The Communications Manager will oversee regional and national communications for the Research Delivery Network (RDN), part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). As a senior member of the RDN Communications Team, they will provide high-quality, proactive communications services across 12 Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDN) and the RDN Coordinating Centre.
The role involves adopting best practices to support the RDN's objectives, creating new channels for engagement, and promoting NIHR's reputation as a top health and care research organisation. The Communications Manager will lead corporate communication strategies, events, and marketing initiatives to showcase RDN's impact. Additionally, the role includes line management of the Communications Officer, conducting staff reviews, identifying training needs, and ensuring skills development to meet current and future business needs.
Main duties of the job
1. Lead RDN communications regionally and nationally, supporting the organisation's ethos.
2. Develop and implement communication strategies aligned with RDN and NIHR goals.
3. Plan and manage multi-channel projects, organise communication campaigns, and ensure effective coordination.
4. Provide leadership, line manage the RRDN Communications Officer, and optimise communications across services.
5. Lead corporate communication aligned with strategic objectives.
6. Develop policies and launch initiatives for patient and public engagement, supporting RDNs strategy.
7. Ensure timely data for performance metrics, implement performance management initiatives.
8. Lead campaigns targeting Life Science Industry partners and build strong relationships with commercial organisations.
9. Integrate continuous improvement in communications and ensure value for money.
10. Manage communications with stakeholders, enhancing the profile of RDN.
11. Communicate RDN impact to patients, carers, and the public.
12. Ensure compliance with NIHR corporate identity and guidelines.
13. Prioritise communication channels and strategies to achieve strategic outcomes. Monitor and evaluate media work.
14. Ensure adherence to brand guidelines.
About us
The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) is funded by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC). NIHR works in partnership with the NHS, universities, local government, other research funders, patients, and the public. The NIHR funds, enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people's health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth. NIHR is a major funder of applied health research in low and middle-income countries.
The whole of England will be supported through 12 NIHR Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDNs). The RRDNs will work with the national Research Delivery Network Coordinating Centre (RDNCC) to provide a joint RDN leadership function so that the NIHR RDN as a whole functions as a single organisation with a shared vision and purpose across England.
Job responsibilities
The Communications Manager will manage regional and national communications as part of the Research Delivery Network (RDN) Communications Team, dispersed across the 12 Regional Research Delivery Networks (RRDN) and the RDN Coordinating Centre. As a senior member of the RDN Communications Team, the Communications Manager will provide a high quality, professional and proactive communications service to the RDN regionally and nationally, and will report to the RRDN Head of Strategy, Engagement and Inclusion.
The Communications Manager will adopt and share the best practice approach to their work and support the RDN in achieving its objectives and ensuring it delivers the best communications service, including developing new channels and opportunities to reach colleagues and communities, where engagement and involvement is needed the most.
This role will take responsibility for RDN communication using a range of different channels that will promote the reputation of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research Delivery Network (RDN) as a high-quality health and care research organisation.
They will lead the delivery of a corporate communication strategy and associated communication activities, engagement events, and marketing initiatives to enable the RDN to deliver on its strategic objectives and showcase the RDN's impact.
This role will have line management responsibility for the Communications Officer. Line management of staff members will include undertaking staff reviews to identify training and development needs, and establishing how those needs will be met, and managing performance against agreed objectives. The postholder will ensure the same review processes take place for all staff with the defined function via appropriate line management arrangements and that skills and capabilities exist to meet current and future business needs.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Degree level (or equivalent experience) with extensive professional experience working in communications, media, web publishing or marketing, preferably in the health sector.
* Background in research and development, science or healthcare.
Other criteria
* Staff training skills.
* Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
* Ability to write concise and clear reports and to write Standard Operating Procedures.
* Ability to work to tight deadlines under pressure.
* Experience of managing a wide range of complex duties.
* Ability to prepare and deliver presentations to a high standard.
* Ability to plan, manage and deliver projects and activities, involving multiple agencies and individuals to tight deadlines.
* Ability to communicate complex information to a range of audiences at all levels within the organisation and externally.
Skills & Behaviours
* Ability to exercise initiative.
* Excellent organisational skills.
* Excellent interpersonal skills.
* Excellent leadership skills.
* Ability to operate at all levels throughout an organisation.
* The ability to manage challenging and stressful situations.
* Ability to work autonomously and to exercise initiative, with creativity, drive and flexibility.
Experience
* High level of experience in a relevant speciality i.e. public relations, communications, marketing and/or journalism to post graduate level or demonstrable experience. This must include social / web-based communications.
* Demonstrable experience of working in a large, complex organisation.
* Experience of inter-agency working involving multiple and diverse partners.
* Experience of line management.
* Experience of managing a customer-focused service.
* Experience of working at a similar level in the NHS or other healthcare environment.
* Good understanding of the health and care research environment.
* High level of knowledge around the full range of public and health professional communication channels and their effective deployment, including around the latest technologies for digital engagement.
* Experience of providing communications support to a local authority.
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