Are you a communications professional looking for an exciting opportunity? Come and join one of the most innovative and progressive Trusts in the North West.
You’ll provide expert advice to colleagues and leaders on internal messaging, ensuring communications are timely, inclusive and aligned with the Trusts tone, values and organisational priorities.
You’ll contribute specialist internal communications expertise to planning and delivery of group wide campaigns, helping make sure content is engaging, well integrated and tailored to the needs of staff.
You’ll work closely with other members of the communications team and other colleagues to make sure internal communications are joined up, insight led and reflect best practice and you’ll contribute to evaluation, learning and continuous improvement across the communications function.
This is an exciting chance to make a difference in a large, complex organisation and influence how we communicate with - and celebrate our people.
Main duties of the job
As Communications Manager, you’ll plan and deliver internal communications to more than 11,000 staff working across Cheshire and Merseyside.
Working closely with others, you will develop and deliver communication plans that support the delivery of our key priorities, helping staff feel informed, involved and connected to our organisation.
This includes:
Lead internal communications planning in line with the Trust strategic plan, ensuring messaging is consistent, high quality and on brand
Provide communications support to a portfolio of services within Trust Wide Support Services (corporate services )
Create and manage engaging content (briefings, articles, newsletters, bulletins and social posts for recruitment and staff Facebook)
Provide expert advice and quality assurance on corporate publications and materials, including design/print, to meet branding and information standards
Deliver timely communications and engagement so staff and key stakeholders are informed appropriately and consistently.
About us
Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands.
We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.
At the heart of all we do is our commitment to perfect care - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. Were currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so.
Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.
Job responsibilities
To implement the Trusts communication strategic plan, ensuring consistent messaging, branding and communication standards.
To lead on the production and implementation of an internal communication plan that directly aligns with the Trusts strategic development plans.
To proactively ensure that all communications with staff are consistent and aligned with the Trusts values and visions for the future.
To provide general support and advice on corporate publications and material developed by the Trust, including design and print work.
To be responsible for effective communication and engagement activities to support the business of the Trust.
To commission, write and/or edit briefings, articles, newsletter content, web and social media content and bulletins for internal and external audiences.
To review written material to ensure content and layout meet Trust branding guidelines and relevant patient information standards.
To ensure information is shared in a timely and appropriate manner with staff, patients, carers and other key stakeholders
To advise and direct on communicating sensitive information, both clinical and non-clinical.
To support major incident and emergency planning communications activity which may occur outside of office hours.
Required to participate in the Communications on call rota, liaising with staff, media and stakeholders out of hours as the communications lead for the Trust.
To identify and generate good news stories for external use and for corporate campaigns.
To support the effective management of sensitive media issues and investigations.
Person Specification
Qualifications
* Educated to degree level. Journalism or PR qualification or able to demonstrate equivalent experience.
* Additional specialist training e.g.,CIPR advanced certificate
Experience
* Significant experience of working in communications and engagement practice, PR or marketing.
* Experience of setting up press conferences and events.
* Experience of crisis media handling.
* Experience of utilising social media e.g., Twitter (X), Facebook.
* Experience of developing and implementing communication and engagement strategies
* Experience of writing and creating content for a wide range of audiences including editing reports and magazines
* Experience of working in the NHS.
* Experience of web design tools.
Knowledge
* Sound knowledge of the news media.
* An understanding of the NHS and current Government policy
Skills
* The ability to work under pressure, manage competing priorities and meeting strict deadlines
* The ability to work as part of a team.
* The ability to establish credibility at all levels.
* The ability to use initiative and develop own body of work
* Ability to deal effectively and appropriately with media and the public.
* Ability to provide clear and concise briefings to (senior) staff.
* IT literate with experience of using word processing and presentation packages
* Ability to give sound communications and involvement advice to (senior) colleagues.
* Ability to generate positive news stories for a wide range of media.
* Excellent oral, written and presentation skills.
* Excellent inter-personal skills.
* Excellent planning and organisation skills.
* Highly motivated with the ability to influence and inspire others
Values
* Continuous improvement - committed to making improvements to our services for the benefit of all.
* Accountability - taking ownership to anticipate, develop and deliver high quality care
* Respect - how we treat others in an inclusive and supportive way.
* Enthusiasm - demonstrate our passion and pride for what we do and how we do it.
* Support - actively supporting others with compassion and courage
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.
£49,387 to £56,515 a yearper annum (plus on call)
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