Senior Communications and Engagement Officer
Job Description
Job summary
Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust is currently recruiting for a Senior Communications and Engagement Officer to play a lead role in developing and delivering communications and engagement activity for the Trust's Medical Directorate.
The role requires someone who is creative, has a can-do attitude and is passionate about what good communications can bring to a busy NHS Trust, particularly amongst our medical workforce.
Interviews for this role will take place on 23rd or 24th April 2025.
Main duties of the job
The role will provide support around all aspects of communications - both internal and external - including: media relations, digital communications - including social media, updating the website, intranet and email as well as working with the design and print team to produce leaflets, posters, brochures and briefings.
Ideally we would like someone with experience of working in a busy communications team, with an eye for a good story and strong writing skills, who understands how content works across multiple channels and for different audiences. The right candidate would also ideally have experience of working in a press office.
About us
We are an acute trust caring for over half a million people in Wakefield and Kirklees. Our 10,000 staff work in patients homes, the community, and our three hospitals in Pontefract, Dewsbury, and Pinderfields (Wakefield). We prioritise our people and values so we can deliver the best possible care to patients. Our team is friendly, passionate, and innovative, always seeking better ways to work.
We support work-life balance and foster a diverse, inclusive environment where everyone belongs. Our staff networks offer safe spaces to share ideas and concerns so we can increase awareness and appreciation of equality, diversity, and inclusion. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and especially encourage members of the LGBTQ+ community, ethnic minority groups, and people with disabilities or neurodivergence to apply, as they are currently underrepresented in the Trust.
If you value caring, high standards, improvement, and respect, join the MY team to make a difference every day.
Application guidance: We understand that more applicants are using AI technology to help with their applications. While these tools can be useful, they cannot fully capture your skills, knowledge, and experience. Its important that you personalise your application. Relying solely on AI is not recommended, as it may reduce your chances of success. Our screening process is thorough, so if you have used AI, please make sure to disclose this on your application form.
Job responsibilities
The Senior Communications and Engagement Officer will play a lead role in developing and delivering communications and engagement activity to support the Chief Medical Officer and their wider teams in delivering against the Trust Strategy.
The post holder will provide communications expertise to the wider Medical Directorate supporting the work of specific functional teams within Medical Education, Medical Staffing, Quality & Patient Safety, Research & Innovation, Clinical Audit, the Medical Examiners Service and the core CMO support team. In addition, the postholder will support the CMO and their teams with effective and efficient engagement with the medical and dental workforce, including undergraduate medical students, to support delivery against the Trust Strategy and delivery programmes and projects.
The post holder will lead the development and delivery of a range of impactful communications and engagement projects for both internal and external audiences, seeking all opportunities to promote and celebrate the work of the Directorate. This will encompass the production of high quality content for the full communications mix of channels, including website, social media, intranet, video, etc, as well as paper-based communications, and including reputation management, media relations and events.
The role requires an ability to cultivate excellent working relationships within the Directorate as well as across a Trust of 10,000+ staff, including the senior management team and a complex network of stakeholders. The role will work within the Medical Directorate as well as being part of the Trust's communications team, including commissioning work from the Trust's internal design and print team.
The post holder will promote the Trust as an inclusive, innovative and diverse place to work where staff feel appreciated, rewarded and recognised for their contribution.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
- Significant previous experience working in a communications, public relations or marketing role.
- Experience of making the best use of technologies that support communications.
- Experience of working with the news media.
- Good understanding of key issues facing the NHS.
- Experience of building effective networks including across organisational boundaries.
- Ability to manage competing priorities and pressures for self and others in a challenging environment.
- Experience of developing and delivering comprehensive approaches to staff communication across a complex organisation.
Desirable
- Experience of working for a large complex public sector organisation (either in house or as contracted support).
- Experience in events management.
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree-level or demonstrable equivalent experience.
- Evidence of continuous professional development.
Desirable
- Professional or postgraduate qualification in public relations, marketing or journalism.
Knowledge and skills
Essential
- Understanding of how the news media works.
- Ability to write excellent news copy.
- Ability to interpret sensitive and complex information and translate into accessible communications for a range of audiences.
- Accuracy, attention to detail and proofreading skills.
- High level of skill in using web-based communications, including content management systems, social media, intranets, blogs and news/emerging technologies.
- Creative and innovative developing novel solutions to problems and issues.
- High level of personal motivation and resilience.
- Commitment to own personal development.
Desirable
- Knowledge of specific programmes such as SharePoint.
- Photography skills.
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
The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust
Address
Trust HQ and Education Centre, Pinderfields Hospital
Aberford Road
Wakefield
West Yorkshire
WF1 4DG
