Job summary
We are looking for an innovative, passionate and progressive person to join our team, to provide dedicated communications and engagement support for IT and digital health programmes. This will include providing expert advice on external communication, internal communication and engagement requirements to colleagues across the organisation.
It is a fantastic time to join University Hospitals Birmingham; we have recently embarked on a new hospital site operating model, which presents opportunities to develop impactful site-based internal and external, as well as Trust-wide communication and engagement interventions.
The successful candidate will be responsible for the design, implementation and evaluation of communication and engagement plans/interventions, that are designed to provide high-quality and consistent outputs, encourage key enabling relationships with stakeholders, remove barriers and ultimately enhance the reputation of IT and digital heath programmes, and the organisation.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will:
* Have a clear focus on providing expert support for IT and digital health related communications and engagement projects and issues.
* Provide expert and innovative advice on external and internal communication and engagement requirements to colleagues across the organisation, whilst supporting with operational delivery of key tasks and projects.
* Lead on IT and digital health related media relations activity, using own judgement. Including responding to routine media enquiries through the provision of agreed messages, briefing journalists, media interviews, as well as briefing spokespeople, senior staff and other key stakeholders, where required.
* Design, implement and evaluate communication and engagement plans/interventions, that are designed to provide high-quality and consistent communications and engagement outputs, encourage key enabling relationships with stakeholders, remove barriers and ultimately enhance the reputation of the organisation.
It is expected that type of work undertaken by the post holder will change over time, as the portfolio of work changes.
Please see the job description and person specification, for further information.
About us
We are recognised as one of the leading NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK. Our vision is to Build Healthier Lives, and we recognise that we need incredible staff to do this.
Our commitment to our staff is to create the best place for them to work, and we are dedicated to:
Investing in the health and wellbeing of our staff, including a commitment of offering flexible working where we can;Offer our staff a wide variety of training and development opportunities, to support their personal and career development objectives.
UHB is committed to ensuring that our staff are treated fairly and feel that they belong, by creating a kind and inclusive environment. This is about equity of opportunity; removing all barriers, including discrimination and ensuring each individual member of staff reach their true potential, achieve their ambitions and thrive in their work. This is more than words. We are taking action. Our commitment to an inclusive culture is embedded at all levels of the organisation where every voice is heard, driven by our diverse and active staff networks, and at Board level by the Fairness Taskforce led by our CEO. We nurture a culture which empowers staff to challenge discriminatory behaviours and to enable people to bring their 'whole self' to a kinder, more connected and bold place to work.
University Hospitals Birmingham is a Smoke-Free premises hospital.
Job description
Job responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Job description
Job responsibilities
*Please Note : For a detailed job description for this vacancy, please see attached Job Description*
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Knowledge of communications, public relations, journalism and marketing communication techniques, approaches, procedures: acquired through training to relevant degree level or equivalent, plus training and/or experience in communications field to postgraduate diploma level.
- Strong evidence of ongoing professional development, particularly in social media/digital communications.
Desirable
- A professional qualification in communications, public relations, marketing, or a similar field (e.g., degree / CAM, CIM or IPR diploma).
Experience
Essential
- Communications and engagement experience, within a complex organisation.
- Experience of providing communications expertise relating to IT and/or digital health programmes.
- Detailed knowledge of how communications operate across internal and external channels.
- Experience of managing and continually improving social media channels, ensuring alignment to and delivery of agreed strategic objectives.
- Experience of using digital communications tools to design, schedule and analyse content.
- Tailoring communications messages to key audiences in all sections of the community, including the media, hostile and antagonistic audiences.
- Designing and organising events for staff and the public.
- Experience of working collaboratively with internal and external partners.
- Experience of working in and delivery of tasks complex projects situations.
- Understanding of equality and valuing diversity principles.
- Understanding of confidentiality, information governance requirements.
- An understanding of communication accessibility standards and how to make content accessible.
Desirable
- Understanding the health policy and key themes of current health policy development.
- Good awareness and knowledge of the political environment, locally and nationally
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Substantial experience of writing for different channels, styles, and audiences, including digital media, press releases and newsletters.
- Able to work flexibly and prioritise workload, in response to changing demands and requirements.
- Excellent communication skills, including strong writing, proof reading and editing abilities.
- Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise, meet deadlines and delegate effectively.
- Keen eye for detail.
- Ability to think strategically and pre-empt opportunities and risks.
- Ability to find innovative ways of solving or pre-empting problems.
- Confident, independent, and effective decision maker.
- Ability to work under pressure, to agreed/demanding deadlines.
- Ability to build relationships with key stakeholders.
- Ability to work independently, or as part of a team, recognising and acting on wider corporate responsibilities.
- High level of IT literacy, including knowledge of MS Office programmes.
- Embraces and demonstrates the Trust values -- Kind, Connected and Bold.
- High levels of professional curiosity.
- Ability to work effectively in a complex and changing environment.
- Displays progressive, innovative, and solutions-based thinking.
- High degree of self-awareness.
- Ability to maintain confidence, always.
- High levels of personal integrity.
- Ability to deal with confidential issues in a professional and sensitive manner.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Knowledge of communications, public relations, journalism and marketing communication techniques, approaches, procedures: acquired through training to relevant degree level or equivalent, plus training and/or experience in communications field to postgraduate diploma level.
- Strong evidence of ongoing professional development, particularly in social media/digital communications.
Desirable
- A professional qualification in communications, public relations, marketing, or a similar field (e.g., degree / CAM, CIM or IPR diploma).
Experience
Essential
- Communications and engagement experience, within a complex organisation.
- Experience of providing communications expertise relating to IT and/or digital health programmes.
- Detailed knowledge of how communications operate across internal and external channels.
- Experience of managing and continually improving social media channels, ensuring alignment to and delivery of agreed strategic objectives.
- Experience of using digital communications tools to design, schedule and analyse content.
- Tailoring communications messages to key audiences in all sections of the community, including the media, hostile and antagonistic audiences.
- Designing and organising events for staff and the public.
- Experience of working collaboratively with internal and external partners.
- Experience of working in and delivery of tasks complex projects situations.
- Understanding of equality and valuing diversity principles.
- Understanding of confidentiality, information governance requirements.
- An understanding of communication accessibility standards and how to make content accessible.
Desirable
- Understanding the health policy and key themes of current health policy development.
- Good awareness and knowledge of the political environment, locally and nationally
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Substantial experience of writing for different channels, styles, and audiences, including digital media, press releases and newsletters.
- Able to work flexibly and prioritise workload, in response to changing demands and requirements.
- Excellent communication skills, including strong writing, proof reading and editing abilities.
- Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise, meet deadlines and delegate effectively.
- Keen eye for detail.
- Ability to think strategically and pre-empt opportunities and risks.
- Ability to find innovative ways of solving or pre-empting problems.
- Confident, independent, and effective decision maker.
- Ability to work under pressure, to agreed/demanding deadlines.
- Ability to build relationships with key stakeholders.
- Ability to work independently, or as part of a team, recognising and acting on wider corporate responsibilities.
- High level of IT literacy, including knowledge of MS Office programmes.
- Embraces and demonstrates the Trust values -- Kind, Connected and Bold.
- High levels of professional curiosity.
- Ability to work effectively in a complex and changing environment.
- Displays progressive, innovative, and solutions-based thinking.
- High degree of self-awareness.
- Ability to maintain confidence, always.
- High levels of personal integrity.
- Ability to deal with confidential issues in a professional and sensitive manner.
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.
