Job summary
The Job
The Public Accountability, Communications and Engagement directorate's purpose is to:
- ensure NHS staff have the information they need and leadership to make decisions in the best interests of patients and the NHS;
- drive behaviour changes through public campaigns;
- defend the reputation of the NHS and work with external influencers to share accurate information on the NHS priorities and performance;
- lead the communications professions across the NHS.
We are looking for a highly motivated and strategically minded communications leader to take forward the work of the PACE directorate on an interim basis of ten months whilst our permanent Director, Sam Haq, takes maternity leave between November 2024 and September 2025.
This role is one of the most demanding, exciting and rewarding communications roles in the country, and we welcome applications from high calibre candidates looking to make a positive contribution to how the NHS delivers for patients.
The successful individual will have an excellent understanding of the political, government and media landscape, as well as the latest evidence-based best practice across a range of communications disciplines.
This technical expertise will be in addition to the ability to build, motivate and inspire high performing teams, and provide professional leadership of communications and engagement activity across the wider NHS.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will lead, and be responsible for getting the best from a multi-disciplinary team of communications professionals who support the delivery of NHS England's core objectives and corporate responsibilities. Working with and through that team, they will be expected to oversee sophisticated and strategic handling of a wide range of communications issues, often at rapid pace, with the ability to prioritise effectively.
They will be accountable for the delivery of a broad range of functions and objectives, ensuring that the organisation listens to and is responsive to its stakeholders - including NHS staff, patients and the public - and its outputs are of a consistent high quality and value. This includes:
- overseeing public and Parliamentary accountability through our Parliamentary Hub and Freedom of Information teams;
- planning and executing award-winning multi-media campaigns that support the NHS' main priorities, including building a sustainable workforce and improving early detection rates for cancer;
- galvanising action on key priorities across the organisation and wider health and care landscape through effective internal and corporate communications and stakeholder engagement;
- ensuring staff, patients and the public receive clear and accurate information about NHS services, including through one of the busiest media teams in the country and social media channels; producing content seen over 10 million times every month.
About us
The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:
- Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
- Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
- Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
- Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
- Delivering value for money.
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visithttps://www.england.nhs.uk/.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
Job description
Job responsibilities
NHS England's Public Accountability, Communications and Engagement function sits within the Strategy Directorate. It is one of the busiest communications teams in the country, operating within a fast-moving environment and managing a wide range of high-profile issues affecting the NHS each day, with those issues commanding significant public attention and scrutiny.
Activities delivered by the team include:
- answering Freedom of Information (FoI) requests and parliamentary questions;
- managing communications for major incidents such as COVID-19 and industrial action;
- delivering public facing campaigns including recruiting future NHS staff and supporting appropriate access to health services;
- marketing NHS products such as the NHS App and other digital services and supporting take up and usage of NHS education and training services;
- planning and co-ordinating events and visits;
- internal communications and engagement, working with our HR team;
- managing strategic relationships with a wide range of external stakeholders including Royal Colleges and health and care sector representative organisations;
- handling incoming media queries and proactively pitching and communicating stories that deepen public understanding of the NHS and its activities through all media channels.
The team works on a business partner model, combining national communications teams and embedded regional and Directorate communications teams into a single function.
The role(s) will be accountable to the Chief Strategy Officer who has Executive Group responsibility for communications, policy, strategy, health inequalities and greener NHS but will work closely with other NHS England senior leaders including the Chief Executive and Chair.
Please see job description for additional information.
Key relationships
They will interact frequently with, and provide strategic counsel to, senior NHS England leaders, including the chief executive, chair and other board members, as well as represent the organisation with the most senior stakeholders in government, the wider NHS and elsewhere.
The Director will have line management responsibility for the following national teams:
- Corporate Affairs;
- Public Accountability and External affairs;
- Campaigns and Social Media;
- Strategic Communications;
- NHS Operational Communications.
They will also line manage the Director of Regional and Directorate Engagement who will, in turn, line manage communications colleagues providing embedded support to regional and directorate teams.
In order to maintain the relationship required to be successful in this position, the postholder will need to be frequently present in NHS England's headquarters in London (Waterloo).
See also the attached job description for additional information.
Secondments
Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.
If you like what you have read and think you have the skills and experience, we need then don't delay, apply today! We get lots of applications for our roles and so we sometimes have to close our posts early. Don't miss out!
Job description
Job responsibilities
NHS England's Public Accountability, Communications and Engagement function sits within the Strategy Directorate. It is one of the busiest communications teams in the country, operating within a fast-moving environment and managing a wide range of high-profile issues affecting the NHS each day, with those issues commanding significant public attention and scrutiny.
Activities delivered by the team include:
- answering Freedom of Information (FoI) requests and parliamentary questions;
- managing communications for major incidents such as COVID-19 and industrial action;
- delivering public facing campaigns including recruiting future NHS staff and supporting appropriate access to health services;
- marketing NHS products such as the NHS App and other digital services and supporting take up and usage of NHS education and training services;
- planning and co-ordinating events and visits;
- internal communications and engagement, working with our HR team;
- managing strategic relationships with a wide range of external stakeholders including Royal Colleges and health and care sector representative organisations;
- handling incoming media queries and proactively pitching and communicating stories that deepen public understanding of the NHS and its activities through all media channels.
The team works on a business partner model, combining national communications teams and embedded regional and Directorate communications teams into a single function.
The role(s) will be accountable to the Chief Strategy Officer who has Executive Group responsibility for communications, policy, strategy, health inequalities and greener NHS but will work closely with other NHS England senior leaders including the Chief Executive and Chair.
Please see job description for additional information.
Key relationships
They will interact frequently with, and provide strategic counsel to, senior NHS England leaders, including the chief executive, chair and other board members, as well as represent the organisation with the most senior stakeholders in government, the wider NHS and elsewhere.
The Director will have line management responsibility for the following national teams:
- Corporate Affairs;
- Public Accountability and External affairs;
- Campaigns and Social Media;
- Strategic Communications;
- NHS Operational Communications.
They will also line manage the Director of Regional and Directorate Engagement who will, in turn, line manage communications colleagues providing embedded support to regional and directorate teams.
In order to maintain the relationship required to be successful in this position, the postholder will need to be frequently present in NHS England's headquarters in London (Waterloo).
See also the attached job description for additional information.
Secondments
Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.
If you like what you have read and think you have the skills and experience, we need then don't delay, apply today! We get lots of applications for our roles and so we sometimes have to close our posts early. Don't miss out!
Person Specification
Experience and knowledge
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills and evidence of building effective relationships with senior leaders.
- Evidence of the ability to horizon-scan, grip issues and drive delivery in a dynamic, fast-paced and uncertain environment.
- Political acumen and judgement to anticipate how issues will develop and prepare an effective communications response.
- Demonstrable knowledge in identifying, analysing, promoting or responding to issues of strategic importance, including influencing outside organisations where required.
- Recognition, internally and externally, as an expert in the field of communications appropriate gravitas, skills and knowledge to lead professional communications and engagement colleagues effectively.
- Ability to provide advice, support and counsel to very senior colleagues including Chairs, Chief Executives, Executive Directors, Executive Teams and Boards.
- Experienced in managing a wide range of issues simultaneously with the ability to prioritise focus and delegate effectively across senior leadership colleagues.
- The ability to exercise judgement and innovative thinking to analyse, rationalise, evaluate and arrive at evidence-based conclusions.
- The ability to be both strategic and operational in delivering their responsibilities on behalf of the organisation.
- Demonstrable knowledge and expertise in understanding how to translate policy and delivery outcomes into communications activity.
- Comfortable and expert in acting with appropriate autonomy and accountability for managing resources, risks, activity and obstacles to achieve agreed corporate outcomes.
Desirable
- Experience of leading multi-disciplinary communications and engagement teams in complex organisations at a national level utilising successful people management, peer collaboration and functional senior leadership and management skills.
- Ability to identify which channels, methods and approaches are the most appropriate communications and engagement mix of professional disciplines to manage given situations effectively. As a result, they will be expert in providing operational direction and advice to their team(s).
- Experience and demonstrable knowledge in planning, preparing and executing communications and engagement activity to support delivery of corporate objectives, with the skills and management ability to lead and inspire significant resources in meeting these objectives.
Qualifications
Essential
- Significant relevant leadership experience in the field of communications and engagement.
Skills, Abilities and Attributes
Essential
- The ability to build, develop and lead highly effective teams that inform and deliver NHSE's organisational priorities while protecting and enhancing the reputation of the organisation and the wider health service.
- A deep passion for the NHS and huge respect for everyone who works in it.
- The ability to drive cultural change, develop solutions in a collegiate manner and focus on delivering to time, quality and cost.
- Strong influencing, negotiating and stakeholder engagement skills.
- The ability to manage difficult conversations and conflicts.
- The ability to use insight to inform communications activity, and to continuously evaluate and learn from actions and plans.
- Embrace, and encourage others to embrace, new ideas and innovative ways of communicating and engaging with audiences and stakeholders.
- Lead and work with colleagues to ensure all activity is planned and delivered in line with NHSE's policies, priorities and processes.
- Lead and work effectively within an environment of intense media and political scrutiny and accountability.
- Demonstrate behaviours that support, value and respect each other's work, perspectives and needs.
- Lead and work flexibly and at pace across priorities.
- Provide ad hoc out of hours communications support.
- Have high quality writing and presenting skills.
- Uphold professional government and industry standards for communications and engagement.
Person Specification
Experience and knowledge
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal and influencing skills and evidence of building effective relationships with senior leaders.
- Evidence of the ability to horizon-scan, grip issues and drive delivery in a dynamic, fast-paced and uncertain environment.
- Political acumen and judgement to anticipate how issues will develop and prepare an effective communications response.
- Demonstrable knowledge in identifying, analysing, promoting or responding to issues of strategic importance, including influencing outside organisations where required.
- Recognition, internally and externally, as an expert in the field of communications appropriate gravitas, skills and knowledge to lead professional communications and engagement colleagues effectively.
- Ability to provide advice, support and counsel to very senior colleagues including Chairs, Chief Executives, Executive Directors, Executive Teams and Boards.
- Experienced in managing a wide range of issues simultaneously with the ability to prioritise focus and delegate effectively across senior leadership colleagues.
- The ability to exercise judgement and innovative thinking to analyse, rationalise, evaluate and arrive at evidence-based conclusions.
- The ability to be both strategic and operational in delivering their responsibilities on behalf of the organisation.
- Demonstrable knowledge and expertise in understanding how to translate policy and delivery outcomes into communications activity.
- Comfortable and expert in acting with appropriate autonomy and accountability for managing resources, risks, activity and obstacles to achieve agreed corporate outcomes.
Desirable
- Experience of leading multi-disciplinary communications and engagement teams in complex organisations at a national level utilising successful people management, peer collaboration and functional senior leadership and management skills.
- Ability to identify which channels, methods and approaches are the most appropriate communications and engagement mix of professional disciplines to manage given situations effectively. As a result, they will be expert in providing operational direction and advice to their team(s).
- Experience and demonstrable knowledge in planning, preparing and executing communications and engagement activity to support delivery of corporate objectives, with the skills and management ability to lead and inspire significant resources in meeting these objectives.
Qualifications
Essential
- Significant relevant leadership experience in the field of communications and engagement.
Skills, Abilities and Attributes
Essential
- The ability to build, develop and lead highly effective teams that inform and deliver NHSE's organisational priorities while protecting and enhancing the reputation of the organisation and the wider health service.
- A deep passion for the NHS and huge respect for everyone who works in it.
- The ability to drive cultural change, develop solutions in a collegiate manner and focus on delivering to time, quality and cost.
- Strong influencing, negotiating and stakeholder engagement skills.
- The ability to manage difficult conversations and conflicts.
- The ability to use insight to inform communications activity, and to continuously evaluate and learn from actions and plans.
- Embrace, and encourage others to embrace, new ideas and innovative ways of communicating and engaging with audiences and stakeholders.
- Lead and work with colleagues to ensure all activity is planned and delivered in line with NHSE's policies, priorities and processes.
- Lead and work effectively within an environment of intense media and political scrutiny and accountability.
- Demonstrate behaviours that support, value and respect each other's work, perspectives and needs.
- Lead and work flexibly and at pace across priorities.
- Provide ad hoc out of hours communications support.
- Have high quality writing and presenting skills.
- Uphold professional government and industry standards for communications and engagement.
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).
