Job summary Fixed term contract for 18months As External Communications Manager for the largest employer in Nottinghamshire and one of the biggest and busiest NHS Trusts in the country, you can be sure that no two days will ever be the same. Our teams at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust (NUH) make a difference every day. We save lives, we improve lives, and we usher in new life. We are proud to play a central role in supporting the health and wellbeing of people in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and our surrounding communities. We provide a range of nationally and internationally renowned specialist services and are at the forefront of new surgical procedures and research programmes. We are home to the East Midlands Major Trauma Centre, Nottingham Children's Hospital and, in partnership with the University of Nottingham, we host a Biomedical Research Centre - carrying out vital research into hearing, digestive diseases, respiratory, musculoskeletal disease, mental health and imaging. Alongside our continued recovery from COVID-19, our maternity services are subject to an independent review and we must do more to improve our culture. What is clear though is that we are more focused than ever on making sustained improvements across our services. This is an exciting time to join NUH and help support our future ambitions through your commitment, passion and skill as a professional communicator. Main duties of the job In addition to the brief list above you must familiarise yourself with the full job description and person specification attached to this advert prior to applying. In this role, you will help build trust and confidence in the services we provide through proactive and open media management and stakeholder engagement. You will lead impactful and innovative external communications campaigns that support the priorities of the Trust and make a real difference to the communities we serve. As a principal point of contact for the media, you will respond to enquiries, manage the communications for Trust issues, be proactive and build and maintain positive working relationships with national, regional, trade and local media. With our stakeholders and partners, you will develop meaningful relationships and ensure information about NUH and the work we do is shared in a timely and appropriate manner. NHS experience is not essential. What matters most is that you have a want to learn, a commitment to continually improve and a desire to make a difference. About us We offer flexible working and will agree a way of working that supports you and NUH. You will be based at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham and will work across all Trust and external sites as needed. You will be part of the out-of-hours on-call rota for the communications team, for which there is an additional payment. Date posted 13 February 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 7 Salary £46,148 to £52,809 a year per annum Contract Fixed term Duration 18 months Working pattern Full-time Reference number 164-6823845-A Job locations Queen's Medical Centre Derby Road Nottingham NG7 2UH Job description Job responsibilities Please refer to the job description and person specification attached to the advert for the full details of the vacancy. Job description Job responsibilities Please refer to the job description and person specification attached to the advert for the full details of the vacancy. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Educated to postgraduate standard or equivalent experience in internal and external communications Excellent level of English, written and verbal Evidence of continuous self-development Desirable Postgraduate qualification in communications, or working towards this standard Evidence of a solid understanding of patient confidentiality and the relevant aspects of libel law, the Freedom of Information Act, Equality Act and Data Protection Act. Experience Essential Experience of managing or supporting the communications and media management of major incidents Experience of managing and motivating staff and teams Specialist experience of managing the media on positive, sensitive and crisis issues Internal communications, media management, stakeholder management, campaign development and evaluation, use of social media and public relations. Demonstrated capabilities to manage own workload and make informed decisions in the absence of required information, working to tight and often changing timescales Experience of stakeholder management Desirable Experience of working in a customer-facing environment Understanding of the public sector Analytical and Judgement skills Essential Ability to interpret data, produce reports and draw out recommendations to improve internal and external engagement. Ability to analyse issues quickly and make recommendations Planning and organisation skills Essential Ability to deliver to deadlines through effective time management skills Excellent project management skills Well organised and efficient Desirable Experience of supporting and organising successful staff award programme and events Communication and Relationship skills Essential Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and work with staff from across the organisation at all levels, along with managers from the wider NHS, journalists and external organisations Ability to manage confrontational situations and sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy Confident and able to establish credibility quickly at all levels of the organisation including senior and Trust Board level Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to senior stakeholders and a broad range of stakeholders as required Desirable Experience of CMS systems for websites and intranets, and confidence in using them Experience of developing new and innovative communication channels Person Specification Qualifications Essential Educated to postgraduate standard or equivalent experience in internal and external communications Excellent level of English, written and verbal Evidence of continuous self-development Desirable Postgraduate qualification in communications, or working towards this standard Evidence of a solid understanding of patient confidentiality and the relevant aspects of libel law, the Freedom of Information Act, Equality Act and Data Protection Act. Experience Essential Experience of managing or supporting the communications and media management of major incidents Experience of managing and motivating staff and teams Specialist experience of managing the media on positive, sensitive and crisis issues Internal communications, media management, stakeholder management, campaign development and evaluation, use of social media and public relations. Demonstrated capabilities to manage own workload and make informed decisions in the absence of required information, working to tight and often changing timescales Experience of stakeholder management Desirable Experience of working in a customer-facing environment Understanding of the public sector Analytical and Judgement skills Essential Ability to interpret data, produce reports and draw out recommendations to improve internal and external engagement. Ability to analyse issues quickly and make recommendations Planning and organisation skills Essential Ability to deliver to deadlines through effective time management skills Excellent project management skills Well organised and efficient Desirable Experience of supporting and organising successful staff award programme and events Communication and Relationship skills Essential Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate and work with staff from across the organisation at all levels, along with managers from the wider NHS, journalists and external organisations Ability to manage confrontational situations and sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy Confident and able to establish credibility quickly at all levels of the organisation including senior and Trust Board level Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to senior stakeholders and a broad range of stakeholders as required Desirable Experience of CMS systems for websites and intranets, and confidence in using them Experience of developing new and innovative communication channels 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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). Additional information 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. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). Employer details Employer name Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts Address Queen's Medical Centre Derby Road Nottingham NG7 2UH Employer's website https://www.nuh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)