Research Communications and Engagement Manager (Maternity Cover)

Main area Research Communications, Staff Engagement Grade Band 7 Contract Fixed term: 10 months (to end 31st October 2027 or 10 months from start date, whichever is latest) Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

37.5 hours per week Job ref 271-CA-8145706

Employer Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Great Ormond Street Hospital Town London Closing 13/09/2026 23:59

Research Communications and Engagement Manager (Maternity Cover)

Band 7

Job overview

One of our core priorities in our ‘Together We Power Care' strategy is to accelerate translational research and innovation to save and improve lives. GOSH, together with the UCL Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, are world-renowned for translational research activities. As an Intelligent Research Hospital, we want to make sure that research and innovation is fully integrated across all areas and that all of our staff, patients and their families have the opportunity to take part.

Maternity leave in the communications team means we have an 10-month fixed term post where we will continue to build research staff engagement into established, strong track record of communications. If you have experience in authentic communications on the latest research, coupled with engaging staff, we want to hear from you. The post holder would need to be on site a minimum of once-a-week and occasionally at short notice.

We work flexibly in the team, on-site and remotely but for interview, if possible, we’d love to meet you in person.

Main duties of the job

This post will develop and lead on delivery of communication and engagement strategies for Research, including to our own staff. Working closely with the Head of Research and Innovation Communications, this post holder will develop and lead on dynamic, relevant and engaging Research campaigns and communications activity for staff, the public, stakeholders and colleagues. Building on successful awareness raising activity, engagement interventions will raise participation and staff engagement in research amongst our diverse colleague base. The post holder will support delivery of reputation building work in an important year for securing funding for our NIHR Biomedical Research Cente. The post holder will build measurement into everything they do, testing and adapting as they go.

Working for our organisation

We are committed to recruiting the best person for the job through a fair, open and consistent process that is free from bias and discrimination.

We are working towards becoming an anti-racist organisation.

This means creating a workplace where every colleague feels seen, heard and valued, and where racism in any form has no place.

Our anti-racism commitment is backed by action through our Anti-Racism Statement and action plan, developed in collaboration with our REACH staff network.

We actively challenge discrimination, dismantle barriers and embed equity across all aspects of our workforce, including recruitment, progression and development.

All applicants will receive equal consideration regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, health condition or employment history.

We particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, and LGBTQ+ community members.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, a member of the Business Disability Forum, and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

Our staff networks, including REACH, PRIDE, ENABLED and Women’s Networks, are active and executive supported.

These employee-led networks play a vital role in shaping an inclusive culture at GOSH and are open to all colleagues.

Together, we are building a culture where inclusion is not optional - it is essential.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.

Person specification

GOSH Culture and Values

• Our Always values
• A degree, preferably in a science discipline and/or relevant work experience
• PhD/Masters or equivalent experience in research
• Professional qualification or equivalent experience

Experience/Knowledge

• Experience working in external communications / marketing team and with the media
• Experience writing engaging copy for a variety of channels, from newsletters to an intranet and website.
• Experience of staff engagement programmes and internal communications
• Experience of using a wide range of communications tools and channels, including social media, with the ability to identify the right channel for any particular audience.
• Demonstrable experience of looking for ways to improve approaches, seeking out innovation to improve outcomes for audience/s.
• Experience testing and trying new content formats and approaches, measuring and learning from the results
• Ability to work without close supervision, providing specialist advice to the organisation, working to tight and often changing timescales
• Experience of working productively in a multi-disciplinary team
• Experience of building good stakeholder relations within roles
• Managing multiple projects, leading regular reviews and making changes where necessary.
• Experience using Microsoft Office 365, incl. Teams and SharePoint
• Experience of supporting effective media, external and / or digital comms plans for initiatives or projects; with tangible examples of successful delivery.
• Experience of research communications
• Understanding of research landscape within a healthcare setting
• Understanding of professional and current issues related to the NHS, and relevant fields
• Experience working in local authority, government, NHS or voluntary organisations and health provider/s.
• Famliar with media monitoring platforms like PRGloo/Cision/Gorkana

Skills/Abilities

• Excellent writing, editing and proofing skills
• Strong analytical skills to ensure the true issues are identified and appropriate actions taken to promote positive stories, to ensure effective promotion of research and innovation, and to manage the reputation of organisations and leaders
• Ability to explain complex information clearly and concisely for a diverse range of channels and audiences
• Very organised and calm under pressure, with a track record of delivering objectives against tight deadlines
• Ability to analyse complex facts and situations quickly, and develop a range of creative and appropriate options
• Good team player - involving, listening to and respecting others
• Proactive, positive and self-motivated, with the ability to organise time and work with minimum supervision
• Ability to deliver projects on time and on budget, dealing effectively with competing / conflicting demands
• Ability to build rapport and trust at all levels
• Confident and able to form credible and effective relationships with all levels of staff, including senior management
• Familiar with Adobe Photoshop or similar

Please be advised that:

The recruitment process for all admin and clerical roles at Bands 2-4 will be a two stage recruitment process whereby shortlisted candidates will undertake an online literacy, numeracy, ICT and typing test. Only those candidates who pass the competency test will proceed to a formal interview.

The closing date given is a guide only. There may be some occasions where we have to close a vacancy once sufficient applications have been received. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment. Only those candidates who clearly demonstrate how they meet the person specification criteria for this post will be shortlisted. Please note that where high volumes of applicants have been received, additional criteria may on occasion be used to determine the final shortlist.

We are an accredited Living Wage Employer.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Application numbers

The closing date given is a guide only. There may be some occasions where we have to close a vacancy once sufficient applications have been received. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.