Job summary
The role will be involved in all
aspects of the award winning media and communications campaigns from Fresh and
Balance the UKs only dedicated regional tobacco and alcohol programme. The post
holder will be:
Helping with production and
implementation of mass media campaigns
Digital- website monitoring and
management
News media/press office support
Events support
Social media monitoring and
management of channels
Proactive stakeholder
communications on tobacco and alcohol issues
Development of communications
materials
Advocacy campaign support workign
with national partners
Main duties of the job
You
will be part of a small team of experts who are leading the delivery of a multi
strand approach to addressing toabcco and alcohol related harms across the
North East. The post holder is expected to support the Head of Media and
Communications on all aspects of internal and external communications but with
particular focus on helping to achieve high rates of earned media coverage,
drive activity within social media platforms and content and support on
engagement with partners to increase their involvement in communications. The will be updating and managing content on
the Fresh and Balance and associated campaign websites is a key part of this
role so the post holder should be familiar with content management and writing
for websites. They will be involved in responses, statements and press releases
for media both proactive and re-active in line with programme positions and
policies and require an understanding of the key facts/evidence around alcohol
and tobacco
About us
If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager
To
be eligible for Health and Care Worker visa sponsorship you will usually need
to be paid at least £25,600 per year
We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.
At County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust our aim is to always deliver excellent care with compassion to deliver the highest quality of care our patients deserve. We value the personal skills, experiences and qualities that individuals bring to the Trust; creating an inclusive working environment to attract talented people who feel motivated, involved and able to influence the future direction of our services. The wellbeing of staff is important to us; we have a dedicated Health and Wellbeing team who provide support on a range of topics.
We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented
Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents
Job description
Job responsibilities
The multi-award winning Fresh and Balance Programme (hosted
by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust) is commissioned by local
authorities and the NHS to work at population level across the North East. The
Programme is currently commissioned to March 2025 and the programme is viewed
as an integral part to for the North East and North Cumbria ICB achieving its
better health and wellbeing for all strategy. This role will support the Head
of Media and Communications on a wide range of media and communications
activity as part of a multi strand approach to addressing tobacco and alcohol
harms.
Our core strategic aim will continue to be working for a
societal shift around both tobacco and alcohol use. Evidence is clear that
focussing at the level of the individual is not enough. We believe a
comprehensive social norm change approach combined with providing individual
information and support is both more efficient, effective and cost effective at
reducing smoking prevalence and levels of alcohol consumption. We recognise
that there is no silver bullet and multiple strands of activity and policy
focus will be required. We also believe
that the tobacco and alcohol industries marketing and promotional practices to
recruit and maintain high levels of use and their attacks on effective policy
must be exposed and countered.
The goal is to change the broad social norms around the use
of tobacco and alcohol, and to indirectly inuence current and potential future
tobacco and alcohol users on a population level by creating a social
environment and legal climate in which tobacco and alcohol use becomes less
desirable, less acceptable, less affordable and less accessible. The approach
focuses on changing societal and community norms rather than simply focussing
on changing individual behaviour.
We are working on building greater understanding of the harm
of the products amongst public and decision makers: a vital platform for action
and for key policy levers and prioritisation of these issues which cause ill
health, fuel inequalities and harm our public purse.
We have also reflected that there is much to be gained
through closer collaborative learning and working across both tobacco and
alcohol topics together. For example we can learn from the tobacco control
experience in terms of role of regulation and legislation and successful
advocacy approaches, whilst also recognising the important role of evidence
based treatment and support for tobacco and alcohol dependency.
The increased focus on the latter nationally through the NHS
Long Term Plan is welcome and in our efforts we will also support the role of
the ICS in building up a whole systems approach to this, whilst recognising the
greatest impact of the Programme will continue to be at population level and
reaching as many people as possible through effective policy levers.
We also endeavour to work closely in partnership with others
across the region in order to maximise the impact of the programme across our
funding localities and also to the broader system. This will include our
collaboration with partners including the Office of Health Improvement, the ICS
Population Health and Prevention Board and subgroups and merging new
structures, and also key national partners including ASH, members of the
Smokefree Action Coalition and also the Alcohol Health Alliance.
Our strategic plans set out our evidence based
approach that adds value to the important local role on addressing tobacco and
alcohol and also where we believe we can have the most maximum impact in terms
of reducing the scale of harm.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The multi-award winning Fresh and Balance Programme (hosted
by County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust) is commissioned by local
authorities and the NHS to work at population level across the North East. The
Programme is currently commissioned to March 2025 and the programme is viewed
as an integral part to for the North East and North Cumbria ICB achieving its
better health and wellbeing for all strategy. This role will support the Head
of Media and Communications on a wide range of media and communications
activity as part of a multi strand approach to addressing tobacco and alcohol
harms.
Our core strategic aim will continue to be working for a
societal shift around both tobacco and alcohol use. Evidence is clear that
focussing at the level of the individual is not enough. We believe a
comprehensive social norm change approach combined with providing individual
information and support is both more efficient, effective and cost effective at
reducing smoking prevalence and levels of alcohol consumption. We recognise
that there is no silver bullet and multiple strands of activity and policy
focus will be required. We also believe
that the tobacco and alcohol industries marketing and promotional practices to
recruit and maintain high levels of use and their attacks on effective policy
must be exposed and countered.
The goal is to change the broad social norms around the use
of tobacco and alcohol, and to indirectly inuence current and potential future
tobacco and alcohol users on a population level by creating a social
environment and legal climate in which tobacco and alcohol use becomes less
desirable, less acceptable, less affordable and less accessible. The approach
focuses on changing societal and community norms rather than simply focussing
on changing individual behaviour.
We are working on building greater understanding of the harm
of the products amongst public and decision makers: a vital platform for action
and for key policy levers and prioritisation of these issues which cause ill
health, fuel inequalities and harm our public purse.
We have also reflected that there is much to be gained
through closer collaborative learning and working across both tobacco and
alcohol topics together. For example we can learn from the tobacco control
experience in terms of role of regulation and legislation and successful
advocacy approaches, whilst also recognising the important role of evidence
based treatment and support for tobacco and alcohol dependency.
The increased focus on the latter nationally through the NHS
Long Term Plan is welcome and in our efforts we will also support the role of
the ICS in building up a whole systems approach to this, whilst recognising the
greatest impact of the Programme will continue to be at population level and
reaching as many people as possible through effective policy levers.
We also endeavour to work closely in partnership with others
across the region in order to maximise the impact of the programme across our
funding localities and also to the broader system. This will include our
collaboration with partners including the Office of Health Improvement, the ICS
Population Health and Prevention Board and subgroups and merging new
structures, and also key national partners including ASH, members of the
Smokefree Action Coalition and also the Alcohol Health Alliance.
Our strategic plans set out our evidence based
approach that adds value to the important local role on addressing tobacco and
alcohol and also where we believe we can have the most maximum impact in terms
of reducing the scale of harm.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level in relevant field e.g. media, communications, public relations, journalism, social marketing OR with the relevant experience.
- Evidence of ongoing professional development and training.
Experience
Essential
- Experience in a communications team, working at a fast pace and dealing with complex topics, ideally in a public sector environment.
- Experience in delivering presentations to a wide ranging audience.
- Experience talking to/ interviewing both members of the public and professionals
- Experience in liaising with a wide range of stakeholders at both local, regional and national levels from a backgrounds and disciplines
- A self-starting attitude and ability to work alone to deadlines, driving ideas, copy and content.
Desirable
- Experience in delivering an in-house communications function.
- Experience in the development of mass media campaigns
- Skills/experience in driving discussions around calling for action to reduce alcohol and tobacco harm
- Experience in video recording and film editing
- Experience working with external media agencies including managing specific commissioned projects
Special Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Strong communications and writing skills including drafting content for press releases, social media platforms websites, articles and partner communications
- Good verbal skills in presenting and talking to a wide range of audiences online and in person.
- Excellent partnership working skills - anticipating and responding to time-sensitive requests and enquiries
- Ability to absorb and interpret complex health information and make it relatable and easy to understand for key audiences in both proactive and reactive communications
- Design skills on to create graphics and social media images on platforms such as Canva
- Web CMS management skills on platform such as Wordpress to update and post new content on websites
- Organizational skills required to organize events, press photo calls and visits.
- A good working knowledge of the communications landscape across the public sector in the region including within the NHS and local authorities.
Desirable
- Knowledge of behaviour change/ techniques/ public health/ tobacco and/or alcohol issues and the evidence base for addressing these.
- Ability to deal with journalists and respond to media enquiries.
- A working knowledge of the North East media landscape and relationships with key media personnel across the region.
- Well-developed interviewing skills to develop and deliver newsworthy packages
- A high level of empathy and sensitivity leading on case study developments for campaigns and nurturing ongoing relationship with local individuals personally affected by tobacco and alcohol issues
Special Requirements
Essential
- Expectation of travel across the North East and North Cumbria and also occasional national travel and opportunity for international travel.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level in relevant field e.g. media, communications, public relations, journalism, social marketing OR with the relevant experience.
- Evidence of ongoing professional development and training.
Experience
Essential
- Experience in a communications team, working at a fast pace and dealing with complex topics, ideally in a public sector environment.
- Experience in delivering presentations to a wide ranging audience.
- Experience talking to/ interviewing both members of the public and professionals
- Experience in liaising with a wide range of stakeholders at both local, regional and national levels from a backgrounds and disciplines
- A self-starting attitude and ability to work alone to deadlines, driving ideas, copy and content.
Desirable
- Experience in delivering an in-house communications function.
- Experience in the development of mass media campaigns
- Skills/experience in driving discussions around calling for action to reduce alcohol and tobacco harm
- Experience in video recording and film editing
- Experience working with external media agencies including managing specific commissioned projects
Special Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Strong communications and writing skills including drafting content for press releases, social media platforms websites, articles and partner communications
- Good verbal skills in presenting and talking to a wide range of audiences online and in person.
- Excellent partnership working skills - anticipating and responding to time-sensitive requests and enquiries
- Ability to absorb and interpret complex health information and make it relatable and easy to understand for key audiences in both proactive and reactive communications
- Design skills on to create graphics and social media images on platforms such as Canva
- Web CMS management skills on platform such as Wordpress to update and post new content on websites
- Organizational skills required to organize events, press photo calls and visits.
- A good working knowledge of the communications landscape across the public sector in the region including within the NHS and local authorities.
Desirable
- Knowledge of behaviour change/ techniques/ public health/ tobacco and/or alcohol issues and the evidence base for addressing these.
- Ability to deal with journalists and respond to media enquiries.
- A working knowledge of the North East media landscape and relationships with key media personnel across the region.
- Well-developed interviewing skills to develop and deliver newsworthy packages
- A high level of empathy and sensitivity leading on case study developments for campaigns and nurturing ongoing relationship with local individuals personally affected by tobacco and alcohol issues
Special Requirements
Essential
- Expectation of travel across the North East and North Cumbria and also occasional national travel and opportunity for international travel.
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).
