Job summary
The purpose of this role is to oversee the delivery and ongoing development of Trust's public affairs and stakeholder engagement plan, using a range of communication channels in support of short and long term aims. This includes maintaining the organisation's Trust and Reputation dashboard and stakeholder mapping across the area including by borough(s) and programmes/projects, working with senior colleagues to ensure these are relevant, maintained and intelligence is shared with colleagues.
Main duties of the job
This role will support the delivering of communications and engagement events in support of the Trust's capital projects and commercial partnerships. This includes writing newsletters and reports, organising and hosting events, and preparing and delivering briefings.
The post holder will work effectively with external stakeholders, ensuring effective and proactive delivery of communications and stakeholder engagement activities to support key objectives. This includes partner organisations, particularly the Maudsley Charity, IoPPN and King's College London, local authority officers and elected members (councillors), service users and carers community groups, local residents and residents' associations, other NHS bodies (e.g. NHSE, NHS trusts, Integrated Care Systems), and others including architects, developers and advisors; charitable trusts/foundations and individual donors; third sector; housing providers.
The post holder will deploy strong interpersonal skills in presentations, meetings, informal and formal settings. As well as building and maintaining effective stakeholder relationships, you will have good written communications skills to produce content and reports for various audiences.
About us
South London and Maudsley offers the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK. We care for people locally in south east London, nationally and internationally where we work in partnership with a range of stakeholders in the health system, academia, voluntary and commercial sectors.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Stakeholder Engagement and Public Affairs
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To manage enquiries from stakeholders including councillors, council executives, MPs, commissioners, public, residents associations, ensuring timely and accurate responses.
Communications and relations
Information Resources
-
Horizon scan the political landscape for opportunities for the Trust to raise its profile externally, including regional and national initiatives and events, within and beyond the sector and produce monthly reports
Training and Development
General
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The postholder is responsible for ensuring that the work that they undertake is conducted in a manner which is safe to themselves and others, and for adhering to the advice and instructions on Health and Safety matters given by Manager(s). If postholders consider that a hazard to Health and Safety exists, it is their responsibility to report this to their manager(s).
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South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust operates a no smoking policy. We are an equal opportunities employer. It is the policy of the Trust to ensure that no user of the service, past, present or future employee, or job applicant, receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex, sexual orientation; in line with the Trust's Equality and Diversity Strategy
Other
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The post holder will occasionally be exposed to distressing situations which may include suicides and absconds as well as dealing with sensitive staffing issues and managing communications, particularly with the media, in times of crisis.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Stakeholder Engagement and Public Affairs
-
To manage enquiries from stakeholders including councillors, council executives, MPs, commissioners, public, residents associations, ensuring timely and accurate responses.
Communications and relations
Information Resources
-
Horizon scan the political landscape for opportunities for the Trust to raise its profile externally, including regional and national initiatives and events, within and beyond the sector and produce monthly reports
Training and Development
General
-
The postholder is responsible for ensuring that the work that they undertake is conducted in a manner which is safe to themselves and others, and for adhering to the advice and instructions on Health and Safety matters given by Manager(s). If postholders consider that a hazard to Health and Safety exists, it is their responsibility to report this to their manager(s).
-
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust operates a no smoking policy. We are an equal opportunities employer. It is the policy of the Trust to ensure that no user of the service, past, present or future employee, or job applicant, receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex, sexual orientation; in line with the Trust's Equality and Diversity Strategy
Other
-
The post holder will occasionally be exposed to distressing situations which may include suicides and absconds as well as dealing with sensitive staffing issues and managing communications, particularly with the media, in times of crisis.
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or appropriate vocational experience
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
Desirable
- Membership of CIPR or other appropriate professional body; and/or professional qualification or appropriate professional experience
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working in a Public Affairs management role
- Writing copy for a wide range of outlets and target audiences
- Managing stakeholder and public affairs projects including writing and production of communications materials
- Successfully producing strategies and implementing communications and engagement programmes
- Managing stakeholder and partner relationships and engagement, and representing organisations
Desirable
- NHS, public or third sector experience
- Organising and managing events
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of current engagement practice and theory
- Ability to grasp complex issues and concepts
- Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Understanding of brand management
- Excellent presentation skills
- Public affairs and stakeholder relations campaign planning, development and implementation skills
- Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with people at all levels
- Ability to remain calm under pressure
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a small team
- Understanding of working in a partnership environment
Desirable
- Good understanding of national government and NHS (including policy), how it works, the issues it faces and how to communicate within it
- Report writing skills
- Knowledge and understanding of digital communications including public websites and intranets
- Understanding of working in an NHS environment and with the public, partners and external statutory and voluntary organisations
- Experience of communicating with diverse audiences including hard to reach groups
Values and behaviours
Essential
- Ability to act in accordance with our values and behaviours
Other
Essential
- Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems
Desirable
- Personal experience of mental health problems
Person Specification
Training and Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or appropriate vocational experience
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
Desirable
- Membership of CIPR or other appropriate professional body; and/or professional qualification or appropriate professional experience
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working in a Public Affairs management role
- Writing copy for a wide range of outlets and target audiences
- Managing stakeholder and public affairs projects including writing and production of communications materials
- Successfully producing strategies and implementing communications and engagement programmes
- Managing stakeholder and partner relationships and engagement, and representing organisations
Desirable
- NHS, public or third sector experience
- Organising and managing events
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of current engagement practice and theory
- Ability to grasp complex issues and concepts
- Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Understanding of brand management
- Excellent presentation skills
- Public affairs and stakeholder relations campaign planning, development and implementation skills
- Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with people at all levels
- Ability to remain calm under pressure
- Ability to work both independently and as part of a small team
- Understanding of working in a partnership environment
Desirable
- Good understanding of national government and NHS (including policy), how it works, the issues it faces and how to communicate within it
- Report writing skills
- Knowledge and understanding of digital communications including public websites and intranets
- Understanding of working in an NHS environment and with the public, partners and external statutory and voluntary organisations
- Experience of communicating with diverse audiences including hard to reach groups
Values and behaviours
Essential
- Ability to act in accordance with our values and behaviours
Other
Essential
- Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems
Desirable
- Personal experience of mental health problems
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).