Strategic Communications Lead: Future NHS Workforce Solution

Job responsibilities

The Strategic Communications Lead is responsible for leading internal and external communications for the Future NHS Workforce Solution, one of our most complex programmes of work. The current solution, the NHS Electronic Staff Record (ESR) is the national HR and payroll system for the NHS, processing £55 billion in payments each year to NHS colleagues.

We have a timeframe of five to seven years to transition all NHS organisations and users from ESR to our new solution. As part of the Senior Management team (SMT) for the programme, you will have accountability for designing and delivering a communications and marketing strategy which will include a number of key areas of focus: the management of the reputation of the programme amongst our internal and external stakeholders, providing expert support and advice, determining messaging for the programme and ensuring that it is distributed to the right audiences through the right channels. You will have a key role to play alongside the Strategic Engagement Lead in supporting our readiness and implementation team to secure buy-in and commitment from our user organisations to adopt the full new solution. You will also ensure that internal colleagues within the programme and the wider NHSBSA are kept informed and engaged. You will devise proactive plans and campaigns to support the longer-term programme objectives and milestones.

You will direct the work of a small, dedicated communications team and your professional home will be the NHSBSA Communications and Marketing team, who you will work closely with to deliver your strategy. You will also need to have an excellent relationship with the current service team and in particular, the readiness and implementation team. Your strategy will also focus on outcomes using best practice from the Government Communication Service (GCS) in all aspects of your work, ensuring it is based on insight and consistently evaluated.

You will draw on the skills of the wider NHSBSA Communications and Marketing team to build on the rapid response social media capability, enabling swift and effective engagement that promotes accurate information and supports a fact-based public conversation. In addition, you will use the expertise of the Internal Communications and Engagement team to deliver a strengthened programme of activity during a time of transformation and change within the programme.

You will also be responsible for providing regular reports to members of the Future NHS Workforce Solution SMT, Communications and Marketing SMT and support quarterly updates which are presented to the NHSBSA Leadership team.

In this role, you are accountable for:

1. Developing and maintaining excellent working relationships with the wider NHSBSA Communications and Marketing team, trade journalists and Senior Managers at the NHSBSA.
2. Developing, implementing and evaluating a communications and marketing strategy and approach for the Future NHS Workforce Solution programme agreed with the programme SMT and Head of Communications and Marketing.
3. Working closely with the Freedom of Information team to ensure context is provided to responses where appropriate, and that responses to Parliamentary Questions reflect the pensions narrative.
4. Quality assuring all programme press releases and media responses to ensure appropriate tone of voice and that the wider NHSBSA narrative and key messages are reflected where appropriate.
5. Dealing with highly complex and sensitive information where you will need to influence and persuade senior managers to take an appropriate communications approach.
6. Developing a crisis communications plan for the service in line with the corporate plan and ensuring colleagues, our customers and stakeholders are kept up to date of the action being taken.
7. Working closely with the Digital and Social Media team to understand sentiment and perception of the programme and solution on social media, taking the opportunity where appropriate to reclaim a fact-based debate.
8. Working closely with the Internal Communications and Engagement team to deliver a comprehensive programme of activity during a critical time of transformation and change for the programme, aiming to increase colleague engagement.
9. Working closely with the Strategic Engagement Lead and Readiness and Implementation team to support the strategic approach to external engagement, identifying speaking opportunities and ensuring events and presentations are on brand and on message.
10. Working closely with the Digital and Social Media team to develop and oversee engaging content and updates for new social media channels.
11. Effectively horizon scanning to anticipate and prepare for any issues which may impact on the programmes reputation.
12. Developing, implementing and evaluating high-quality, external communications campaigns using the Government Communication Service OASIS model to influence demand and behaviour change, according to programme objectives.
13. Ensuring our communications activity uses data and insight to understand what our customers need, how they behave, how we can change behaviour and to evaluate our work.
14. Managing budget for associated proactive campaigns, ensuring activity delivers value for money and costs are approved by DHSC where appropriate as part of the advertising, marketing and communications spend controls.
15. Working with the wider Communications and Marketing team to develop a communications forward plan to map out activity.
16. Building strong and positive relationships with senior colleagues and networks across the programme and wider NHSBSA and acting as the communications link for the programme between the NHSBSA and other government departments, professional bodies and key journalists.
17. Working closely with the Strategic Engagement Lead and Readiness and Implementation team to understand key stakeholders and influencers, then developing collateral to share information and updates about the programme.
18. Providing inspiring leadership and developing expertise within a small team you will be directing, motivating and inspiring them to deliver timely results, and working alongside the rest of the NHSBSA Communications and Marketing SMT to systematically review progress and performance.

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to degree level in a relevant communications field, or with equivalent professional experience.

Desirable

• Relevant qualifications in communications, journalism or relevant field to Masters level or equivalent.

Personal Qualities, Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Specialist media handling skills - demonstrable success in the handling of high profile, complex, sensitive issues with potential to damage reputation.
• Ability to operate dynamically in an environment of change and manage and prioritise multiple projects.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with clients to understand communications challenges and design innovative solutions.
• Strong team player, committed to an ethos of continuous improvement including championing work-based learning, self- development and talent management to enhance organisational capability.
• A positive outlook and attitude, acting with passion, enthusiasm and commitment.
• Good understanding of data and audience insight to inform communications activity.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships at the highest levels in order to provide strategic communications direction and advice based on professional expertise.
• Ability to analyse highly complex and sensitive information and persuade others to take an appropriate communications approach.
• Understanding of and use of new digital technologies including social media and apps.
• Strong leadership qualities with experience in persuading and negotiating with organisational leadership, and coaching and developing direct reports and colleagues.
• Good working knowledge of media law.
• Demonstrates a high level of emotional intelligence to build trust and inspire others.
• Ability to identify decision bottlenecks and unblock swiftly.
• Anticipates economic, social, political, environmental and technological developments to keep own business activity relevant and targeted.

Desirable

• Understanding of how an Arm's Length Body operates and governance procedures.
• Knowledge of health service communications.

Experience

Essential

• Extensive experience of operating at a senior level with a wide range of communications - digital engagement, media handling, proactive PR, marketing, campaigning, communications strategy and evaluation.
• Experience of working on large scale change and transformation programmes.
• Experience of working collaboratively with key stakeholders to come to an agreed outcome.
• Experience of developing communications strategies.
• Experience of delivering behaviour change campaigns and using data and insight for evaluation.
• Experience of working in large scale change and transformation communications.
• Experience of the commissioning process and working with suppliers.
• Experience of working in a political or public sector organisation.
• Budget management experience.
• Experience of employing national policies in local communications.
• Experience of leading and developing teams and individuals to develop career pathways and achieve their potential.
• Experience of involving people to engage them fully with the long term strategic vision and purpose of the department and organisation.
• Experience of challenging ineffective decision making, resourcing, structures and processes to improve effectiveness.
• Experience of considering equality issues for all business and policy changes within the business area.

Desirable

• Experience of operating within a large, multi-site and complex organisation.
• Experience of working with the Government Communication Service MCOM model.