where you can also find out more about how to access the vaccination.
Diversity Matters
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team at resourcing@mft.nhs.uk.
Were looking forward to hearing from you!
Job description
Job responsibilities
To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience youll need, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the Supporting Documents heading. So that youre even more equipped to make an informed decision to apply to us, youll need to take time to read the Candidate Essentials Guide that sits with the Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides you with details about the Trust, our benefits and outlines how we care for you as you care for others. Most importantly, it also contains critical information youll need to be aware of before you submit an application form.
COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst COVID-19 vaccination is not currently a condition of employment, we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated. If you are unvaccinated, there is helpful advice and information available by searching on the NHS England website where you can also find out more about how to access the vaccination.
Diversity Matters
MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, email our team at resourcing@mft.nhs.uk.
Were looking forward to hearing from you!
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in biomedical, health or social science, communications or related subject or equivalent experience
- Record of continuous professional development
Desirable
- Masters or post-graduate qualification in relevant discipline
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Experience of PPIE/patient experience/community engagement/communications in NHS or public sector
- Experience of social and digital media
- Experience of training staff in communications and engagement practices
- Experience of successful partnership working e.g community organisations, charities, voluntary sector organisations and members of the public
- Up to date knowledge of latest guidance and best practice of public engagement in health services development or research
Desirable
- Experience of evaluating comms or public engagement activity and impacts
- Knowledge of project management techniques
- Knowledge and appreciation of issues related to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
- Ability to translate complex information for different audiences
- Highly IT literate
- Planning, organisation and decision-making skills
- Leadership skills
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree in biomedical, health or social science, communications or related subject or equivalent experience
- Record of continuous professional development
Desirable
- Masters or post-graduate qualification in relevant discipline
Experience and Knowledge
Essential
- Experience of PPIE/patient experience/community engagement/communications in NHS or public sector
- Experience of social and digital media
- Experience of training staff in communications and engagement practices
- Experience of successful partnership working e.g community organisations, charities, voluntary sector organisations and members of the public
- Up to date knowledge of latest guidance and best practice of public engagement in health services development or research
Desirable
- Experience of evaluating comms or public engagement activity and impacts
- Knowledge of project management techniques
- Knowledge and appreciation of issues related to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
- Ability to translate complex information for different audiences
- Highly IT literate
- Planning, organisation and decision-making skills
- Leadership skills
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).
