Band 6 - Communications Officer, Communications
Job Description
Job summary
You will lead on bringing to life how we're leading the way on delivering the government's neighbourhood health service, shifting the focus away from simply treating people in hospitals and towards proactive care in their local communities involving multiple partners.
Your work will raise awareness and support for this joined up-approach both within the Health Care Partnership, which deliver these joined up services locally, but also with MPs, councillors, national partners like MacMillan, and within the communities themselves.
You'll be brimming with ideas for improving our communications and understand how to evaluate and assess what's working and what's not.
Most importantly, we're looking for the right attitude and for people who want to learn, develop and make a difference.
It's an exciting time to join us - we're a small, friendly team with big ambitions to punch well above our weight. If you're ambitious, passionate about making a difference and know how you can help deliver real impact for our communities then we would love to hear from you.
Working pattern: Monday - Friday, with hybrid working (at least two days in the office each week).
Main duties of the job
You will support our busy day-to-day internal and external communications activity, building our reputation and telling the stories of how we're improving patient care through our dedicated staff, innovative partnerships and redevelopment programmes.
More broadly, you will help build awareness and understanding of our services and progress among our key external stakeholders, ensuring we have a joined-up, audience-focused approach to our communications.There will be a strong emphasis on story-telling and creating human interest content which will resonate with our key audiences, boiling down often complex issues into compelling personal stories.
Manage reactive and proactive media requests alongside colleagues in the press office.
To deliver the HCP communications strategy ensuring we have regular rhythm of high- quality content for our channels.
Act as our chief storyteller for the HCP, finding stories and sharing them in a way that engages a wide range of audiences in an emotive way.
Develop, execute, and optimise multi-channel email campaigns using e-marketing platforms (e.g. Dotdigital), ensuring high deliverability, engagement, and conversion rates.
This is a role which will be varied, and will give you the freedom to test new and different approaches.
About us
With a new hospital planned for Watford, work underway to update theatres at St Albans City Hospital and plans for a neighbourhood healthcare centre in Hemel Hempstead, this is an exciting time to join us. We are building on the success of our award-winning virtual hospital and re-imagining models of care, working closely with partners and making the most of advances in digital healthcare. Staff wellbeing and development are a priority, as is the role of innovation in improving clinical care, outcomes and patient experience. Our vision is Excellent patient care, together and our values are to be empowered, compassionate, professional and inclusive. They capture an important balance across what we must all do as individuals and to support others. We offer a variety of flexible working options as we recognise the importance of a good work life balance.www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk/flexibleworking If you have a disability or long-term health condition and require support or guidance please [email protected] If you are a Service Leaver, Veteran, Military Reserve, Cadet Force Adult Volunteer, or partner/spouse of those serving please tick "Member of the Armed Forces Community" on the application form. We reserve the right to close this advert early due to the volume of applicants. Please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. If you do not hear back within 3 weeks of your application, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.
Job responsibilities
Your work will raise awareness and support for this joined up-approach both within the Health Care Partnership, which deliver these joined up services locally, but also with national partners like MacMillan and within the communities themselves.
There will be a strong emphasis on story-telling and creating human interest content which will resonate with our key audiences, boiling down often complex issues into compelling personal stories.
You will bring a journalistic approach to finding stories, winning the trust of patients and sharing their experiences with audiences on a range of platforms and outlets.
You will be responsible for planning, creating and curating content for newsletters, social channels, media outlets and partner channels, ensuring that it meets quality standards, brand guidelines and our house style.
You will work closely with partner organisations who make up the Health Care Partnership, building relationships across both NHS organisations as well as local community groups. You will enjoy getting out, meeting people and working collaboratively with others.
The post holder will lead on data analysis and evaluation of our social channels relating to the HCP and ensuring we continue to improve our performance, reach and impact.
Manage customer journeys, segmentation, and automation workflows across e-marketing platforms to support targeted communications.
Analyse campaign performance and provide insights to improve audience targeting and digital engagement.
The post holder will also support on video content production and photography, and contribute to wider communications campaigns and projects as and when required.
You will draft and sell-in media releases and actively contribute to our media relations outreach.
Work closely with the partners that make up the HCP, develop strong working relationships with key stakeholders.
Content creation you will plan and deliver video, social, images, media relations and other content for our audiences.
Support with VIP visits and opportunities, working across teams and partners to plan the event and content for it.
Youll be data-driven and audience-focused, and be a truly multi-channel operator who can turn their hand to recording a short video for social media, write a press release or help plan a VIP visit to the hospital.
The post holder will be expected to support and deputise for their line manager and the activities of the wider communications team, as and when required.
Person Specification
Education and qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
- Communications qualification or equivalent experience and knowledge.
- Evidence of continued professional development
Knowledge
Essential
- Strong knowledge of journalistic writing and story-telling.
- Strong working knowledge of digital communications and how to engage effectively with audiences across multiple channels and touchpoints.
- Knowledge of social media channels and social media best practice.
- Knowledge of media, press releases and what makes a good story.
- Knowledge of reputation management and handling reactive media enquiries effectively.
- Knowledge of policies around filming and videoing patients and children.
- Understanding of working in an operational environment, where most staff are not desk bound
- Understanding of industry trends and best practice
- Strong understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of different communication mediums and channels, comfortable with written, visual and video.
- Knowledge of the NHS.
Desirable
- Knowledge of social media, data analysis and evaluation.
- Knowledge of editing software, video capture and photography for different channels.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of writing excellent copy for range of target audiences.
- Experience of delivering a pipeline of engaging stories for social, intranet and media.
- Experience and evidence of achieving results in line with strategic aims and objectives.
- Proven experience of planning, implementing and evaluating communications strategies / plans / activities
- Experience of working in partnership with other organisations on projects.
- Experience of shooting and editing video content which engages our key audiences.
- Experience of capturing high quality imagery for use across multiple channels, including external media.
- Experience of planning content in advance to ensure we have a calendar of activity prepared.
- Experience of working with media platforms and titles, selling in stories and generating positive coverage.
- Experience of developing internal communication campaigns, crafting, curating and managing content, publishing to appropriate channels for audience groups, to ensure impactful internal communications activities.
- Experience of developing good relationships with teams across the Trust and partnering with external organisations and ...
