This is an exciting opportunity to join our Trust on a fixed term contract as our Head of Internal Communications. The post holder will manage the Internal comms team and lead on our high profile internal comms projects and the delivery of our channels.
Main duties of the job
The candidate will:
1. Be responsible for the internal and corporate/strategy focused communications functionality of the communications team.
2. Lead on internal / corporate service development implementation on behalf of the communications team.
3. Be responsible for the development implementation and evaluation of relevant and aligned internal communications strategies, projects and campaigns as identified in the overarching team communications plans.
4. Provide internal communications, staff experience management advice and training to board, executive and other senior level colleagues.
5. Act as communications link between organisations and staff including relevant stakeholders such as Staff side colleagues and governors as relevant.
6. Lead on high profile internal communications projects working with and managing the outputs of the internal communications team.
7. Use well-established experience and industry standard disciplines and methods to plan, deliver and evaluate communications.
Working for our organisation
NHFT is an integrated primary care 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.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Key responsibilities include:
1. Provide detailed and thorough communications plans in response to highly complex, sensitive information.
2. Manage and lead team colleagues to support on campaign and project delivery.
3. Through our project management tool and process, manage the outputs, workload and risk management associated with all communications projects within this team. Escalating risk and providing assurance to the Director of Communications and executive colleagues on delivery and forward planning management.
4. To manage and maintain a budget for the Internal and Corporate sub-team to track spend on a regular basis. The management of the budget for this sub-team will report into the overarching spend for the communications team and align with financial processing for the sub team. This will include management of budgets across two organisations.
5. Provide a comprehensive communications management process and work with operational colleagues to triage and prioritise incoming workload relating to staff communications.
6. Advise and liaise with senior leads within the Trust and/or wider health and social care system on communication aspects of high-profile projects.
7. Influences, persuades committees and senior managers on appropriate communications approach.
8. Lead on strategic communications approach for effective staff engagement and maintaining our culture. Working closely with colleagues in OD, L&D and HR.
9. Identify and pursue communications opportunities in accordance to briefs given to enhance corporate reputation and implement appropriate support for partners, staff and managers who might be engaged in profile raising activity.
10. Provide and use a regular, fully comprehensive and impactful performance reports, ensuring team members use these to inform their practice.
11. Work with the Head of External and Operational comms to maintain and advance our internal facing digital communication systems for the benefit of our staff.
Person specification
Knowledge and Experience
* Masters required and/or experience in communications field (journalism, marketing or PR) to masters level equivalent.
* Significant and successful senior communication leadership experience in a complex environment.
* Knowledge of communications, public relations, journalism and marketing communications techniques, approaches, procedures, health service communications, organisation, project management, external political environment.
* Experience of delivering projects and events within time and budgetary constraints.
Skills, abilities and behaviours
* Experienced in giving advice on communications strategies and in relation to specific aspects where expert opinions may differ.
* Evidenced of ability to formulate long-term strategic plans, involving uncertainly, and which may impact across organisation.
* Strong, evidenced commitment to high standards of delivery, quality and client care.
* Well established ability to work in a fast paced and challenging environment. Must be able to self-motivate and manage own, and coordinate teams workload.
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