Job summary
Join us as a part time Communications Officer at Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust in Guildford. This vacancy is for a job share, working up to three days per week alongside our existing Communications Officer to cover a full-time role.
As a Communications Officer you'll be responsible for creating uplifting and informative content about our busy hospitals.
This is a varied and busy role. You will be responsible for creating content for both internal and external audiences, writing news stories, media releases and information for our social media channels. You will have media relations experience and excellent writing skills.
The NHS is changing and as a Trust with three hospital sites, vast community services and the UK's fourth biggest cancer centre there's never been a better time to join Royal Surrey. There are numerous exciting developments in the pipeline and never a shortage of interesting things to discover and promote.
We pride ourselves on looking after our people and providing a strong offer across physical, mental, financial and social health and wellbeing. The Royal Surrey family is our biggest asset and you would be joining a dedicated, innovative, friendly and supportive and supportive team.
Further information about this opportunity:
Part time (Up to 22.5 hours per week)
Working in Guildford with some scope for hybrid working
Main duties of the job
The 3 "must haves" for you to be considered for this role:
A passion for communications that matches our passion to provide excellent healthcare for patients
Excellent written and verbal communications skills
A positive 'can do' attitude and proactive approach
If this is you, then we would recommend you make your application for this role.
For further details / informal visits contact:
For further details about this role or questions in general about working for Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust please contact Dominique Vincent.
About us
Royal Surrey is a compassionate and collaborative acute and community Trust. Recognising that our 5000 colleagues are our greatest strength, we offer a comprehensive health and wellbeing program along with a commitment to developing and advancing your career. Our diverse and welcoming Royal Surrey family will ensure you that you feel valued from your initial interview through your entire tenure.
We are clinically led and provide joined up care by bridging the gap between hospital and community services alongside regional specialist cancer care. Our main acute hospital site is in Guildford with community hospital sites at Milford, Haslemere and Cranleigh. We provide adult community health services in homes across Guildford and Waverley.
We have received an overall Good rating from the CQC with Medical care (including older peoples care), End of Life Care and Maternity services being deemed Outstanding by the CQC.
Royal Surrey has a strong reputation and history to build on. We are proud of our achievements and we are investing in our colleagues through our commitment to supporting professional development as well as investing more than £45 million in our physical environment and new equipment in the next few years. There has never been a better time to join us.
Although it isn't the Trusts normal practice, adverts may close early, so you are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible.
A video about the Royal Surrey - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HsiGn9joTQ
Job description
Job responsibilities
To provide specialist support to the Communications Team across a range of channels and with both internal and external audiences.
The Communications, Engagement and Marketing Team at Royal Surrey is an important part of the Trusts commitment to provide nationally celebrated, community focussed health and care and be a great place to work and develop.
The postholder will work under the guidance of the Senior Communications, Engagement and Marketing Officer and the Head of Communications to deliver effective communications support for clinical and corporate colleagues in the hospital and community.
The postholder will lead on a number of Trust-wide communications, engagement and marketing activities within Royal Surrey and with our partners and stakeholders to support the clinically led organisational strategy.
This will need excellent copy writing skills, the ability to manage social media activity, curate website and intranet platforms and support the events programme.
The postholder will be able to establish positive working relationships quickly at all levels of the organisation and manage a busy workload, responding to conflicting priorities as required.
The postholder will be based at Royal Surrey County Hospital with the ability to work across all Trust and external sites as needed.
The postholder will be required to work flexibly, including out-of-hours, working as required to the role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
To provide specialist support to the Communications Team across a range of channels and with both internal and external audiences.
The Communications, Engagement and Marketing Team at Royal Surrey is an important part of the Trusts commitment to provide nationally celebrated, community focussed health and care and be a great place to work and develop.
The postholder will work under the guidance of the Senior Communications, Engagement and Marketing Officer and the Head of Communications to deliver effective communications support for clinical and corporate colleagues in the hospital and community.
The postholder will lead on a number of Trust-wide communications, engagement and marketing activities within Royal Surrey and with our partners and stakeholders to support the clinically led organisational strategy.
This will need excellent copy writing skills, the ability to manage social media activity, curate website and intranet platforms and support the events programme.
The postholder will be able to establish positive working relationships quickly at all levels of the organisation and manage a busy workload, responding to conflicting priorities as required.
The postholder will be based at Royal Surrey County Hospital with the ability to work across all Trust and external sites as needed.
The postholder will be required to work flexibly, including out-of-hours, working as required to the role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree level qualification in a communications, digital, design or engagement-related subject, or equivalent experience in communications field
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Postgraduate qualification in a communications-related subject
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Experience working within a communications or engagement function (agency or in-house)
- Strong copywriting skills, including the ability to write in plain, jargon-free English
- Experience of working with designers, printers and photographers
- Experience in digital communications, including electronic/web publishing or web editing; content and social media management
- Experience of working with the media, including handling proactive and reactive media enquiries
- Ability to produce videos and photography to accompany communications material/packages
Desirable
- Project management experience - including planning, campaign development and implementation.
- Experience of using platforms online comms tools e.g. Survey Monkey, MailChimp, Eventbrite, Google Analytics and Hootsuite and Tweetdeck
- Experience of measuring communications activity, including the effectiveness of campaigns
- Event management experience, including organising events and leading events communication plans
- Experience of brand awareness (working within identity guidelines)
- A knowledge of communications best practice
- Understanding of the NHS, its structure and main issues
- Good level of political and social awareness
- Experience of working in a healthcare/ NHS environment
- Experience of crisis management
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree level qualification in a communications, digital, design or engagement-related subject, or equivalent experience in communications field
- Evidence of continuing professional development
- Postgraduate qualification in a communications-related subject
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Experience working within a communications or engagement function (agency or in-house)
- Strong copywriting skills, including the ability to write in plain, jargon-free English
- Experience of working with designers, printers and photographers
- Experience in digital communications, including electronic/web publishing or web editing; content and social media management
- Experience of working with the media, including handling proactive and reactive media enquiries
- Ability to produce videos and photography to accompany communications material/packages
Desirable
- Project management experience - including planning, campaign development and implementation.
- Experience of using platforms online comms tools e.g. Survey Monkey, MailChimp, Eventbrite, Google Analytics and Hootsuite and Tweetdeck
- Experience of measuring communications activity, including the effectiveness of campaigns
- Event management experience, including organising events and leading events communication plans
- Experience of brand awareness (working within identity guidelines)
- A knowledge of communications best practice
- Understanding of the NHS, its structure and main issues
- Good level of political and social awareness
- Experience of working in a healthcare/ NHS environment
- Experience of crisis management
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).
