Job summary
We are seeking a skilled and motivated Communications Specialist to support two NHS mental health services supporting people across the South West: the NHS Gambling Harms Service and Op COURAGE: The Veterans Mental Health and Wellbeing Service.
In this role, you will develop and deliver targeted communications and advertising plans, create engaging digital and print content, support stakeholder engagement, manage media opportunities, and help raise awareness of these vital services. You'll work closely with the Trust's Communications and Engagement Team as well as clinical teams, partners, and people with lived experience to ensure our messaging is accessible, trauma-informed, and impactful.
We're looking for an experienced communications professional with strong marketing skills to help advertise these services and the support they provide across local communities. You'll be confident working with sensitive topics, building relationships, and using insight to shape effective campaigns.
This role will focus on the delivery and co-ordination of all aspects of communications and stakeholder engagement, and help to shape branding, imagery and design.
If you're passionate about improving access to mental health support and want to make a real difference across the region, we'd love to receive your application.
Main duties of the job
As a Communications Specialist, you'll be an expert with experience and understanding of the Trust, able to guide others in best practice.
You will possess a project management skill set to ensure that work iscompleted to a high standard, within relevant timescales and to cost.You will have responsibility for the direct delivery and commissioning of a broad range of communications activity, aligned to Trust priorities and as agreed in the overarching communications and engagement strategy.
You are a communications champion for the Trust, offering strategic internal, external and digital communications advice on a whole range of matters to support multiple clients and service delivery.
You will be involved in the full range of communications and marketing activities, including internal communications, media and stakeholder relations, digital communications and marketing of ourservices.
As part of your role, you will deputise for the Deputy Head of Communications as appropriate, and line manage one Communications Officer.
About us
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust): a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Design and deliver communications activity using the full communications and marketing mix to support service delivery and Trust priorities.
Lead on the day-to-day media relations activity in the team. This could include writing and approving press releases, preparing briefings for external stakeholders and co-ordinating visitsand official openings.
Work in partnership with staff at all levels across the Trust (including the Trust Board and Executive Team) to advise, influence and support them on communications issues as required.
This will include writing communications strategies for specific projects and advising on reactive and high-profile media issues.
Under the direction of the Deputy Head of Communications, provide and receive highly complex and sensitive information where co-operation and agreement will be required.
Support the internal, external and digital communications requirements for our Divisional Teams and Corporate Services.
Developing media campaigns for both external and internal audience, directing on messaging, creatives and evaluation for these campaigns.
To work as a member of the wider-communications team to develop messaging for different audiences and stakeholders, including MPs, public members, patients, media, GPs/clinical commissioning groups, local residents and community on a range of subjects and issues.
Responding to media requests on issues which are often sensitive and highly complex.
Briefing and escorting journalists/photographers/film crews around the Trust, in line with Trust policy.
Handling enquiries from members of the public, patients, partner agencies and the media associated with Service Level Agreement contracts.
Produce and present information (presentations / leaflets) on sensitive issues to staff, the media and other stakeholders.
Develop new and build on existing mechanisms for effectively communicating Trust-wide issues, key committee decisions and policies.
Contribute to the production of Trust publications by researching, writing and editing articles and providing photographs.
To commission work by in-house and external graphic designers for campaigns and other corporate communications priorities.
To work with the Deputy Head of Communications to manage budgets relating to such campaigns.
Working with other colleagues in the Communications Team to develop and maintain the Trustsweb and social media presence.
Help manage the strategic co-ordination of the Trusts communications and marketing activity contributing to the proactive forward-planning for all channels.
Work with other members of the team to develop, maintain and promote effective and inclusive internal communications systems and mechanisms for staff recognition, involvement and engagement within the Trust.
Provide advice to staff and patients on media handling and meeting confidentiality and consent guidelines.
Ensure that all Trust information meets NHS corporate identity guidelines and the Trusts own style guide.
Please see Job Description for full details
Job description
Job responsibilities
Design and deliver communications activity using the full communications and marketing mix to support service delivery and Trust priorities.
Lead on the day-to-day media relations activity in the team. This could include writing and approving press releases, preparing briefings for external stakeholders and co-ordinating visitsand official openings.
Work in partnership with staff at all levels across the Trust (including the Trust Board and Executive Team) to advise, influence and support them on communications issues as required.
This will include writing communications strategies for specific projects and advising on reactive and high-profile media issues.
Under the direction of the Deputy Head of Communications, provide and receive highly complex and sensitive information where co-operation and agreement will be required.
Support the internal, external and digital communications requirements for our Divisional Teams and Corporate Services.
Developing media campaigns for both external and internal audience, directing on messaging, creatives and evaluation for these campaigns.
To work as a member of the wider-communications team to develop messaging for different audiences and stakeholders, including MPs, public members, patients, media, GPs/clinical commissioning groups, local residents and community on a range of subjects and issues.
Responding to media requests on issues which are often sensitive and highly complex.
Briefing and escorting journalists/photographers/film crews around the Trust, in line with Trust policy.
Handling enquiries from members of the public, patients, partner agencies and the media associated with Service Level Agreement contracts.
Produce and present information (presentations / leaflets) on sensitive issues to staff, the media and other stakeholders.
Develop new and build on existing mechanisms for effectively communicating Trust-wide issues, key committee decisions and policies.
Contribute to the production of Trust publications by researching, writing and editing articles and providing photographs.
To commission work by in-house and external graphic designers for campaigns and other corporate communications priorities.
To work with the Deputy Head of Communications to manage budgets relating to such campaigns.
Working with other colleagues in the Communications Team to develop and maintain the Trustsweb and social media presence.
Help manage the strategic co-ordination of the Trusts communications and marketing activity contributing to the proactive forward-planning for all channels.
Work with other members of the team to develop, maintain and promote effective and inclusive internal communications systems and mechanisms for staff recognition, involvement and engagement within the Trust.
Provide advice to staff and patients on media handling and meeting confidentiality and consent guidelines.
Ensure that all Trust information meets NHS corporate identity guidelines and the Trusts own style guide.
Please see Job Description for full details
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
Knowledge
Essential
- Up to date knowledge and experience across the full range of stakeholder engagement and communications activities.
- Evidence of self-development or training
Desirable
- Understanding of content management programmes
Experience
Essential
- Experience working in a communications environment
- Experience of dealing with stakeholder enquiries
- Experience of working with senior staff and in communicating confidential issues and matters
- Experience of using own judgement and decision-making skills in dealing with day to day issues.
- Experience of managing workloads and using own judgement in prioritising and rescheduling.
Desirable
- Experience of working within the NHS and/or the public sector
Skills
Essential
- Using own judgement and decision-making skills.
- Using own initiative to respond to requests for information.
- Ability to work as part of a team or independently with minimal supervision.
- Ability to develop excellent working relationships.
- Demonstrates a high level of discretion and confidentiality.
- Ability to communicate complex and highly sensitive information.
- Ability to be proactive.
Desirable
- Recent knowledge of programmes such as Indesign, photoshop and web content management systems
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
Knowledge
Essential
- Up to date knowledge and experience across the full range of stakeholder engagement and communications activities.
- Evidence of self-development or training
Desirable
- Understanding of content management programmes
Experience
Essential
- Experience working in a communications environment
- Experience of dealing with stakeholder enquiries
- Experience of working with senior staff and in communicating confidential issues and matters
- Experience of using own judgement and decision-making skills in dealing with day to day issues.
- Experience of managing workloads and using own judgement in prioritising and rescheduling.
Desirable
- Experience of working within the NHS and/or the public sector
Skills
Essential
- Using own judgement and decision-making skills.
- Using own initiative to respond to requests for information.
- Ability to work as part of a team or independently with minimal supervision.
- Ability to develop excellent working relationships.
- Demonstrates a high level of discretion and confidentiality.
- Ability to communicate complex and highly sensitive information.
- Ability to be proactive.
Desirable
- Recent knowledge of programmes such as Indesign, photoshop and web content management systems
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.
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