Job vacancy: Communications & Engagement Officer - New Hospitals Programme, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Preston

Job summary

Main area: Communications
Grade: Band 6
Contract: Fixed term: 24 months
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: 438-PB1355-A

Employer: Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Royal Preston Hospital
Town: Preston
Salary: £35,392 - £42,618 per annum, pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 26/05/2024 23:59
Interview date: 11/06/2024

Communications & Engagement Officer - New Hospitals Programme

Band 6

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Contribute to researching, creating, and delivering communications and engagement activities, identifying innovative approaches and new opportunities.
Monitor, measure, analyse and report on programme communications and engagement activities and performance against objectives.
Working with NHS partners to provide a reactive and proactive media management service – including responding to media enquiries, writing media releases, coordinating media interviews, monitoring media mentions and building relationships with local and trade media.
Public affairs / stakeholder relations – supported by the Communications Workstream Project Manager, help to arrange and facilitate local briefings with stakeholders in writing, meetings and presentations and coordinate responses to MP, Local Authority, and other stakeholder queries.
Create compelling content – including proactive media releases, website content, social media content, newsletter articles, external and internal communications toolkits, and promotional materials.
Manage, produce content for, update and monitor performance of the programme website.
Co-ordinate the updating of programme content on partner internal communications channels.
Manage, monitor, and develop the programme’s social media channels – including producing and scheduling content, responding to comments and highlighting issues.
Organise and coordinate colleague, stakeholder and public events and engagement activities.
Further develop the approach for creating a network of programme ambassadors within the local community, project managing the implementation of the scheme – including recruiting, briefing and providing ongoing support to the network to ensure programme objectives are met, capturing and sharing results to inform the development of the programme.
Work with the Communications Workstream Project Manager and Communications and Engagement Working Group to devise, develop and deliver communication and engagement campaigns.
Work with the Communications Workstream Project Manager and Communications and Engagement Working Group to contribute to the development of communications and engagement campaigns, plans and strategies.
Support, build links with, and learn from other transformation programmes.
Other duties as commensurate with the role.

Person specification

Qualifications and Education

Essential criteria

Educated to degree level, with a qualification in communications, marketing, PR, journalism or other relevant subject.
Evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable criteria

Communications and engagement related professional qualification or equivalent experience.

Knowledge and Experience

Essential criteria

Experience of working with manager and senior staff within a complex / matrix organisation
Experience of managing multiple complex work requests
Experience of planning and delivering complex projects and services effectively and on time
Experience of coordinating and managing projects with limited supervision
Good understanding of the health and social care environment.
Knowledge and experience of delivering offline and online communication and engagement campaigns and activities.
Experience of organising and running events and engagement sessions
Experience of developing networks
Experience of establishing and maintaining good media relations
Experience of handling media enquiries
Experience of writing media releases
Experience of making best use of social media to support key messaging.

Desirable criteria

Experience of working in communications, engagement, marketing or public relations in the NHS or wider public sector.
Experience of handling sensitive and complex media / stakeholder enquiries
Knowledge and experience of patient and public participation in NHS service change
Knowledge of the principles of and legal duties for communications and engagement in NHS service change
Experience of working with political stakeholders
Experience of developing video content.
Experience of commissioning agencies to produce materials.
Knowledge and experience of using asset development tools e.g. image and video editing software
Knowledge and experience of basic HTML.

Thanks for taking the time to view this advert; we’re looking forward to receiving your application. You should be aware that the vacancy may close earlier than the published date if sufficient applications are received so it would be best to apply as soon as you can. We’ll contact you by e-mail to update you on the progress of your application so please check the e-mail account that you applied from (including spam/junk) regularly.

We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership, neurodiversity or veteran status are encouraged to apply for this post. Our Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders is available Here

To support you in your application process we’ve created a What we can offer you guide that shows what you can expect when you join our hospitals. The guide includes links to our strategic aims and objectives as well as our values, development support and rewards and benefits. To help you get the best from your application we’ve also put together two guides to help you make your application the best it can be. Just click here and here to go through them, or have them open as you complete your application.

We recognise that the recruitment process may present barriers for some and you may need personal adjustments to enable you to participate in our recruitment process. Please make contact with the recruitment team at the earliest opportunity to ensure that measures can be put in place to enable your application for this post.

We are reminded everyday of how important life is, so as part of our Working Smarter pledge we offer a variety of flexible working options and wellbeing support to enable our people to find and maintain the right work-life balance.

If you are applying for a secondment role please ensure you have agreement from your current line manager prior to attending an interview. Also please ensure you have read the LTHTR Secondment Policy. A copy of this can be found on the intranet or by contacting [email protected]

Please note a young person must be in part-time education or training until they’re 18. therefore if you are under 18 we are unable to employ you on a full time basis, unless it is in an apprenticeship role.

If the role you’ve applied for requires a Disclosure and Barring Services (DBS) check we will administer this on your behalf and the cost will be recovered from your salary, either as a one-off payment, or over 3 months. The level of check required depends on the role that you have been offered. Currently the charges are - Basic DBS check £22, Standard DBS check £22 and Enhanced DBS check £42. You should be aware that if you are successful in obtaining a position that requires a DBS check but later withdraw your application, you may be required to reimburse the cost of the DBS check. DBS checks remain free of charge for volunteer positions. The DBS Code of Practice can be accessed here.

In line with guidance from United Kingdom Health Security Agency, all staff and volunteers are required to comply with Trust Infection Prevention and Control processes in relation to safe working. This includes mask wearing and adherence to social distancing at all Trust sites.

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For more information about the Trust take a look at our Application Guide or visit our website www.lancsteachinghospitals.nhs.uk You can also keep up to date with us on Facebook, Twitter, Linked In and Instagram.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!