Job overview This senior role is an exciting opportunity to join an award-winning communications team in one of the country’s busiest and most high profile NHS foundation trusts. The post holder will work closely with our Head of Digital Communications and Health Content, and together they will lead the development of our communications strategy and the corporate communications team which serves our five hospitals and community services in Lambeth and Southwark. You will be the Trust's expert leader on media and internal communications and on a range of strategic projects, working with other NHS organisations in South East London. You will provide exceptional communications advice and support to executive directors and senior colleagues on a wide range of operational and strategic issues, promoting the work of the Trust and playing a key role in reputation management both in and out of hours. The successful candidate will lead by example and inspire trust and confidence. They will make a significant contribution to the Trust achieving its wide-ranging ambitions, combining senior experience with the ability to lead an extremely busy team and relate to colleagues at every level. You will have exceptional written communications skills, be a genuine team player, take a hands on approach to support the delivery of the best communications to our 23,600 staff, with clear messages and creative campaigns that engage all audiences. To discuss contact Zaheer Bokhari at [email protected] Main duties of the job The post holder will deliver strategic and operational communications to support the delivery of the Trust’s objectives, including the new Trust strategy With the Head of Digital Communications and Health Content, you will lead the Trust’s media, internal communications, corporate communications and strategic communications functions, ensuring communications activity is aligned across the organisation, including in the clinical groups and corporate services. The post holder will be a key advisor to the Trust Board and senior directors, ensuring the Trust communicates effectively and in a timely manner with all its core internal and external constituencies. You will lead a sustainable and meaningful dialogue with these diverse audiences, reflecting the Trust’s values and ensuring our communications meet the needs of our 23.600 staff, as well as a highly complex range of external stakeholders across a wide geography. Effective horizon scanning, strategic planning and effective delivery will be second nature, as will developing exceptional relationships with senior communications colleagues across south east and north west London, London and nationally. You make a significant contribution towards the Trust achieving its wide ranging ambitions. This is a high profile role, deputising for the Trust’s Director of Communications as required. Working for our organisation Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK’s best known hospitals – Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield – as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation. We are among the UK’s biggest, busiest, most successful foundation trusts. The communications department The team is led by the Trust Director of Communications who is responsible for leading and developing the Trust’s full range of communications channels for its diverse audiences, working closely with the Trust’s clinical groups and corporate services and the Trust’s executive leadership team. In the Evelina London and Royal Brompton and Harefield clinical groups, there is a senior head of communications at clinical group level, who forms part of the leadership team of both the clinical group and the communications team, working closely with the head of media and corporate communications and the head of digital communications and health content who lead their respective communications functions at a Trust level. The senior communications team is collectively responsible for enhancing and protecting the reputation of the Trust and for all aspects of internal and external communications, ensuring effective engagement with key audiences. Detailed job description and main responsibilities Detailed job description and main responsibilities Communications strategy and planning With the Head of Digital Communications and Health Content, lead the development of the Trust’s communications strategies and plans, assessing internal and external environments, applying research and best practice, prioritising to ensure maximum impact, and engaging all relevant stakeholders. Ensure clear strategic objectives, key messages, channel strategy and audience identification. Develop and deliver a stakeholder communications strategy, ensuring that key stakeholders are informed of Trust developments and plans. Manage the implementation and evaluation of Trust communications strategies and plans, ensuring efficient and effective resource allocation, setting clear success criteria, establishing robust monitoring mechanisms and intervening in a timely manner to ensure successful delivery. Establish measures for the effectiveness of Trust communication and report these regularly to senior colleagues. Provide strategic communications advice to the Trust’s Executive Team and senior directors. Lead the alignment of corporate communication activity across the Trust’s clinical groups and corporate services at all levels. Oversee the establishment, management and monitoring of effective communications distribution systems and processes. Establish effective networks within the Trust to maximise knowledge and understanding of the business, developments and environment, and ensure that this knowledge is effectively shared for strategic and operational planning. Develop and maintain a forward plan identifying events and issues for which the Trust will need a communication response or for which there are opportunities to promote the Trust’s reputation and services. Ensure the Trust has an appropriate range of corporate communication channels, uses them to full effect and is able to measure the effectiveness of the communication. Direct research and complex analysis of qualitative and quantitative data necessary to underpin communication strategy and plans. Ensure that all communications activity reflects the Trust’s values and commitment to the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion and that specific initiatives receive expert communications support. Internal communications Lead the Trust’s corporate approach to high quality strategic and operational internal communications by delivering effective two-way communications to sustain an environment where staff are informed, included and valued, as measured by the annual staff survey and the Trust’s internal communications survey. Ensure that all staff receive information in a timely and effective manner, so that the Trust is their primary source of information about itself, including those without easy access to electronic communication. Lead the Trust’s internal communications response to key operational issues and strategic programmes. Ensure that our values and equality, diversity and inclusion are at the forefront of all internal communications. Provide support and expertise to Trust departments and managers to assist them in providing effective communications to their teams. Also ensure Trust-wide campaigns are co-ordinated and well planned. Ensure alignment with internal communication activity across the Trust’s clinical groups, and work with clinical group colleagues to ensure effective cascade of corporate information. Lead on the delivery of the Trust’s monthly Team Briefing, including a virtual live event. Oversee the team’s responsibilities for GT i (the Trust’s intranet) and other corporate communications products and channels that enhance internal communications, seeking opportunities to develop new channels where this will enhance communications with staff. Media relations and social media Review, develop and manage the Trust media policy and on behalf of the Director of Communications. Manage a dynamic, 24/7 proactive media relations service for the whole Trust that inspires trust and confidence internally and is well-regarded externally. Develop and lead programmes of proactive communications taking full advantage of all media tools and channels – events, print, broadcast, social and digital. Promote the Trust’s corporate key messages and create and promote key messages for new services, events and activities. Develop and nurture positive relationships with journalists and ensure media enquiries are managed promptly and professionally. Identify and promote Trust leaders and spokespeople and ensure all staff exposed to the media are appropriately briefed and trained. Ensure the team provide timely responses to media enquiries, working with colleagues from across the Trust as required. Organise and oversee the availability and high quality of the 24/7 out-of-hours response and its accessibility to staff and media. Seek to maximise all opportunities to promote the Trust, its key messages and brand, and minimise adverse impacts on its reputation, working closely with all clinical groups and corporate services, the Biomedical Research Centre, Essentia Communications staff, and the fundraising team. Lead on the communications department Major Incident Planning and crisis media response, and serious incident handling, often managing difficult and sensitive issues requiring significant emotional resilience. Work with the Trust’s Freedom of Information lead to support the appropriateness and accuracy of responses. Establish effective networks internally and externally to maximise knowledge and understanding of the Trust’s business, developments and environment and ensure that this knowledge is effectively shared for strategic and operational planning. Develop a forward plan identifying events and issues for which the Trust will require a media response or for which there are opportunities to promote the Trust. Work closely with the circa £100 million a year capital programme, as well as with the Trust’s major programmes and commercial directorate, to ensure these initiatives are effectively supported and associated communications are carefully planned. Develop story and campaign ideas and themes to promote the Trust’s objectives, values and brand. Build strong local relationships with the communications teams in the Integrated Care System (ICS) / Clinical Commissioning Group for South East and North West London and other key local and regional partners. Ensure that patient confidentiality is protected at all times. Provide advice and support to patients, their relatives and representatives involved in media enquiries or seeking media contact. Organise the collection and cataloguing of all Trust’s appearances in the media. Circulate media coverage and analysis internally to senior staff across the Trust. Monitor and track the Trust’s representation and profile across social and other digital media platforms. Produce regular report on media activity for the Board of Directors. Management and leadership Manage the Media and Corporate Communications team, setting individual and team objectives, overseeing workload and priorities, monitoring performance and behaviours in line with Trust objectives, and producing key performance indicators and benchmarks of performance. Be a member of the communications department’s senior management team with the Director of Communications and Head of Digital Communications and Health Content. This group will ensure all communications activities are effectively planned and delivered, and are aligned with the needs and priorities of the Trust. You will also deputise for the Director of Communications as required. Encourage, embed and support behaviours in which equality, diversity and inclusion is valued, and everyone is encouraged and supported to meet their full potential. Financial responsibilities Have responsibility for multiple budgets and resources, totalling circa £500,000pa for the Media and Corporate Communications teams. Plan and oversee these budgets and ensure resources are deployed efficiently, in accordance with Trust Standing Financial Instructions and other relevant policies. Ensure at all times that use of resources represent value for money and are properly accounted for, including by through advice to other departments. Person specification Qualifications Essential criteria Masters degree and additional in-depth professional training and specialist knowledge of digital communications to doctorate or equivalent level, acquired through training and experience over an extended period. Previous Experience Essential criteria Substantial experience of media relations, issues management, internal communications and strategic communications. Political acumen and experience of working in a highly complex and sensitive environment. Senior level management experience within a complex organisation. Proven experience of providing an environment in which equality, diversity and inclusion is valued, and everyone is encouraged and supported to meet their full potential. Skills, Knowledge and Ability Essential criteria Ability to command the confidence of colleagues, staff, Trust Directors and Board members. Ability to confidently manage an uncertain environment, cope with unpredictability and responding to rapidly shifting priorities. Engages with stakeholders to understand requirements. Further details / informal visits contact Name Anita Knowles Job title Director of Communications Email address [email protected]