Job summary
This is a 4 day per week (0.8 WTE) role offered on a fixed term contract until end of July 2026.
The Senior Communications Officer will be part of a forward thinking, busy Marketing and Communications team.
Reporting to the Communications Manager, you will lead on delivering creative and effective communications for a wide range of corporate projects and initiatives, helping to keep our varied and dispersed workforce informed and engaged.
With a track record of developing and delivering engaging, accessible communications in fast-moving and strategic situations, you will bring creative flair and the ability to use a wide range of channels and approaches. You'll understand how to reach and involve diverse and hard to reach staff groups, inspiring and motivating people, while making sure all communications are inclusive, accessible and aligned with our Trust values.
You will demonstrate strong skills in planning, delivery and evaluation, and be confident producing high-quality copy for online and offline content. Experience in commissioning and creating multimedia content, and confidence in using digital platforms and tools will be essential, alongside a commitment to keeping up to date with emerging trends and insights.
There is a strong focus on internal communications, but you will also support external engagement with patients, the public and stakeholders, ensuring they are informed and involved appropriately.
Main duties of the job
Internal communications, including:
-
Develop bespoke communications for projects and programmes, leading on strategy, planning, delivery and evaluation
-
Lead and contribute to workshops, meetings, steering groups, programme boards etc representing and advising on internal comms
External communications, including:
About us
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.
Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:
- Caring for and about you is our top priority
- Committed to providing good quality, safe services
- Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions
Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:
- Flexible working options to support work-life balance
- 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
- Generous NHS pension scheme
- Excellent learning and career development opportunities
- 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
- Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
- Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
- Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
- Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
- Free parking across Trust sites
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:
-
Confidence in using a range of digital tools and channels (e.g. intranet, e-newsletters, social media, video, multimedia content)
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to explain how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The must haves for this role:
-
Confidence in using a range of digital tools and channels (e.g. intranet, e-newsletters, social media, video, multimedia content)
For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.
We strongly encourage you to explain how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.
Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience (minimum 4 years within a marketing and/o
- Competence in Microsoft 365 (Office, Teams, Forms, SharePoint, OneDrive)
- Experience with content management systems (CMS)
- Communications planning (CIPR or equivalent)
- Copywriting, editing, and tone of voice skills (ideally plain English)
- Use of specialist software packages such as email platforms, social media platforms, text messaging systems
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of continuing personal and professional development
Previous Experience
Essential
- Evidence of continuing personal and professional development
Previous Experience
Essential
- Minimum of four years' experience in a communications role with demonstrable knowledge of communications techniques, approaches, and procedures
- Experience of developing strategies and plans for internal communications and transformational change projects across multiple sites and workforce groups
- Stakeholder mapping and audience segmentation to deliver targeted communications
- Devising, implementing, managing, and evaluating successful communications involving a broad range of stakeholders
- Managing wide-ranging campaigns from concept through to delivery, following best practice approaches
- Communicating with hard-to-reach staff groups
- Writing engaging copy for various online and offline media
- Producing and editing video clips and digital assets to support communications activities
- Commissioning photography or film in line with brand guidelines
- Using a CMS to upload content (web and intranet)
- Working in partnership with staff, senior leaders, and external stakeholders to advise on and deliver effective communications and improve service delivery
- Using social and digital media to support campaigns and projects
- Creating and managing engaging e-newsletters on email platforms
- Producing materials within brand guidelines and ensuring all outputs reflect correct brand
- Selling positive stories to the media
- Handling confidential and sensitive information
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Strong copywriting, proofreading, and editing skill
- Ability to build and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders at all levels
- Ability to work autonomously, leading projects and programmes independentl
- Ability to have difficult conversations or challenge appropriately to achieve outcome
- Good time management and prioritisation skills, meeting tight deadlines
- Conduct relevant research prior to planning campaigns and identify best practice
- Confident as a source of expert advice for senior managers on internal communications
- Knowledge of tools such as Poppulo (e-newsletters), Orlo (social media), and text messaging systems
- Excellent attention to detail
- Project management skills obtained in a marketing or communications environment
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Hybrid role which requires high speed/fibre broadband at home
- Willingness to attend on site meetings across Berkshire as required
- Commitment to NHS values, equality, diversity and inclusion
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience (minimum 4 years within a marketing and/o
- Competence in Microsoft 365 (Office, Teams, Forms, SharePoint, OneDrive)
- Experience with content management systems (CMS)
- Communications planning (CIPR or equivalent)
- Copywriting, editing, and tone of voice skills (ideally plain English)
- Use of specialist software packages such as email platforms, social media platforms, text messaging systems
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Evidence of continuing personal and professional development
Previous Experience
Essential
- Evidence of continuing personal and professional development
Previous Experience
Essential
- Minimum of four years' experience in a communications role with demonstrable knowledge of communications techniques, approaches, and procedures
- Experience of developing strategies and plans for internal communications and transformational change projects across multiple sites and workforce groups
- Stakeholder mapping and audience segmentation to deliver targeted communications
- Devising, implementing, managing, and evaluating successful communications involving a broad range of stakeholders
- Managing wide-ranging campaigns from concept through to delivery, following best practice approaches
- Communicating with hard-to-reach staff groups
- Writing engaging copy for various online and offline media
- Producing and editing video clips and digital assets to support communications activities
- Commissioning photography or film in line with brand guidelines
- Using a CMS to upload content (web and intranet)
- Working in partnership with staff, senior leaders, and external stakeholders to advise on and deliver effective communications and improve service delivery
- Using social and digital media to support campaigns and projects
- Creating and managing engaging e-newsletters on email platforms
- Producing materials within brand guidelines and ensuring all outputs reflect correct brand
- Selling positive stories to the media
- Handling confidential and sensitive information
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Essential
- Strong copywriting, proofreading, and editing skill
- Ability to build and maintain relationships with key internal and external stakeholders at all levels
- Ability to work autonomously, leading projects and programmes independentl
- Ability to have difficult conversations or challenge appropriately to achieve outcome
- Good time management and prioritisation skills, meeting tight deadlines
- Conduct relevant research prior to planning campaigns and identify best practice
- Confident as a source of expert advice for senior managers on internal communications
- Knowledge of tools such as Poppulo (e-newsletters), Orlo (social media), and text messaging systems
- Excellent attention to detail
- Project management skills obtained in a marketing or communications environment
Additional Requirements
Essential
- Hybrid role which requires high speed/fibre broadband at home
- Willingness to attend on site meetings across Berkshire as required
- Commitment to NHS values, equality, diversity and inclusion
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.
