Job summary
- Main area
- Communications
- Grade
- Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 387-TS-6915-IB
- Employer
- University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Trust Headquarters
- Town
- Bristol
- Salary
- £37,338 - £44,962 pa pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 18/11/2024 23:59
- Interview date
- 29/11/2024
Employer heading
Senior Communications Officer (External)
Band 6
As an organisation we recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.
We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.
Click on this link to find out about our values https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/p/about-us/our-trust-values
Job overview
Reporting to the Communications Manager (External), this role involves using specialist knowledge and expertise to proactively promote the Trust through effective media relations work, reputation management, stakeholder relations and other activity. The post holder will be the lead point of contact for the Trust’s media relations activity. They will also be expected to create, manage and implement integrated communications campaigns aimed at a range of audiences (external and internal). The role provides direct support to the Communications Manager (External), including deputising for them as required.
Main duties of the job
- Report to the Communications Manager (External) and support them in the delivery of all communications.
- Implement the day-to-day delivery of external communications and engagement activities including, but not limited to: media relations, reputation management, stakeholder relations, filming opportunities, awards and speaker opportunities, partnership and branding opportunities.
- Guide the Trust’s response to reactive and proactive media enquiries. Build and foster positive relationships with media outlets and journalists, governors, unions and other NHS bodies to ensure it is accurately represented at all times. Proactively promote the work of UHBW, identifying PR and news opportunities, creating packages of content, and developing and coordinating award entries, campaigns and proposals for speaking opportunities. This includes creating a planned calendar of proactive PR opportunities.
- Create, manage and implement integrated communication campaigns which support the overarching Trust communications strategy. The integrated approach should include creating different pieces of written and audio/visual content for a range of external and internal audiences. Identify creative solutions to any problems and develop ideas to solve communications issues. Liaise with colleagues to implement these plans.
- Contribute to the creation and implementation of the Communications strategy, alongside other colleagues in the team.
Working for our organisation
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 15,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England.
UHBW has been rated by the CQC as ‘Good’ overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward-thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer. UHBW is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For a more detailed job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.
Person specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria
- Holds a specialist postgraduate diploma in marketing, communications or journalism, or has equivalent relevant experience
- Degree in a relevant subject or equivalent relevant experience
- Evidence of continued professional development
Desirable criteria
- Membership of Chartered Institute of Public Relations
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of working at a Senior Communications Officer level within a large and complex organisation
- Specialist knowledge across a range of communications activities, including experience of creating, managing and successfully implementing complex integrated communications campaigns on specific issues/priorities which cover the full communications mix, including media relations, stakeholder relations, brand marketing, internal communications, digital and social communications, direct marketing
- Experience of successfully adapting campaigns and plans to ensure continued alignment with programme or initiative and stakeholder requirements as they develop
- Specialist knowledge and experience of working effectively with the media, of agreeing lines to take with internal stakeholders and handling sensitive issues carefully and effectively.
- Experience of working as a business partner, advising colleagues on appropriate communications approaches, and reporting on the progress of communications plans and campaigns to relevant internal and external stakeholders, managers and leaders
- Experience of managing external agencies, including digital, video, print and design agencies
- Experience of delegated budget responsibility in order to purchase supplies e.g printing or kit
- Experience of day-to-day supervision of staff including peer support, development and training
- Specialist knowledge around legislation and good practice procedures and information systems relating to patient or case study consent, patient confidentiality, Freedom of Information requests, GDPR and the Accessible Information Standard. Confident in application of this into practice
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in the NHS or another regulatory environment
- Experience of direct line management
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
- Excellent written communication skills. Able to write for a variety of different audiences and channels using a range of approaches
- Able to create packages of written and audio / visual content for different audiences and purposes
- Excellent attention to detail, able to edit and proofread written content quickly and easily
- Able to obtain, absorb, analyse, interpret and communicate highly complex information and/or highly sensitive information rapidly and successfully, and present this to others to persuade and influence with ease
- An understanding of what makes a good news story from the perspective of the media
- Confident and effective communicator. Able to influence, negotiate and seek resolution on complex/contentious issues, where there may be differing views, with tact, sensitivity and diplomacy
- Excellent organisational skills including the ability to plan, manage and prioritise an unpredictable workload and the need to multi-task, often under pressure with frequent disruption. Able to meet deadlines when under pressure
- Able to work autonomously and without direction to achieve goals. Confident in analysing information, using judgement to assess a situation and making decisions to move work forward in areas of responsibility and expertise
- Able to interpret broad policies, regulations and processes to ensure best practice
- Excellent problem solver, with natural instinct to identify problems and implications and take appropriate action
- Able to evaluate the effectiveness of communications activity by analysing measurement data against KPIs and preparing reports, to enable informed decision making and planning
- High level of numeracy and computer literacy; advanced keyboard skills able to use information systems and programmes for analysis and planning
- Able to follow polices in own role and contribute to development/improvement of comms related policy and procedure and service development
- Excellent organisational skills including the ability to manage and prioritise an unpredictable workload and the need to multi-task, often under pressure with frequent disruption. Able to meet deadlines when under pressure.
- Ability to occasionally respond to distressing or emotional circumstances and interpret information for a range of stakeholders
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Josh De Witt
- Job title
- Communications Manager (External)
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01173420899
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