EPR Communications and Engagement officer

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

To support the programme team for the electronic patient record, providing specialist and highly complex communication and engagement advice and activities:

Develop, implement and evaluate robust and inclusive internal and external communication plans that reflect our vision and values including developing and identifying opportunities and events to engage staff at all levels

Support and advise the programme team on best practice in relation to communication and engagement

Ensure we reach and hear from people with lived experience of our services and people from groups who are seldom heard from and that their feedback, expertise and insight can inform and develop our plans

Lead on content design, development and production of multi-media collateral to tell the story of our EPR

Build positive networks with colleagues at all levels and actively seek feedback to improve how the programme includes, listens and engages with people

Work across organisational boundaries to ensure consistency and connectivity with other electronic patient record and digital programmes in the Trust.

The team and department

Our Communications and Engagement Officer will work alongside the clinical and programme team members in delivering an aligned and optimised EPR implementation. They will be part of the programme team advising and supporting senior managers and clinical staff as well as those within the system suppliers implementation team.

They will be embedded in the EPR programme team but working closely with EPR communications and engagement colleagues and other key colleagues but based within the Trust Communications Team to ensure the work makes best use of Trust channels and team insight.

Communications and Working Relationships:

To develop effective working relationships within the programme team and communication and engagement team

To build positive relationships with colleagues at all levels across a complex and geographically dispersed organisation

To build and maintain effective relationships with communications colleagues working on digital programmes locally, regionally and nationally, ensuring clear and effective channels of communications

To liaise with external contractors such as design agencies, and media contacts as required to effectively deliver products and projects

To provide training to programme team members on communications as required

To provide tactical communications advice to senior managers and colleagues where needed

To support the provision of media training to our identified spokespeople

To support the Associate Director of Communication and Stakeholder Engagement in monitoring political activity in relation to the electronic patient record programme, including writing briefings on key issues which may be sensitive and contentious in nature

To support the organisations communications and partnerships team in the event of a major incident or other emergency as and when required

To present complex and sensitive information to a range of stakeholders, meeting the needs of different audiences

Analytical and Judgement:

To set up and manage evaluation methods for ensuring the impact, effectiveness and reach of communications and engagement, adjusting plans based on the outcomes required while always offering value for money within agreed budgets

To advise on how to respond to media requests on complex and sensitive issues

To prepare regular, easy to understand analytics updates to measure outputs and outcomes for the programme and for reports relevant committees and groups (both internal and external)

To ensure the consistent use of our brand and corporate identity, ensuring that all materials and web content comply with NHS guidelines, best practice and meets the public sector regulations around accessibility requirements

To work with the web team to make sure all content in relation to the EPR Programme on our website is current and is in line with our house style, tone of voice and meets accessibility requirements

To compare a range of options and use own judgement to decide how to run the production of multi-media collateral to tell the story of our EPR programme and to persuade and influence people to change behaviour where needed

Analytical and Judgement:

To develop and write engagement and communication plans and campaigns, ensuring alignment across the EPR Programme

To lead the delivery of key communications and engagement activities for the programme including:

o Internal communications, ensuring the programme provides timely and relevant information to staff and engage with them through a variety of means, building staff knowledge and confidence

o External public communications, including seeking out interesting stories and considering appropriate channels for spreading positive news about the programme

o External stakeholder communications, ensuring that they are aware of key information about us and briefed on a regular basis, that our messages are communicated effectively, and partners are engaged and supportive of our strategic direction

o Digital communications, ensuring that channels are exploited to provide opportunities for engagement as well as broadcast communications and that the programme is using the appropriate channels

To lead on content design, development and production to deliver timely, effective and engaging write, graphics/infographic, audio and video content to support the programme

To horizon scan for emerging issues in relation to communications and engagement for the programme and subject to the needs of the EPR Programme, where appropriate, other digital transformation programmes

To ensure that communication and engagement activities are delivered within identified budgets and agreed timescales, delivering measurable outcomes

To develop briefs for video content as required and work with videographers to film and edit content for our communications channels

To work closely with colleagues in the organisations communications team on projects and campaigns in relation to digital programmes as and when required

To plan and prepare events in relation to the EPR Programme and the wider digital transformation programme including visits from external stakeholders and VIPs

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to graduate degree level or significant equivalent previous proven experience of working at a similar level in the area of communications
• Demonstrable evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Membership of a recognised professional communications or marketing institution/body
• Project management or programme management qualification to post-graduate diploma level or equivalent experience

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• Experience of working for a large complex organisation
• Demonstrates sound judgement in the absence of clear guidelines, seeking advice as necessary from more senior managers where required
• Understanding of and adhering to the requirement for confidentiality
• Experience of building effective networks including across organisational boundaries
• Good experience of working in the communications and engagement field and proven track record of delivery
• Proven experience of developing and delivering public facing communications across all channels including news and consumer media, social media, events, focus groups, marketing and online engagement
• Good knowledge of communications and engagement techniques and approaches
• Knowledge and practical experience of developing communications and engagement plans for the implementation of large-scale organisational change/transformation programmes
• Experience of writing and producing literature mapped to key organisational messages and strategy
• Experience of managing and protecting house/organisation style and corporate identity/image
• Demonstrable commitment to our people promise
• Is open to constructive challenge and looks for ways to continually improve

Desirable

• Experience of working for the NHS or other public sector organisation
• Experience of working on an EPR or similar project
• Understanding of the key issues facing the NHS and social care and appreciation of the implications of these on engagement and communication
• Experience of managing and co-ordinating events
• Experience in making the best use of technologies that support communications and engagement
• Experience of working in health and care or related voluntary or community sector,
• Experience of working with senior level staff
• Experience of working in a politically sensitive environment
• Experience of design work and working with designers and photographers

Specific Skills

Essential

• Skilled in using web-based communications, including content management systems, social media and new/emerging digital communication and engagement technologies
• Ability to recognise the limits of own authority within the role and seeks and uses professional support appropriately
• Good skills for negotiating, persuading and influencing external stakeholders (including media) and the public
• Ability to form good relationships with a range of health and social care professionals at all levels
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to deliver on commitments in a timely way, meeting deadlines
• Ability to present complex and sensitive information to a range of stakeholders, meeting the needs of different audiences
• Ability to build trust and rapport with people from diverse backgrounds and sustain relationships at all levels, actively involving stakeholders where appropriate
• Strong skills in digital media and IT, confident working on digital first communications and engagement projects
• Good facilitation skills, able to work effectively with different stakeholder groups
• Ability to communicate without using jargon in accessible formats, including easy read
• Acts inclusively and respects the individual contribution of others
• Expresses views in an open constructive way and seeks to understand the perspectives and views of others
• Displays integrity, encourages trust through actions and is honest in their dealings with others
• Proactive, innovative, creative and enthusiastic
• Embraces change, viewing it as an opportunity to learn and develop
• Self-motivated - able to work on own initiative
• Able to actively encourage and support a team working environment
• Ability to work independently, using own initiative to manage own workload
• Ability to re-prioritise workload to meet deadlines

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).