Business and Communications Lead in Carlisle

The Business and Communications Lead is a key member of the Business Team, reporting to the Head of Business. The role leads Cumbria Health's communications, marketing, stakeholder engagement and reputation management activities, supporting organisational priorities, business growth and sustainability.

The post holder will develop and deliver communications and marketing strategies, manage digital communications, promote services, strengthen stakeholder relationships and enhance the organisation's reputation. They will provide expert advice on media relations, brand management and stakeholder engagement, while supporting business development through the creation of promotional materials, case studies and bid content.

The role also involves monitoring communications performance, reputation and stakeholder sentiment, providing insights and recommendations to support continuous improvement and organisational success. This is a full time position (37.5 hours per week).

Closing date: 12 November 2026. Please include your mobile number on your application and check your spam/junk folder regularly, as emails from us may occasionally be filtered there. We encourage you to apply as early as possible as this job may close earlier than the advertised closing date once enough applications have been received.

Main duties of the job:

• The post holder will line manage the Digital Communications Officer and support the ongoing development of communications and marketing capabilities across the organisation.
• Develop and deliver a long-term communications and marketing strategy aligned to Cumbria Health's roadmap and business objectives.
• Advise the Head of Business and senior leaders on communications, marketing, stakeholder engagement and reputation management matters.
• Lead on all media relations activity, including managing journalist enquiries, preparing media statements, organising briefings, writing speeches and producing press releases.
• Develop, maintain and test an organisational crisis communications plan to support effective responses to reputational and operational issues.
• Develop and maintain a pipeline of positive stories and content that promotes organisational achievements, supports business objectives and strengthens stakeholder confidence.
• Write, edit and quality assure complex internal and external communications materials, including reports, articles, media releases, service information, brochures and promotional content.
• Develop and deliver stakeholder engagement plans to build understanding, support and influence among key partners and stakeholders.
• Lead internal communications activity to support workforce engagement, organisational culture and change management initiatives.
• Oversee the development, performance and continuous improvement of digital communications channels including the website, social media platforms, email marketing and digital content.
• Develop and deliver marketing campaigns and promotional materials to support services, commercial activities, recruitment initiatives and organisational priorities.
• Develop strong working relationships with communications colleagues across commissioning bodies and partner organisations to ensure a coordinated communications approach.
• Champion the Cumbria Health brand and ensure compliance with organisational branding standards and NHS identity requirements across all communications channels.
• Lead activities to strengthen brand awareness and support the continued growth and recognition of the Cumbria Health brand.
• Support wider business development activities through the provision of case studies, marketing content, bid support, market research and professional communications advice.
• Monitor media coverage, stakeholder feedback, patient insight and reputational risks, providing recommendations and briefings to senior leaders.
• Establish communications and marketing KPIs, analyse performance data and provide reports demonstrating activity outcomes, impact and return on investment.
• Support the planning and delivery of organisational events, campaigns and engagement initiatives.
• Work collaboratively with teams across Cumbria Health to ensure consistent messaging and effective communication of organisational priorities.
• Provide proactive support to the Head of Business and wider leadership team on strategic projects and organisational initiatives as required.

Person Specification:

Essential:

• Positive
• Confident
• Well organised
• Ability to build rapport and effective relationships at all levels
• Demonstrate initiative
• Flexible

Skills and Aptitudes:

Essential:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Highly organised
• Excellent administrative skills
• Self-starter who is able to work under pressure
• Excellent IT skills
• Confident in dealing with people at all levels of the organisation
• Understand the concept of confidentiality
• Ability to integrate and work effectively as part of a team

Desirable:

• Previous NHS experience
• Ability to prioritise workload

Qualifications:

Essential:

• Degree in Business/Communications or equivalent experience.

Desirable:

• Other Communications or Business Accreditation.

Knowledge:

Essential:

• Experience of Microsoft Office, Inc. PowerPoint and Excel
• Accurate and efficient typing
• Problem solving and analytical skills
• Numerical skills
• Presentation skills
• A desire/interest to work in the administration field
• Commitment to self-development

Desirable:

• Experience of providing Data Analysis
• Experience within an Administrative role

Personal Circumstances:

Essential:

• Self-motivated, enthusiastic and willing to learn
• Able to adapt to fluctuation in workload
• Hard working, reliable and resourceful
• Enthusiastic and self-motivated
• Flexible to meet the needs of the post
• Respect confidentiality of patient information
• Able to prioritise workload effectively
• Demonstrate good attention to detail
• Excellent team player
• Ability to communicate effectively with staff at all levels

Desirable:

• Advanced Microsoft office skills
• Report writing skills
• Problem solving and analytic skills
• Demonstrate excellent organisational skills

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.

Employer details:

Employer name: Cumbria Health

Address: Cumbria Health, 4 Wavell Drive, Rosehill Industrial Estate, Carlisle, CA1 2SE, United Kingdom

Employer's website: https://cumbriahealth.co.uk/