This is an opportunity to join a motivated, creative and innovative team in an outstanding organisation.

The communications team supports the organisation by providing an outstanding communications and engagement function. The team leads on both internal and external focused communications, using marketing and engagement campaigns, which make a difference to our patients, service users, carers and staff every day. The team has responsibility for everything from digital communications including social media, to media relations, and from accessibility to maintaining the Trust brand and identity.

The post holder will primarily be focused on external communications, whilst being flexible to the needs of the organisation to support internal focused communications as well. The post holder will need to develop strong links with operational colleagues to understand their communication needs and work with them on solutions.

While home working is supported, the post holder will be required to be able to travel into offices in Kettering and Northampton.

Main duties of the job

Working with the team to understand current priorities, the post holder will have the autonomy to plan, deliver and evaluate campaigns, using a variety of multimedia solutions. The post holder will support with a variety of communications activities including external profiling, media relations, updating and developing accessible digital content including web and social media, developing reports, developing patient information, liaising with external suppliers as well as supporting the wider team.

About us

NHFT is a community and mental health Trust, providing physical, mental health and specialty services in both hospital settings and out in the community. Because we put the person at the centre of all we do, we focus on delivering care that is as easy to access as possible. This means many of our services can be provided at home, work or in schools. We also provide health services to various prisons and detention centres in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

NHFT promotes a culture of learning to improve the care and safety of our patients and staff, which focuses on people who enable our Trust to be 'outstanding' by supporting opportunity, innovation, development and growth.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key communications duties:

Develop effective project, communications/engagement and marketing plans, which are tailored to the needs of different stakeholders and consider how best to use a range of channels creatively, including social media, multimedia and those managed by other colleagues

Interpreting clinical and operational information into easy to understand health messages for the public and promoting them across relevant channels

Advise Trust services on their communication needs including consultations and tender processes

Working with colleagues, proactively develop our relationships with partners to enable use of their marketing channels and work collaboratively on joint projects

Proactively seek out and learn from best practice, informing the development of our externally and internally facing communications channels

Developing effective, accessible, patient information, ensuring effective recording and version control

Support proactive and reactive media relations activity for the Trust. Support these media relations programmes by:

o Drafting press releases, statements and features

o Liaising with journalists to promote features and news ideas

o Liaising with journalists to set up interviews

Advise and support relevant managers in drafting press releases and media responses on issues including those which are complex, contentious and/or challenging

Support media enquiries, developing responses on behalf of the Trust and jointly with partner organisations

Seek to maximise all opportunities to promote the Trust, its key messages and brand and minimise adverse impacts on its reputation

Working with clinical and managerial staff advise, support and facilitate the communication of Trust news, achievements, initiatives and new service developments

Help in the management and development of the Trusts digital platforms as required including website, social media and developing multimedia content including videos and graphics. This includes supporting clinical services to develop their webpages.

Developing written communications including print and digital newsletters

Support the Communications Team with the organisation and running of corporate events

Being an active and supportive member of the external and operational communications sub-team.

Other communications duties

To assist other Communications Team members with the co-ordination and planning of events, meetings, presentations and briefings

Alongside the rest of the Team ensure the Trust brand is upheld

Track all activity in our project management tool (wrike)

Write, edit and proof-read content and articles for a variety of audiences

Commission, print, design and liaise with printers as necessary

Provide information and effectively signpost members of staff or the public who contact the Communications Team

Act in accordance with Trust policies and procedures

Support the Communications Team with a wide variety of tasks as and when required.

Fully participate and take advantage of the personal development and training opportunities offered by the Trust and line manager

To participate in annual personal development appraisal reviews with line manager

To undertake such programmes of personal development and further training, as may be agreed at the beginning of the appointment and at subsequent annual reviews

To attend and contribute to meetings as appropriate, including team, communications and development meetings

Autonomy and initiative

Take own initiative and assist others in learning to do so. Exercise considerable judgement in all contacts and activities. Manage own time effectively

Know when and how to ask advise or escalate issues to more senior members of the team

Follow-up leads effectively as appropriate.

Other

We expect all our colleagues to share the values that are important to the organisation and behave in a way that reflect these in keeping with the competency framework

Undertake any other duties as may be reasonably requested by more senior staff and senior representatives from other functions within the organisation

Observe the highest standard of honesty and personal integrity at all times

Available to work flexibly, including occasional evenings and weekends as may be reasonably necessary.

Working environment

The post holder will be seated at a desk for prolonged periods of time concentrating on reporting and planning

This role will work in a mixture of home and office environments as well as offices and attend functions both on NHFT sites and externally.

Person Specification

Behaviours and values

Essential

• oCommitment to own personal professional development including evidence of ongoing commitment to development in the communications field
• oProfessional, positive approach towards all stakeholders
• oSelf-motivated, enthusiastic and resilient
• oStrong commitment to high standards of service delivery and customer care
• oThrives working as part of a team of communications professionals
• oValues in line with Trust leadership behaviours - being authentic, embracing change, taking responsibility, working together

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• oEducated to higher education level in a relevant subject with experience which allows demonstration of relevant core competencies, or equivalent highly relevant and demonstrable experience
• oDemonstrable communications knowledge and equivalent experiences with experience of working in an external communications environment
• oExperience of Content Management Systems and creation of accessible content for websites
• oExperience of dealing with sensitive information and an understanding of patient confidentiality
• oExperience of developing collateral (e.g. leaflets, posters, report documents etc) ensuring consideration for accessibility legislation and organisational branding
• oExperience of developing proactive, positive showcasing stories in a similar role or organisation
• oExperience of developing written newsletters/magazines for a variety of different needs and target audiences
• oExperience of information gathering messages in a large organisation and preparation of messages for internal and external audiences
• oExperience of in-house digital content generation and development (e.g. videos, podcasts), in similar organisations, ensuring content is channel and audience appropriate
• oExperience of planning and delivering multichannel communication projects/campaigns
• oExperience of using social media for healthcare promotion, behaviour change or other ethical marketing including advertising and evaluation
• oExperience of using Wrike or similar project management tools, e.g.Trello, Monday.com etc is desirable
• oExperiencing and evidence of using evaluation techniques in relation to communications (considering both social and traditional channels)
• oKnowledge of and experience of working with the media

Desirable

• oUnderstanding of the issues currently affecting the NHS and the Trust is desirable
• oExperience of working within public sector or charitable organisations is desirable

Skills

Essential

• oAbility to prioritise and deliver objectives in a complex environment, managing multiple priorities and meet demanding deadlines
• oAbility to translate complicated information into plain clear English and use the most appropriate tactics to communicate messages
• oAbility to travel between sites and to external meetings
• oAbility to use photo, film and audio equipment
• oAbility to work on own initiative and to exercise sound judgment and discretion and to seek advice and guidance when needed
• oAbility to work remotely, using tools such as Microsoft Teams to connect with others
• oAble to manage own workload
• oDiplomatic and able to work effectively with a range of people at all levels inside the Trust and with partner organisations, including being capable and confident when dealing with senior staff and clinicians
• oExcellent and relevant multimedia and software skills including Abode Creative Cloud software (Indesign, premier pro) and/or Canva
• oExcellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to write and edit to appropriate levels for different audiences
• oInfluencing skills to help explain and demonstrate the value of the Trust approaches and processes for communications/the role of professional communication functions

Employer details

Employer name

Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

St Marys Hospital

Kettering

NN15 7PW

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

270-TF779-CORP