The redevelopment team plays a key role in promoting and protecting the trust's reputation. It leads on media management key messages and campaigns with staff and external stakeholders corporate publications the communication of strategic decisions service change and major incidents and management of the trust's website and intranet.

Following the government's announcement on 25 May confirming that the plans for the new hospital at Watford will be fully funded, the trust has received more good news. This time from the NHS New Hospital Programme, who have confirmed that a substantial funding envelope has been allocated to the scheme.

This provides the certainty needed to move forward with the preferred option to build a completely new hospital at Watford which will replace existing clinical buildings, including Princess Michael of Kent building, the Women's and Children's building and the A& E wing. We are currently in the process of completing the Programme Business Case for the New Hospital Programme which will be submitted for approval in early 2024.

Main duties of the job

In September 2021, NHS England announced that there would be national money available to promote recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. The Hertfordshire and West Essex system agreed that a new Elective Care Hub (ECH) would be a great opportunity to work together to reduce waiting times for surgery, deliver new models of care and meet the needs of our patients. The Elective Hub will be separated from emergency services meaning surgical beds are kept free for patients waiting for planned operations, reducing the risk of short-notice cancellations and improving infection control.

The scheme aims to reduce the wait times for patients waiting for specific orthopaedic, ENT and ophthalmology procedures by 2026.

Following a detailed review of various locations in Hertfordshire and West Essex in October 2022, system leaders selected St Albans City Hospital, which is West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust's planned care site for surgery and some of its cancer services.

The Communications and Engagement Officer will use their proven skills, particularly with digital tools and social media to support the design aspects of the ECH and the redevelopment programme. They will use their strong writing skills and nose for a story to transform a snippet of information into a press release or engaging content for our social media channels.

About us

There has never been a more exciting time to join West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust! Major redevelopment works are planned as part of the New Hospital Programme. These will be most dramatic at Watford General Hospital where up to 90% of buildings will be new.

The trust has recently gained 'teaching hospital' status which reflects the dedicated work of many teams and individuals who have set the standard for delivering high quality training, learning and education at all levels of the workforce.

We are a flexible working employer

At West Herts we recognise the importance of a good work life balance and the ability to work flexibly. We are delighted to offer a variety of flexible working options for all staff. Please check out our web page for more information.

https://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/flexibleworking/

We encourage and welcome people with disabilities. If you need help, please ask.

We reserve the right to close this advert early due to the volume of applicants. Please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

If you do not hear back within 3 weeks of your application, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.

Job description

Job responsibilities

They will use their communications and engagement experience to employ appropriate channels to share compelling messages on the progress of our schemes and enabling works with our stakeholder audiences through various engagement approaches and ensure our stakeholders are provided with meaningful and varied opportunities to engage.

The post-holder will have contact with residents, community groups, patients, carers, the public and other agencies as required to create content and co-ordinate media and other communications opportunities.

The postholder will use their experience of media management to build and maintain excellent relationships with key stakeholders. They will support and draft material for our newsletter, website, intranet and other emerging media. As well as supporting the coordination and delivery of engagement activities in line with our priorities.

Success in this post relies on excellent project management skills, good interpersonal skills and the ability to constantly re-prioritise. We operate in a high-pressure environment and the postholder will need to work effectively at pace and be comfortable with multi-project working.

The pace of digital media means that there may be new channels which we wish to employ and so the postholder may be required to become proficient on new platforms.

Person Specification

Education and qualifications:

Essential

• Evidence of continued professional development
• Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in specialist area

Knowledge:

Essential

• Experience using relevant processes and systems to support the delivery of engagement.
• Understanding of digital content analytics

Experience:

Essential

• Experience in coordinating and delivering engagement activities
• Strong track record of managing multiple social media accounts
• Strong track record of creating effective and tailored content for a range of channels and audiences
• Experience of working with multiple, competing priorities
• Experience of maintaining relationships with voluntary and community sector organisations, Local Authority and health partners and community and patient groups.
• Experience of delivering engagement, including experience using a wide range of engagement tools, techniques and approaches.
• Demonstrated capabilities to manage own workload and make informed decisions in the absence of required information, working to tight and often changing timescales.

Skills and ability

Essential

• Clear communicator with the ability to produce clear and concise written information to contribute to reports, presentations and briefings.
• Demonstrated capability to act upon incomplete information, using experience to make inferences and make decisions.
• Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly.
• Ability to analyse and interpret complex information from a wide range of sources, drawing conclusions and making recommendations from a range of options.
• Ability to analyse findings from engagement activities including surveys, focus groups, events and feedback, drawing together conclusions from different data sources and making recommendations from a range of options.
• Excellent organisation and prioritisation skills
• Excellent facilitation skills, including the ability to deliver engagement activities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, particularly the ability to use language appropriate to the audience.
• Advanced skills in word processing, developing presentations and working with databases and spreadsheets

Personal qualities:

Essential

• Ability to work to tight deadlines and prioritise workload
• Ability to remain calm under pressure

Employer details

Employer name

West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

Address

Watford General Hospital

Watford

WD18 0HB

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

360-E-8283