Job summary
Expected Shortlisting
Date:
19/02/2025
Planned Interview
Date:
25/02/2025
The
Communications Manager will oversee regional and national communications for
the Research Delivery Network (RDN), part of the National Institute for
Health and Care Research (NIHR). As a senior member of the RDN Communications
Team, they will provide high-quality, proactive communications services
across 12 Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDN) and the RDN Coordinating
Centre.
The
role involves adopting best practices to support the RDN's objectives,
creating new channels for engagement, and promoting NIHR's reputation as a
top health and care research organisation. The Communications Manager will
lead corporate communication strategies, events, and marketing initiatives to
showcase RDNs impact. Additionally, the role includes line management of the
Communications Officer, conducting staff reviews, identifying training needs,
and ensuring skills development to meet current and future business needs.
Main duties of the job
Lead
RDN communications regionally and nationally, supporting the organisations
ethos.
Develop
and implement communication strategies aligned with RDN and NIHR goals.
Plan
and manage multi-channel projects, organise communication campaigns, and
ensure effective coordination.
Provide
leadership, line manage the RRDN Communications Officer, and optimise
communications across services. Lead corporate communication aligned with
strategic objectives.
Develop
policies and launch initiatives for patient and public engagement, supporting
RDNs strategy.
Ensure
timely data for performance metrics, implement performance management
initiatives.
Lead
campaigns targeting Life Science Industry partners and build strong
relationships with commercial organisations.
Integrate
continuous improvement in communications and ensure value for money.
Manage
communications with stakeholders, enhancing the profile of RDN.
Communicate
RDN impact to patients, carers, and the public.
Ensure
compliance with NIHR corporate identity and guidelines.
Prioritise
communication channels and strategies to achieve strategic outcomes. Monitor
and evaluate media work.
Ensure
adherence to brand guidelines.
About us
The
National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is funded by the
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). NIHR works in partnership with
the NHS, universities, local government, other research funders, patients and
the public. The NIHR funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and
social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes
economic growth. NIHR is a major funder of applied health research in low and
middle-income countries.
The
whole of England will be supported through 12 NIHR Regional Research Delivery
Networks (RRDNs). The RRDNs will work with the national Research Delivery
Network Coordinating Centre (RDNCC) to provide a joint RDN leadership
function so that the NIHR RDN as a whole functions as a single organisation
with a shared vision and purpose across England.
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'
members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts
are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove
adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the
shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this
process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any
questions.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The
Communications Manager will manage regional and national communications as
part of the Research Delivery Network (RDN)
Communications
Team, dispersed across the 12 Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDN) and
the RDN Coordinating Centre. As a senior member of the RDN Communications
Team, the Communications Manager will provide a high quality, professional
and proactive
communications
service to the RDN regionally and nationally, and will report to the RRDN
Head of Strategy, Engagement and Inclusion.
The
Communications Manager will adopt and share the best practice approach to
their work and support the RDN in achieving its objectives
and
ensuring it delivers the best communications service, including developing
new channels and opportunities to reach colleagues and
communities,
where engagement and involvement is needed the most.
This
role will take responsibility for RDN communication using a range of
different channels that will promote the reputation of the National Institute
for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Delivery Network (RDN) as a
high-quality health and care research organisation.
They
will lead the delivery of a corporate communication strategy and associated
communication activities, engagement events and marketing initiatives to
enable the RDN to deliver on its strategic objectives and showcase the RDNs
impact.
This
role will have line management responsibility for the Communications Officer.
Line management of staff members will include undertaking staff reviews to
identify training and development needs, and establishing how those needs
will be met, and managing performance against agreed objectives. The
postholder will ensure the same review processes take place for all staff
with the defined function via appropriate line management arrangements and
that skills and capabilities exist to meet current and future business needs.
ROLE
OF THE NIHR RESEARCH DELIVERY NETWORK
The
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has 12 Regional Research
Delivery Networks across the U.K. These work with the national
Coordinating
Centre (RDNCC) and the Department of Health and Social Care to provide a
joint RDN leadership function via the RDN Board, so that the NIHR RDN
operates as a single, transparent organisation with a shared vision and
purpose.
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is Host Organisation for the Yorkshire RRDN
region.
The
RDN supports the effective and efficient initiation and delivery of funded
research across the health and care system in England for the
benefit
of patients, the health and care system and the economy.
The
RDN supports:
Clinical trials and other well-designed health and social care research
studies (including studies that are delivered outside of an
NHS
setting);
Public health studies that require the recruitment of individuals within an
NHS setting (that is, acute, ambulance, mental health,
community
or primary care) or an episode of care which involves contact with the NHS.
The
RRDNs have three key roles:
Providing support to research sites to enable the effective and efficient
initiation and delivery of funded research across the health
and
care system in England.
Enabling the strategic development of new and more effective research
delivery capability and capacity. This includes bringing research to
under-served regions and communities with major health and care needs.
Working jointly with the Coordinating Centre in the strategic oversight of
the NIHR RDN. This ensures that the Portfolio is maintained as a cohort of
high-quality, fully funded, viable and deliverable studies.
It
will also ensure that the NIHR RDN serves the research delivery needs of
investigators and R&D teams and is responsive to the changing domestic
and global environment for health and care, life sciences and health
research.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The
Communications Manager will manage regional and national communications as
part of the Research Delivery Network (RDN)
Communications
Team, dispersed across the 12 Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDN) and
the RDN Coordinating Centre. As a senior member of the RDN Communications
Team, the Communications Manager will provide a high quality, professional
and proactive
communications
service to the RDN regionally and nationally, and will report to the RRDN
Head of Strategy, Engagement and Inclusion.
The
Communications Manager will adopt and share the best practice approach to
their work and support the RDN in achieving its objectives
and
ensuring it delivers the best communications service, including developing
new channels and opportunities to reach colleagues and
communities,
where engagement and involvement is needed the most.
This
role will take responsibility for RDN communication using a range of
different channels that will promote the reputation of the National Institute
for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Delivery Network (RDN) as a
high-quality health and care research organisation.
They
will lead the delivery of a corporate communication strategy and associated
communication activities, engagement events and marketing initiatives to
enable the RDN to deliver on its strategic objectives and showcase the RDNs
impact.
This
role will have line management responsibility for the Communications Officer.
Line management of staff members will include undertaking staff reviews to
identify training and development needs, and establishing how those needs
will be met, and managing performance against agreed objectives. The
postholder will ensure the same review processes take place for all staff
with the defined function via appropriate line management arrangements and
that skills and capabilities exist to meet current and future business needs.
ROLE
OF THE NIHR RESEARCH DELIVERY NETWORK
The
National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) has 12 Regional Research
Delivery Networks across the U.K. These work with the national
Coordinating
Centre (RDNCC) and the Department of Health and Social Care to provide a
joint RDN leadership function via the RDN Board, so that the NIHR RDN
operates as a single, transparent organisation with a shared vision and
purpose.
Leeds
Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is Host Organisation for the Yorkshire RRDN
region.
The
RDN supports the effective and efficient initiation and delivery of funded
research across the health and care system in England for the
benefit
of patients, the health and care system and the economy.
The
RDN supports:
Clinical trials and other well-designed health and social care research
studies (including studies that are delivered outside of an
NHS
setting);
Public health studies that require the recruitment of individuals within an
NHS setting (that is, acute, ambulance, mental health,
community
or primary care) or an episode of care which involves contact with the NHS.
The
RRDNs have three key roles:
Providing support to research sites to enable the effective and efficient
initiation and delivery of funded research across the health
and
care system in England.
Enabling the strategic development of new and more effective research
delivery capability and capacity. This includes bringing research to
under-served regions and communities with major health and care needs.
Working jointly with the Coordinating Centre in the strategic oversight of
the NIHR RDN. This ensures that the Portfolio is maintained as a cohort of
high-quality, fully funded, viable and deliverable studies.
It
will also ensure that the NIHR RDN serves the research delivery needs of
investigators and R&D teams and is responsive to the changing domestic
and global environment for health and care, life sciences and health
research.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree level (or equivalent experience) with extensive professional experience working in communications, media, web publishing or marketing, preferably in the health sector
Desirable
- Background in research and development, science or healthcare
Other criteria
Essential
- Attention to detail
- Staff training skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to write concise and clear reports and to write Standard Operating Procedures
- Ability to work to tight deadlines under pressure
- Experience of managing a wide range of complex duties
- Ability to prepare and deliver presentations to a high standard
- Ability to plan, manage and deliver projects and activities, involving multiple agencies and individuals to tight deadlines
- Media handling skills
- Ability to communicate complex information to a range of audiences at all levels within the organisation and externally
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Ability to exercise initiative
- Excellent organisational skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Excellent leadership skills
- Ability to operate at all levels throughout an organisation
- The ability to manage challenging and stressful situations
- Ability to work autonomously and to exercise initiative, with creativity, drive and flexibility
Experience
Essential
- High level of experience in a relevant speciality i.e. public relations, communications, marketing and/or journalism to post graduate level or demonstrable experience. This must include social / web-b
- Demonstrable experience of working in a large, complex organisation
- Experience of inter-agency working involving multiple and diverse partners
- Experience of line management
- Experience of managing a customer-focused service
- Experience of working at a similar level in the NHS or other healthcare environment
- Good understanding of the health and care research environment
Desirable
- High level of knowledge around the the full range of public and health professional communication channels and their effective deployment, including around the latest technologies for digital engagement
- Experience of providing communications support to a local authority
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree level (or equivalent experience) with extensive professional experience working in communications, media, web publishing or marketing, preferably in the health sector
Desirable
- Background in research and development, science or healthcare
Other criteria
Essential
- Attention to detail
- Staff training skills
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Ability to write concise and clear reports and to write Standard Operating Procedures
- Ability to work to tight deadlines under pressure
- Experience of managing a wide range of complex duties
- Ability to prepare and deliver presentations to a high standard
- Ability to plan, manage and deliver projects and activities, involving multiple agencies and individuals to tight deadlines
- Media handling skills
- Ability to communicate complex information to a range of audiences at all levels within the organisation and externally
Skills & Behaviours
Essential
- Ability to exercise initiative
- Excellent organisational skills
- Excellent interpersonal skills
- Excellent leadership skills
- Ability to operate at all levels throughout an organisation
- The ability to manage challenging and stressful situations
- Ability to work autonomously and to exercise initiative, with creativity, drive and flexibility
Experience
Essential
- High level of experience in a relevant speciality i.e. public relations, communications, marketing and/or journalism to post graduate level or demonstrable experience. This must include social / web-b
- Demonstrable experience of working in a large, complex organisation
- Experience of inter-agency working involving multiple and diverse partners
- Experience of line management
- Experience of managing a customer-focused service
- Experience of working at a similar level in the NHS or other healthcare environment
- Good understanding of the health and care research environment
Desirable
- High level of knowledge around the the full range of public and health professional communication channels and their effective deployment, including around the latest technologies for digital engagement
- Experience of providing communications support to a local authority
