Communications Manager in Cardiff

The postholder will lead and deliver internal communications strategies and campaigns to engage staff and support organisational priorities, including managing content across internal channels and advising on best practices. Coordinate and support key organisational initiatives and events, such as major corporate events and change programmes, ensuring effective communication and stakeholder engagement. Act as a trusted advisor and liaison, providing strategic communications input, building relationships across the organisation, and deputising for senior managers when required.

Main duties of the job

About us: We are Public Health Wales - the national public health agency in Wales. Our purpose is "Working together for a healthier Wales". We exist to help everyone in Wales live longer, healthier, happier lives. Together with our partners, we work to increase healthy life expectancy, improve health and well-being, and reduce inequalities for everyone in Wales, now and for future generations. Our teams work to prevent disease, protect health, and provide leadership, specialist services and public health expertise. We are the leading source of public health information, research and innovation in Wales. In a world facing complex health challenges, our work has never been so important. We are guided by our Values, "Working together, with trust and respect, to make a difference". We are committed to building an inclusive workplace that values equality and diversity. We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of the communities we serve and are supportive of flexible working arrangements, including part time roles and job sharing.

Job responsibilities

• Internal Communications
  • Develop, deliver, and evaluate internal communications campaigns aligned with organisational strategy.
  • Devise and execute communications strategies for key change programmes using existing channels.
  • Bring best-practice internal comms expertise; advise stakeholders on guiding staff through the change curve.
  • Create, write, and edit content for internal channels: intranet, internal social, bulletins, and other formats.
  • Provide input and advice on strategic internal communications and content across the organisation.
• Partnership & Stakeholder Engagement
  • Build relationships with key staff leading internal change programmes.
  • Strengthen partnerships by supporting and promoting open, proactive communications between Public Health Wales and stakeholders.
  • Liaise with external stakeholders on corporate communications as required.
• Events (Corporate)
  • Work with the Senior Communications Manager to deliver the corporate events strategy.
  • Plan and support major events, including the annual Staff Conference.
• Media Relations (OnCall)
  • Receive media enquiries as part of the out-of-hours rota.
  • Advise on, develop, and manage responses, including lines to take on complex or contentious issues.
• Strategic Advice, Policy & Service Development
  • Analyse communication implications of policy proposals and advise on managing them.
  • Provide input and advice to policy development.
  • Attend, report to, and contribute to Communications Team meetings.
  • Deputise for the Senior Communications Manager at meetings and in other communications work when required.
• Planning & Organisational Skills
  • Develop and manage annual proactive programmes of communications activity.
• Analytical & Judgement Skills
  • Analyse and interpret complex internal communication issues, circumstances, and perspectives.
  • Advise on and plan solutions to communication challenges.
• Financial & Physical Resources
  • Purchase printing, translation, design, and similar services.
  • Manage nominated project budgets.
• People (Human Resources) Responsibilities
  • Allocate and share tasks while working across multiple teams.
  • Deliver communications training and development to build capability.
• Information Management & Delivery
  • Collect, analyse, interpret, and disseminate information for promoting health.
  • Develop communication materials using Microsoft Office software.
  • Undertake surveys and audits as necessary for communications work.
  • Provide knowledge base on key communications initiatives to inform research and effective practice.
  • Develop, deliver, and evaluate campaigns (linking back to Internal Comms).
• Professional Autonomy (Freedom to Act)
  • Manage public health communications within remit.
  • Develop appropriate partnerships in communications and health improvement.

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

Person Specification

• Qualifications and Knowledge
  • Knowledge of change communications and change management in an organisational setting.
  • Knowledge of communications, public relations, journalism, social marketing, and marketing/communication techniques in a public health environment.
  • Knowledge of public-sector organisations and the external political environment.
  • Ability to speak Welsh (Welsh and/or English speakers are welcome).
• Experience
  • Experience in developing, delivering, and evaluating internal communications campaigns.
  • Experience in creating, writing, and editing content for internal channels (intranet, bulletins, social platforms).
  • Experience advising stakeholders on communications strategies and best practice.
  • Experience in corporate events planning and delivery.
  • Experience handling media enquiries and managing responses on complex or contentious issues.
• Skills and Attributes
  • Strong analytical and judgement skills to interpret complex communication issues and plan solutions.
  • Excellent planning and organisational skills to manage proactive programmes of communications activity.
  • Ability to provide training and impart knowledge to build communications capacity.
  • Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills across multiple teams and stakeholders.
  • High standard of written and verbal communication skills.
  • Ability to manage budgets and procure services (printing, translation, design).
  • Ability to deputise for senior managers and represent the team at meetings.
• Other
  • Commitment to confidentiality, risk management, and health & safety standards.
  • Ability to work flexibly and manage multiple priorities under pressure.
  • Willingness to participate in out-of-hours media rota.
  • Understanding of governance requirements and records management in a healthcare/public sector context.

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.