Job summary
The Associate Director of Communications will be accountable for the overall leadership, development and delivery of an innovative communications strategy for GMMH. The postholder will provide expert professional communications advice, leadership, guidance and support to the GMMH Board of Directors and senior leaders across the Trust, including advice on media handling issues on a wide range of highly complex and often highly sensitive and potentially contentious issues.
This role will also be responsible for ensuring robust and dynamic staff engagement mechanisms to support effective internal communications across the Trust, including an effective and professional communications, digital, media relations, branding/visual identity and marketing, and, reputation management service, through the development of a strong culture of engagement and promotion
Main duties of the job
As a member of the Senior Management Team, lead the development, implementation and monitoring of a fully integrated GMMH communications strategy ensuring it is responsive to new technologies which promotes the reputation of the Trust as well as individual services.
Work closely with the Executive Team in the development of the Trust's Strategic Plans ensuring that staff, patient and public engagement is a key component.
Develop the use of appropriate evaluation tools and methodologies to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Communications Strategy, advising the senior leadership team of the outcome of such evaluation and advising on any required updates to the strategy or approach.
Identify, plan and deliver a broad range of integrated communications campaigns which support operational and strategic requirements.
About us
Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) Foundation Trust employs over 7,000members of staff, who deliver services from more than160locations.
We provide inpatient and community-based mental health care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford,Trafford and the borough of Wigan, and a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and beyond.
Greater Manchester is one of the world's most innovative, original and exciting places to live and work. From the beauty of the surrounding countryside to the heart of the vibrant inner city with great shopping, entertainment and dining options.
Wherever you go you will experience a great northern welcome with people famed for their warmth, humour and generosity.
Our people enjoy their work, have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and are encouraged to generate new ideas that improve care for our service users.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached job description and person specification
Staff benefits
- Pay Enhancements 30% additional for Evenings (8pm onwards) and Saturdays and 60% additional for Sundays and Bank holidays.
- 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
- Excellent pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Salary sacrifice car scheme
- Wellbeing programme
- Blue Light Card Discounts
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached job description and person specification
Staff benefits
- Pay Enhancements 30% additional for Evenings (8pm onwards) and Saturdays and 60% additional for Sundays and Bank holidays.
- 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays rising to 29 after 5 years and 33 days after 10 years
- Excellent pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Salary sacrifice car scheme
- Wellbeing programme
- Blue Light Card Discounts
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- Educated to Masters or equivalent level of qualification in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience or extensive experience across more than one relevant discipline such as communications and clinical services
Experience
Essential
- Extensive track record of previously managing a multi- functional high performing communications team to deliver internal and external communications
- Extensive experience and track record of devising and executing successful internal and external communication and engagement strategies
- Demonstrable track record of successfully handling high profile, reputation management issues
- Extensive and recent experience of working at senior level supporting a Board director
- Demonstrable record of improving both internal and external communications in a large and complex organizationoDemonstrable record of improving both internal and external communications in a large and complex organization
- Evidence of leading the engagement process with strategic stakeholders
- Extensive experience of crisis/crisis avoidance management, responding to emerging situations which may be distressing in nature
- Evidence of conveying highly contentious information in situations of proposed major change
Skills
Essential
- Excellent and proven ability to provide and receive highly complex, highly sensitive, or highly contentious information where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome
- Highly competent public speaker/ communicator
- High level of political awareness
- Excellent knowledge and proven success in performance management, developing communication and engagement strategies and budget management
- Capable of articulating strategic aims into practical and achievable plans
- Demonstrates an ability to adopt a number of ways to gain support and influence diverse parties
Person Specification
Education
Essential
- Educated to Masters or equivalent level of qualification in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience or extensive experience across more than one relevant discipline such as communications and clinical services
Experience
Essential
- Extensive track record of previously managing a multi- functional high performing communications team to deliver internal and external communications
- Extensive experience and track record of devising and executing successful internal and external communication and engagement strategies
- Demonstrable track record of successfully handling high profile, reputation management issues
- Extensive and recent experience of working at senior level supporting a Board director
- Demonstrable record of improving both internal and external communications in a large and complex organizationoDemonstrable record of improving both internal and external communications in a large and complex organization
- Evidence of leading the engagement process with strategic stakeholders
- Extensive experience of crisis/crisis avoidance management, responding to emerging situations which may be distressing in nature
- Evidence of conveying highly contentious information in situations of proposed major change
Skills
Essential
- Excellent and proven ability to provide and receive highly complex, highly sensitive, or highly contentious information where there are significant barriers to acceptance which need to be overcome
- Highly competent public speaker/ communicator
- High level of political awareness
- Excellent knowledge and proven success in performance management, developing communication and engagement strategies and budget management
- Capable of articulating strategic aims into practical and achievable plans
- Demonstrates an ability to adopt a number of ways to gain support and influence diverse parties
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).
Employer details
Employer name
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHSFT
Address
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Bury New Road
Prestwich
M25 3BL
Employer's website
https://www.gmmh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
