Job summary
We're looking for an exceptional Senior Communications Manager to take a leading role in the planning and management of communications activities for the largest NHS community healthcare trust in the country.
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who already has management experience in a busy in-house communications team. Overseeing the day-to-day activities of the CLCH communications team, the successful candidate will need to be adept at identifying strategic and operational priorities to provide the team with direction and adapt planned activity accordingly. We're looking for someone with solid judgement skills, who can use their extensive communications knowledge to capitalise upon timely opportunities, resolve issues and manage shifting priorities independently.
Experience of handling sensitive, complex reactive media issues and developing proactive media relations and stakeholder plans to build an organisation's reputation is desired. Experience working in a public affairs role is a bonus.
This role is being advertised as part-time job share role, for a 12 month period initially. The job share partners will work 22.5 hours per week each.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will report into and work closely with the Head of Communications to shape the Trust's communications strategy, business plans and policies. They will also act as the Trust's most senior point of contact for communications when required to deputise for the Head of Communications.
They will be experienced in, and comfortable with, influencing senior decision-making and providing strategic communications advice on incidents as well as high profile and sensitive issues. The Senior Communications Manager will also take a proactive approach to working with clinical services and healthcare system partners to identify and manage opportunities to showcase the work of CLCH and the role of community healthcare more broadly, both regionally and nationally.
Alongside their job share partner, the post-holder will lead on the production of the Trust's annual report and annual review magazine and manage the Trust's corporate identity and brand.
The Senior Communications Manager will line manage and support the professional development of staff, to ensure that the team continues to deliver a high-quality communications service for the Trust.
The successful candidate will be required to work on site from Parsons Green for a proportion of the week, as part of hybrid working arrangements for the service and in line with the Trust's working principles.
About us
Just as we care about our patients' well-being, we care about yours!
We can offer you:
- A comprehensive induction into the community service followed by a local induction to introduce you to the role
- Car lease scheme(only available for Band 5 and up)
- Flexible working options
- Annual travel card loan
- Training, support and development in your career
To have a full look at our benefits and what it's like working for us please go here: https://www.clch.nhs.uk/job/pay-and-benefits
Job description
Job responsibilities
**Please refer to job description, person specification and trust values, for outline of skills, knowledge and experience required.**
Job description
Job responsibilities
**Please refer to job description, person specification and trust values, for outline of skills, knowledge and experience required.**
Person Specification
Education/Qualification
Essential
- Educated to degree level
- Recognised qualification in marketing, communications, journalism or public relations, or equivalent experience
Desirable
- Experience of working in the NHS or public sector
- Training and/or experience in project management, financial management or supporting change management processes
- Evidence of continued professional development
Experience
Essential
- Extensive management experience of working in a specialist communications/public relations role within a dedicated communications team/agency
- Proven experience of leading on the development and implementation of a range of internal and external communications projects to a successful conclusion and influencing change; working with and influencing staff, media and other stakeholders
- Proven experience of managing project budgets
- Proven experience of managing external print and design agencies and securing value for money from external suppliers
- Proven experience of providing high level communications advice to senior managers on sensitive and high profile media issues
- Proven significant experience of building effective networks, including across organisational boundaries
- Proven experience of managing complex relationships
- Proven experience of developing and implementing stakeholder engagement and consultation activities in partnership with external and internal partners
- Proven experience of supporting the development and delivery of multiple and concurrent communication plans and activities working with multiple stakeholders
- Extensive experience of working at senior management level in a large, complex organisation
- Experience of managing an organisation's corporate identity
- Experience of producing corporate documents including annual reports
- Experience of managing complex, high level media enquiries and participating in on-call media rotas
- Experience of managing and developing either public websites or corporate intranets
- Experience of event management at senior/strategic level
- Experience of line management, including conducting appraisals
Desirable
- Experience of managing communications for the mobilisation of new services
- Experience of delivering a brand/identity re-launch project
- Experience of working in the NHS or public sector
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Excellent written and oral communications skills
- Strong editing and proofreading skills
- Excellent project management skills and experience of delivering projects to tight deadlines
- Good working knowledge of desktop publishing, image manipulation software
- Good working knowledge of web content management programmes
- Knowledge of how the media works and current issues/change.
- Excellent analytical skills: able to digest, analyse, interpret and communicate complex information
- Excellent knowledge of the full range of Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Publisher)
- Advanced keyboard skills
Person Specification
Education/Qualification
Essential
- Educated to degree level
- Recognised qualification in marketing, communications, journalism or public relations, or equivalent experience
Desirable
- Experience of working in the NHS or public sector
- Training and/or experience in project management, financial management or supporting change management processes
- Evidence of continued professional development
Experience
Essential
- Extensive management experience of working in a specialist communications/public relations role within a dedicated communications team/agency
- Proven experience of leading on the development and implementation of a range of internal and external communications projects to a successful conclusion and influencing change; working with and influencing staff, media and other stakeholders
- Proven experience of managing project budgets
- Proven experience of managing external print and design agencies and securing value for money from external suppliers
- Proven experience of providing high level communications advice to senior managers on sensitive and high profile media issues
- Proven significant experience of building effective networks, including across organisational boundaries
- Proven experience of managing complex relationships
- Proven experience of developing and implementing stakeholder engagement and consultation activities in partnership with external and internal partners
- Proven experience of supporting the development and delivery of multiple and concurrent communication plans and activities working with multiple stakeholders
- Extensive experience of working at senior management level in a large, complex organisation
- Experience of managing an organisation's corporate identity
- Experience of producing corporate documents including annual reports
- Experience of managing complex, high level media enquiries and participating in on-call media rotas
- Experience of managing and developing either public websites or corporate intranets
- Experience of event management at senior/strategic level
- Experience of line management, including conducting appraisals
Desirable
- Experience of managing communications for the mobilisation of new services
- Experience of delivering a brand/identity re-launch project
- Experience of working in the NHS or public sector
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Excellent written and oral communications skills
- Strong editing and proofreading skills
- Excellent project management skills and experience of delivering projects to tight deadlines
- Good working knowledge of desktop publishing, image manipulation software
- Good working knowledge of web content management programmes
- Knowledge of how the media works and current issues/change.
- Excellent analytical skills: able to digest, analyse, interpret and communicate complex information
- Excellent knowledge of the full range of Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Publisher)
- Advanced keyboard skills
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.
