Senior Communications Officer in London

West London NHS Trust provides a full range of mental health, community and physical healthcare services for children, adults and older people living in the London boroughs of Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham and Hounslow. We also provide some specialist services that are commissioned regionally, such as our medium secure services; and nationally, such as the Cassel Hospital for people with complex and severe personality disorder and our high secure services at Broadmoor Hospital.

We’re a friendly and supportive Communications Team, working across the organisation to help deliver the Trust’s strategic priorities and tell the story of the work happening across our services. I’m looking for an experienced communications professional with skills across a broad range of disciplines, including media relations, internal communications, events, digital and social media. In short, we’re looking for a strong all-rounder. You don’t need to know everything, but you should be curious, willing to learn and happy to get stuck in, whether that means leading a key project or working alongside colleagues to help deliver it.

Main duties of the job:

• Provide communications advice and support to services across the Trust, acting as a key point of contact and helping colleagues identify the best ways to communicate with their audiences and achieve the right outcomes.
• Develop content for our internal and external channels, helping us communicate in ways that are clear, engaging and accessible.
• Ensure the communications activity you lead supports the Trust’s strategic objectives and priorities, while contributing to a responsive, creative and high-quality communications service.

It’s important to note that the role requires you to work from one of our Trust sites for at least 60% of your working time, in line with our agile working policy. If you’re an experienced communicator who enjoys variety, likes working collaboratively and is looking for a role where you can make a real contribution, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation. Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ over 5,000 staff, of whom 59% are BME. Our turnover for is over £500m. The Trust is rated as ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as ‘Outstanding’. The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required.

Person specification:

Qualifications and Training:

• Relevant degree and/or relevant experience in communications, journalism, public relations or marketing.

Experience:

• Experience of working in a communications role or team.
• Experience of publishing content to digital communications channels, including websites & social media platforms.
• Experience of working with the media, including writing press releases and handling media enquiries.
• Experience of planning and delivering, often under significant time pressure.
• Experience of producing a wide range of communications materials for different channels.
• Experience of multi-channel campaign delivery.
• Evidence of design creativity both in briefing external suppliers and in developing in-house materials.
• Content creation for digital channels, including video production and editing.
• Experience of working in the NHS, wider health, public and/or charity sectors.
• Demonstrable ability to deliver results when dealing with highly sensitive issues in a complex environment.
• Experience of effectively managing challenging issues and people.
• Previous project management experience or experience of supporting large-scale projects that have a communications element.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Ability to digest, analyse and interpret complex information and turn it into plain English.
• Excellent and highly developed time management skills with the ability to prioritise a varied workload and meet deadlines.
• Ability to work effectively with uncertainty, manage conflicting priorities or sudden unexpected demands and adjust work as required.
• Ability to use own judgment to determine the appropriate course of action.
• Good interpersonal, negotiating and influencing skills, with the ability to work with people in a diplomatic manner and establish positive relationships.
• Knowledge of website, social media & email newsletter content management systems.
• Knowledge of branding and style guidelines.
• Good understanding of evaluating and measuring performance and improving engagement across digital channels.
• Good working knowledge of maintaining confidentiality and implementing data protection legislation requirements.
• IT literacy and competency.
• Understanding of the NHS & wider health environment, including current issues, priorities and strategic change.
• Specialist photography and/or filming skills.
• Specialist knowledge of website & social media metrics e.g. Google Analytics.

As an employee of West London NHS Trust, you have a responsibility to maintain a sound understanding of, and a commitment to uphold the National Health Service values and principles set out in the NHS Constitution.

West London NHS Trust is committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.