Senior Communications Officer

NHS Confederation

Information:

This job is now closed

Job summary

As the Senior Communications Officer you will be responsible for supporting the Observatory's overall communications strategy and will help us further engage all aspects of media and public relations work with our key stakeholders and steering groups.

This role will include participation in an on-call media rota, leading on social media, drafting a range of communications materials, managing media requests and interview opportunities, briefing appropriate Observatory staff, as well as overseeing the drafting of case studies and updating a rolling calendar/media grid of regular announcements.

Main duties of the job

You will provide Social Media, Media Relations and PR support, this will include:

  • Acting as a point of contact for the media and manage and log a wide range of media enquiries
  • Leading on Social Media using Twitter, LinkedIn and other digital platforms including Dotdigital
  • Assisting with using content management systems to upload media enquiries to database and content and images for the Observatory website
  • Drafting communications materials including press releases and internal copy for Subscriber and Board newsletters
  • Liaising closely with the Assistant Director of Communications and Media to produce concise and timely media statements, summaries and press release announcements
  • Supporting event and stakeholder visits, liaising with staff and managing media and photographers on site

About us

The NHS Confederation is the membership organisation that brings together, supports and speaks for the whole healthcare system in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

NHS England has funded an independent Race and Health Observatory and has commissioned the NHS Confederation to host the Observatory in its initial stages. The Observatory's role is to address the long-standing inequalities facing Black, Asian and ethnic minority patients, communities, and the healthcare workforce.

Date posted

05 July 2024

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£33,284 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

NHS1002366

Job locations

2nd Floor

18 Smith Square

London

Westminster

SW1P 3HZ


2 Brewery Wharf

Kendall Street

Leeds

West Yorkshire

LS10 1JR


Job description

Job responsibilities

The Senior Communications Officer will support the Observatory's independent work to:

  • Facilitate new, high-quality, and innovative research and evidence
  • Make evidence-based strategic policy recommendations for change
  • Support practical implementation and improvement
The Senior Communications Officer will provide support to the Assistant Director for Communications and Media, including managing media enquiries.

The postholder will:

  • deal proactively with media enquiries
  • maintain the media database and log enquiries
  • upload website content
  • monitor media coverage
  • draft copies for board summaries and communication plans for report and workstream announcements.
The postholder will work as part of the wider Observatory team to support all aspects of communications and media relations including work with key stakeholder organisations and Observatory's Board and steering groups.

The role will require an individual with excellent organisational skills and an ability to prioritise a busy workload. The postholder will need to develop excellent working relationships with colleagues both within and outside the organisation.

There will be a requirement for the postholder to be included in an out-of-hours media rota and on occasion, attend meetings on behalf of the Assistant Director for Communications and Media where appropriate.

Responsibilities

Media relations:

  • Liaise with journalists to promote research, news releases and setting up interviews
  • Draft press releases, statements and features Updating content to the Observatory website
  • Manage the Observatory's social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Dot Digital) platforms
  • Write, edit, proof read copy for internal and external publications, working to tight deadlines
  • Maintain a database of national, Black, Asian and minority ethnic, regional, local and trade media contacts and records of media coverage.
  • Manage a media database and media monitoring system
  • Write across a number of communication channels and platforms including press, social media, website, marketing collateral leaflets, posters, and stakeholder content Strategic
Communications planning:

  • Write timely strategic communications plans for Observatory reports, papers and other outputs
  • Support the Assistant Director for Communications and Media in planning, design and implementation of communications, marketing and PR campaigns from conception to evaluation
  • Engage and organise stakeholders with different, and sometimes challenging, interests and perspectives so that they can plan, work together and communicate across a broad range of complex workstream programmes
  • Prioritise, plan and manage own time to meet deadlines and schedules
  • Run communications campaigns (external, internal, stakeholder, media), and to draft responses to media requests on sensitive or complex issues
  • Project manage communications campaigns, manage events, press conferences, webinars, photo calls and visits.
  • Support the development and help manage an annual programmes of communications and media relations activity around reducing health inequities
Analysis and judgement:

  • Summarise complex corporate reports and reviews into plain summaries for broad audiences
  • Innovation and ability to develop and implement creative solutions to complex and challenging problems
  • Offer constructive criticism, to design and introduce improvements and drive change
  • Comfortable with complex facts, data and reports requiring analysis

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Senior Communications Officer will support the Observatory's independent work to:

  • Facilitate new, high-quality, and innovative research and evidence
  • Make evidence-based strategic policy recommendations for change
  • Support practical implementation and improvement
The Senior Communications Officer will provide support to the Assistant Director for Communications and Media, including managing media enquiries.

The postholder will:

  • deal proactively with media enquiries
  • maintain the media database and log enquiries
  • upload website content
  • monitor media coverage
  • draft copies for board summaries and communication plans for report and workstream announcements.
The postholder will work as part of the wider Observatory team to support all aspects of communications and media relations including work with key stakeholder organisations and Observatory's Board and steering groups.

The role will require an individual with excellent organisational skills and an ability to prioritise a busy workload. The postholder will need to develop excellent working relationships with colleagues both within and outside the organisation.

There will be a requirement for the postholder to be included in an out-of-hours media rota and on occasion, attend meetings on behalf of the Assistant Director for Communications and Media where appropriate.

Responsibilities

Media relations:

  • Liaise with journalists to promote research, news releases and setting up interviews
  • Draft press releases, statements and features Updating content to the Observatory website
  • Manage the Observatory's social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Dot Digital) platforms
  • Write, edit, proof read copy for internal and external publications, working to tight deadlines
  • Maintain a database of national, Black, Asian and minority ethnic, regional, local and trade media contacts and records of media coverage.
  • Manage a media database and media monitoring system
  • Write across a number of communication channels and platforms including press, social media, website, marketing collateral leaflets, posters, and stakeholder content Strategic
Communications planning:

  • Write timely strategic communications plans for Observatory reports, papers and other outputs
  • Support the Assistant Director for Communications and Media in planning, design and implementation of communications, marketing and PR campaigns from conception to evaluation
  • Engage and organise stakeholders with different, and sometimes challenging, interests and perspectives so that they can plan, work together and communicate across a broad range of complex workstream programmes
  • Prioritise, plan and manage own time to meet deadlines and schedules
  • Run communications campaigns (external, internal, stakeholder, media), and to draft responses to media requests on sensitive or complex issues
  • Project manage communications campaigns, manage events, press conferences, webinars, photo calls and visits.
  • Support the development and help manage an annual programmes of communications and media relations activity around reducing health inequities
Analysis and judgement:

  • Summarise complex corporate reports and reviews into plain summaries for broad audiences
  • Innovation and ability to develop and implement creative solutions to complex and challenging problems
  • Offer constructive criticism, to design and introduce improvements and drive change
  • Comfortable with complex facts, data and reports requiring analysis

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of using traditional and digital media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Dot Digital), using media databases and uploading website content.
  • Experience of writing press releases, media statements, web content, handling media enquiries and briefing and supporting with media interviews.
  • Experience of developing strategic communications plans for reports, publications and announcements.
  • Ability to write regular content for website, weekly email news summary and monthly subscriber newsletter.
  • Experience of planning, delivering and supporting a range of events, including conferences and awards and capturing images for publication.
  • Ability to work independently to deadlines, plan and prioritise own work to ensure delivery of key objectives.

Desirable

  • Knowledge of contemporary health, race and equality policy, understanding of UK political environment and current health policy developments.
  • A member of CIPR/PRCA.
  • Evidence of continuing professional development with strong communications and engagement element.
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of using traditional and digital media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Dot Digital), using media databases and uploading website content.
  • Experience of writing press releases, media statements, web content, handling media enquiries and briefing and supporting with media interviews.
  • Experience of developing strategic communications plans for reports, publications and announcements.
  • Ability to write regular content for website, weekly email news summary and monthly subscriber newsletter.
  • Experience of planning, delivering and supporting a range of events, including conferences and awards and capturing images for publication.
  • Ability to work independently to deadlines, plan and prioritise own work to ensure delivery of key objectives.

Desirable

  • Knowledge of contemporary health, race and equality policy, understanding of UK political environment and current health policy developments.
  • A member of CIPR/PRCA.
  • Evidence of continuing professional development with strong communications and engagement element.

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Confederation

Address

2nd Floor

18 Smith Square

London

Westminster

SW1P 3HZ


Employer's website

https://www.nhsconfed.org/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Confederation

Address

2nd Floor

18 Smith Square

London

Westminster

SW1P 3HZ


Employer's website

https://www.nhsconfed.org/ (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

Assistant Director: Communications and Media

Rose Obianwu

rose.obianwu@nhsrho.org

Date posted

05 July 2024

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£33,284 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

NHS1002366

Job locations

2nd Floor

18 Smith Square

London

Westminster

SW1P 3HZ


2 Brewery Wharf

Kendall Street

Leeds

West Yorkshire

LS10 1JR


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

NHS Confederation's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)