Communications Officer in Wigan

People at the Heart. One Team. Your Career at WWL. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment where no two days are the same, and you love creating impactful digital content, this is the role you’ve been waiting for. We are looking for an enthusiastic, versatile, and high-energy Communications Officer to join our award-winning team. A digital-first storyteller, you’ll lead on content that captures attention, elevates our reputation, and drives successful campaigns from concept to delivery.

From storyboarding and shooting to final editing, you will be our go-to creator for engaging video content and photography. You’ll have a creative eye and will use your Adobe Creative Cloud expertise (Premiere, Photoshop, InDesign, etc.) to design high-quality graphics and visual assets that bring our work to life. You’ll juggle multiple projects simultaneously, keeping timelines on track, managing events seamlessly, and maintaining high attention to detail. Beyond visuals, you will have excellent writing skills and will understand how to tailor a message for different audiences, as well as great relationship-building skills. You will be joining a highly supportive, fast-moving, and multi-talented team that values fresh ideas. If you’re digitally-savvy and have the energy and the drive to deliver exceptional work, we want to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

Job Purpose

To take joint responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Trust’s photography, video and editing, graphic design and multimedia activity including the Trust website/intranet and other electronic media. Respond to media enquiries, brief journalists, write press releases. Provide support to manage events, press conferences, photo calls, visits and awards support.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Act as support to the Senior Communications Officer and Head of Communications for enquiries to the Trust from the media on a wide range of issues.
• Respond to media enquiries, brief journalists, write press releases.
• Make daily decisions under pressure on media handling.
• Provide support on accurate media monitoring and reporting.
• Write content for internal and external communication channels including press releases and statements, e-communications, external and internal newsletters, stakeholder updates and other corporate materials.
• Assist with maintaining public confidence of stakeholders, by responding in a timely, accurate and effective manner to negative news or events.
• Provide support to advise senior managers and directors on the course of action to take with the media and how to approach media interviews.
• Maintain the good reputation of the organisation by identifying, researching and writing regular good news stories for the local, regional, ‘trade/professional’ and national media.
• Provide support to enhance the profile of Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust for staff, patients, and the public through clear and measurable communications strategies and campaigns.
• Assist the Senior Communications Officer and Head of Communications or act as lead on corporate events such as official openings, press conferences, photo calls stakeholder and promotional events including VIP visits.
• Work closely with the Patient Engagement team and Staff Engagement team to ensure effective management and synchronisation of the internal and external message.
• Support the delivery of the Trust’s internal and external communications strategies, project specific communications and campaigns.
• Organise the physical distribution of staff and public communications.
• Prepare the weekly newsletter using Mailchimp.
• Source articles of interest, prepare, rewrite and edit copy to improve readability (Plain English).
• Provide support to oversee all internal communication channels including but not limited to WWL News, All Staff Team Brief, Chief Executive updates and global emails ensuring consistency of message and quality of communication.
• Support award submissions by the Trust, individual staff members and teams.
• Assist with maintaining and updating the Trust’s social media platforms.
• Assist with maintaining good stakeholder relationships and engagement using a variety of communications methods across the sectors locally, regionally, and nationally.
• Act as communications lead for specific internal and external communications campaigns/projects.
• Take joint responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Trust’s photography, video and editing, graphic design and multimedia activity.
• Distribute global emails.
• Provide video and photography support to Trust Events and corporate communications.
• Organise, script and film Executive vlogs.
• Project manage specific photography, video, graphic design and multimedia initiatives, working with colleagues, patients and the public where required to produce the agreed material.
• Monitor and moderate staff comments and feedback provided via the staff Facebook group, providing responses or seeking advice for such from either colleagues or subject specialist.
• Monitor and elevate to Head of Communications, any potential sensitive issues arising through the staff Facebook group or other social media channels which might impact upon the Trust and staff.
• Design web banners and intranet icons.
• Design internal and external branding documentation and templates.
• Source, create and manage content for the website and intranet that promotes relevant news/information for staff, patients and Trust campaigns.
• Manage the operational delivery of the trust website/intranet content management systems, responsible for ensuring that information is relevant, easy to access and up to date.
• Assist in ensuring that all staff can access the Intranet both in work and from their mobile device via the APP.
• Train new webmasters for the website/Intranet enabling other departments to manage their content whilst ensuring consistent messaging, quality control and continued interest.
• Continual monitoring of website/intranet activity, providing reports and analysis.

Person specification

• Journalism, Communications, Public Relations or Multimedia qualification to degree level or equivalent experience.
• Experience in photography, video and multi-media creation.
• Experience of graphic design and designing to print specifications.
• Good knowledge of relevant software packages and computer literate.
• Excellent communication skills – both written and oral, a confident communicator and good interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organisational skills and able to prioritise, flexible, adaptable.