Job summary
Are
you a driven communications professional seeking an extraordinary opportunity
to make a difference? NHS West Yorkshire Integrated Care Board welcomes
passionate people like you to join our vibrant team.
As
a self-starter with a flair for storytelling, you'll play a pivotal role in
shaping the narrative of our award-winning organisation and broader health
and care partnership. Your keen eye
for identifying compelling stories and generating innovative ideas will be
invaluable in sharing the impactful work of our organisation.
Main duties of the job
What we're looking for:
Proactive communicator: Ready to tackle both reactive and
proactive media opportunities head-on.
Partner and media liaison: Serve as the point of contact
for media inquiries and interview requests, demonstrating sound judgement and
confidence in your approach.
Team player: Working closely with West Yorkshire NHS
trusts, local authorities, and various stakeholders to ensure effective
communication efforts.
Strategic thinker: Develop and execute robust media
strategies to effectively share our message to diverse audiences.
Creative content producer: Craft compelling communication
materials that resonate with national, regional, and trade press, partners, people
and communities.
Successfully pitch stories to journalists, enhancing
visibility and awareness of our initiatives.
Requirements
Experience: Proven track record in reactive media
communications, with background in press office, journalism, or campaigns.
Communication skills: Excellent written and verbal
communication abilities are a must.
Organised: Thrive in fast-paced environments, managing
multiple priorities with finesse.
Interpersonal skills: Build strong relationships and
navigate sensitive issues under pressure.
Sound understanding of media landscape and trends.
Availability: Willingness to participate in our
out-of-hours rota, if needed, with additional compensation provided.
About us
NHS
West Yorkshire ICB is responsible for improving population health and
reducing inequalities to meet the diverse health needs of its population.
Were part of the West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, which includes
health and care providers, local councils and voluntary, community and social
enterprise organisations.
We
are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values
diversity; we know that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create
a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers patient outcomes.
We
are committed to creating the best place to work, where your contribution is
valued, your wellbeing is supported and all our colleagues can reach their
full potential. We welcome and encourage applications from all areas of the
community, who meet the criteria for the role, regardless of their protected
characteristics.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Working
within the communications and involvement team, you will provide expert
advice and professional support to the ICB/ICS across West Yorkshire around
all aspects of media relations, whilst promoting best practice and industry
standards.
You
will take the lead for media management, developing, implementing, and
evaluating strategies, anticipating, and responding to media enquiries, and
briefing journalists. You will provide
reputation management advice and media advice/training to directors, senior
managers, and ICB/ICS Board members.
Main
duties and responsibilities:
PR/media relations management: leads on the development of media relations/PR
strategies to promote major projects, programmes, research and campaigns -
positioning the organisation in line with key objectives/aims.
Writes media releases, statements, and briefings, often being complex in
nature.
Ensures the organisation responds effectively to media enquiries providing
clear, consistent, and accurate messages to the media about its work, in line
with the organisation strategy.
Provides quick and balanced rebuttals of inaccurate comments about the
organisation and its work in the media and social media.
Generates and packages ideas to engage the media.
Provides strategic media expertise, support and counsel to the senior
management team, Board members and other staff.
Continues to build on the organisations strong relationships with leading health
journalists as well as national print and broadcast and trade media outlets.
Ensures there are robust systems and processes in place to deliver effective
media relations across West Yorkshire and our in local places.
Supports the provision of information and complex analysis by ensuring the
correct information is populated and presented in the correct way for the
city-wide assurance meetings with. This would include developing accurate and
robust reports with clear recommendations, preparing engaging presentations
that demonstrate progress in each area and setting out clear next steps.
Responsible for media monitoring and evaluation process, including the
collection and presentation a range of performance indicators and qualitative
feedback.
Supports the head of service to build and develop a strong bank of media
spokespeople across the organisation,
Responsible for media training directors, senior managers, and Board members,
along with and other staff in relation to media awareness and interview
techniques, procuring external providers as necessary.
Builds effective working relationships with press office and media functions
across a range of stakeholder and partner organisations in West Yorkshire.
Monitor coverage and produce media reports and issue management plans.
Member of EPPR Rota for communications (subject to separate consultation)
Full
details are in the attached job description.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Working
within the communications and involvement team, you will provide expert
advice and professional support to the ICB/ICS across West Yorkshire around
all aspects of media relations, whilst promoting best practice and industry
standards.
You
will take the lead for media management, developing, implementing, and
evaluating strategies, anticipating, and responding to media enquiries, and
briefing journalists. You will provide
reputation management advice and media advice/training to directors, senior
managers, and ICB/ICS Board members.
Main
duties and responsibilities:
PR/media relations management: leads on the development of media relations/PR
strategies to promote major projects, programmes, research and campaigns -
positioning the organisation in line with key objectives/aims.
Writes media releases, statements, and briefings, often being complex in
nature.
Ensures the organisation responds effectively to media enquiries providing
clear, consistent, and accurate messages to the media about its work, in line
with the organisation strategy.
Provides quick and balanced rebuttals of inaccurate comments about the
organisation and its work in the media and social media.
Generates and packages ideas to engage the media.
Provides strategic media expertise, support and counsel to the senior
management team, Board members and other staff.
Continues to build on the organisations strong relationships with leading health
journalists as well as national print and broadcast and trade media outlets.
Ensures there are robust systems and processes in place to deliver effective
media relations across West Yorkshire and our in local places.
Supports the provision of information and complex analysis by ensuring the
correct information is populated and presented in the correct way for the
city-wide assurance meetings with. This would include developing accurate and
robust reports with clear recommendations, preparing engaging presentations
that demonstrate progress in each area and setting out clear next steps.
Responsible for media monitoring and evaluation process, including the
collection and presentation a range of performance indicators and qualitative
feedback.
Supports the head of service to build and develop a strong bank of media
spokespeople across the organisation,
Responsible for media training directors, senior managers, and Board members,
along with and other staff in relation to media awareness and interview
techniques, procuring external providers as necessary.
Builds effective working relationships with press office and media functions
across a range of stakeholder and partner organisations in West Yorkshire.
Monitor coverage and produce media reports and issue management plans.
Member of EPPR Rota for communications (subject to separate consultation)
Full
details are in the attached job description.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to masters level in a relevant subject, equivalent level qualification or significant experience at a similar level in specialist area
- Evidence of ongoing personal and professional development
Desirable
- NCTJ or equivalent certificate.
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Able to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service
- Independently mobile to work across sites, where appropriate
Experience
Essential
- Prior experience of working within a communication, media/PR environment, or as a journalist.
- Significant experience of news media management, including delivering crisis management communications activity
- Proven track record of communicating and engaging effectively with a wide range of external agencies at all levels
- Strong evidence of communications methods that map stakeholders and identify appropriate channels of communications
- Experience of identifying and interpreting national policy; understands the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciates the implications for the function
- Significant experience of researching complex information, requiring analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options, including the production of media releases, statements, briefings
- Experience of producing a wide range of written communications, in a variety of styles and formats (e.g. easy read)
- Experience of managing internal communications
- Project management experience
- Evidence of social media marketing skills
- Experience of web content management systems
Desirable
- Experience of creative social media management across a range of channels/environments
- Experience of digital media campaign planning, development and evaluation
- Knowledge of the NHS
- Further training and/or significant experience in project management, financial management and supporting change management processes.
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to adjust communication style and content to suit audiences
- Developed communication skills for delivering key messages via a range of internal and external channels (including outside the NHS) to the organisation, some at very senior level.
- Able to concentrate for prolonged periods on complex reports/briefings and other subject matter
- Able or provide, receive, and interpret highly complex sensitive information on high profile issues
- Thinks and responds creatively and dynamically
- Thinks analytically, anticipating obstacles and drawing logical solutions to problems; recognises assumptions, interprets arguments and deduces inferences
- Builds and sustains relationships at all levels, actively involving stakeholders where appropriate
- Works independently where required, as part of a team and is a corporate player; able to prioritise own work effectively and direct activities of others
- Able to work autonomously and exercise discretion
- Skills for managing projects, ensuring they meet financial targets
- Calm under pressure and able to regulate behaviour even when provoked, with excellent interpersonal skills
- Enthusiastic about area of work; responsive, positive and solution-focused approach as well as open to change
- Conscientious, credible, trustworthy, open and honest acts with integrity
- Is computer literate with an ability to use Microsoft Office packages.
- Willing to develop further, as appropriate to the role
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to masters level in a relevant subject, equivalent level qualification or significant experience at a similar level in specialist area
- Evidence of ongoing personal and professional development
Desirable
- NCTJ or equivalent certificate.
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Able to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service
- Independently mobile to work across sites, where appropriate
Experience
Essential
- Prior experience of working within a communication, media/PR environment, or as a journalist.
- Significant experience of news media management, including delivering crisis management communications activity
- Proven track record of communicating and engaging effectively with a wide range of external agencies at all levels
- Strong evidence of communications methods that map stakeholders and identify appropriate channels of communications
- Experience of identifying and interpreting national policy; understands the background to and aims of current healthcare policy and appreciates the implications for the function
- Significant experience of researching complex information, requiring analysis, interpretation, and comparison of options, including the production of media releases, statements, briefings
- Experience of producing a wide range of written communications, in a variety of styles and formats (e.g. easy read)
- Experience of managing internal communications
- Project management experience
- Evidence of social media marketing skills
- Experience of web content management systems
Desirable
- Experience of creative social media management across a range of channels/environments
- Experience of digital media campaign planning, development and evaluation
- Knowledge of the NHS
- Further training and/or significant experience in project management, financial management and supporting change management processes.
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Excellent communication skills, verbal and written, with the ability to adjust communication style and content to suit audiences
- Developed communication skills for delivering key messages via a range of internal and external channels (including outside the NHS) to the organisation, some at very senior level.
- Able to concentrate for prolonged periods on complex reports/briefings and other subject matter
- Able or provide, receive, and interpret highly complex sensitive information on high profile issues
- Thinks and responds creatively and dynamically
- Thinks analytically, anticipating obstacles and drawing logical solutions to problems; recognises assumptions, interprets arguments and deduces inferences
- Builds and sustains relationships at all levels, actively involving stakeholders where appropriate
- Works independently where required, as part of a team and is a corporate player; able to prioritise own work effectively and direct activities of others
- Able to work autonomously and exercise discretion
- Skills for managing projects, ensuring they meet financial targets
- Calm under pressure and able to regulate behaviour even when provoked, with excellent interpersonal skills
- Enthusiastic about area of work; responsive, positive and solution-focused approach as well as open to change
- Conscientious, credible, trustworthy, open and honest acts with integrity
- Is computer literate with an ability to use Microsoft Office packages.
- Willing to develop further, as appropriate to the role
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.
