Communications and Engagement Manager

The NHS is building a culture that is positive, compassionate and inclusive - and we all have our part to play.
As employers we are committed to protecting and promoting the physical and mental health and wellbeing of all our colleagues. This underpins our values as set out in the NHS Constitution and supports us to be an Employer of Choice, while helping our colleagues to deliver high quality services for our patients and communities.
As a flexible employer, we want to support you to work in a way that is best for the NHS, our patients and you. Talk to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that's a job share, part time, hybrid working or another flexible pattern. In addition, although the role advertised may have a 'home' office base indicated, we remain committed to supporting flexibility around workplace locations. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you., + Develop compelling, integrated, content to best achieve the aims and objectives in their assigned area(s) contributing to forward planning and gridding processes
+ Deliver communications and engagement activity for assigned area(s), developing an excellent understanding of how they align to the communications objectives for NHSE and the overall strategy and business plan
+ Build effective working relationships with other directorates, regional teams and the national comms team to ensure a one-team coherent approach
+ Provide communications and engagement advice across, for example, written, social media, events, media and marketing disciplines and support to directorate staff to support their work.
+ Produce a broad range of written communications to the highest standard; using expertise and experience to identify the right channels and styles for specific audiences Spot communications opportunities and risks and work with national communications team to manage as appropriate
+ Develop communications and engagement plans for specific projects and manage their effective implementation, ensuring the needs of your defined audiences are met
+ Works on own initiative yet recognises when an issue warrants escalation
+ Provide support to directorate teams on all aspects of their stakeholder engagement.
+ Contribute and participate in the development of professional capability and expertise
+ Where required, manage and lead direct reports
· Develop credibility as a communications adviser, providing advice and support whilst building strong relationships within their assigned area(s)
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o Ensures involvement and consultation where necessary and takes action when required
o Ensure adherence to NHSE approval processes and gain sign-off at the appropriate level
o Deputise for line manager
o Develop close working relationships with policy and delivery teams
o Ensure value for money and compliance with communications spend control processes
o Identify potential issues that could impact NHSE
o Contribute to business planning and budgeting for their assigned area(s)
o Contribute to the team's administration, planning, evaluation and reporting processes
o When required, provide guidance and support to commissioners working in areas affected by service reviews around their legal duties to engage and consult. Ensure each service review complies with statutory guidance, NHS England's legal responsibilities and processes around managing consultations.
o When required, advise on, design and deliver national consultation activity across a range of services in directorate portfolios
The post holder will support the Head of Department and their team to ensure that their work stream of programmes are planned and managed effectively and take the lead in assisting in their successful delivery:
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# Manage the team's business support function, including developing and managing the team's business plan, progress and reporting risk and issue management.
# Liaise with appropriate functions within the regions, organisation and the Sector.
# Manage all corporate business returns, including planning and workforce returns.
# Develop and implement a content management system to ensure information is properly managed and best practice is shared across the team, Directorate and the wider NHS organisation.
# Take a lead in the coordination of training & development and recruitment activity across the team.
# Oversight and management of all aspects of the team/ project budgets
The postholder requires the ability to work to the requirements of the job and workload with an unpredictable work pattern that may include a fast, professional response 'out of hours' such as overnight or at weekends to meet the demands of both the organisation and others to meet deadlines (outside of on-call arrangements).
Our commitments to you
We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger and more creative work environment that delivers better patient outcomes. We strive to ensure our people feel trusted, valued and empowered. We're passionate about nurturing and developing people. When you join us, we want you to grow and excel, and we offer many opportunities for you to do that. We welcome your talent and enthusiasm irrespective of age, disability, neuro-divergence, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances. We have policies and procedures to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process, including the consideration of reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability and/or who are neuro-divergent.
We welcome applications from disabled candidates. If you meet all the essential criteria, you will be guaranteed an interview.
Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK under the Skilled Worker route are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
Please note that we currently do not accept applications via recruitment agencies.
The NHS Business Services Authority is responsible for the processing of your application; a privacy notice is attached to advise you on how we will process your personal data.
If you have applied via NHS Jobs, your submitted application will be imported into our preferred third-party recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. If you are appointed to a post, information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Records system.

We're looking for an exceptional values-led professional to join our busy team. We provide expertise to the Transformation Directorate (4000+ colleagues) ensuring communications is at the heart of planning and decision-making, alongside delivering corporate comms.
This role flexes across multiple programmes, getting involved in everything from products to life sciences, digital infrastructure to data.
You're a communications generalist with specialised knowledge grounded in practical experience across multiple channels. You routinely develop communication plans to support business objectives and take ownership of delivery from start to finish. Your written and verbal skills are exemplary and you're comfortable providing advice and support to senior leaders in a complex environment.
A natural relationship builder, collaborator and problem solver you're happy working autonomously whilst also being a first-rate team player. You'll be planning, developing and delivering a broad range of activities with multiple opportunities to stretch and grow.
If you've got the right experience and the right attitude, we'd love to hear from you. In return, you'll be involved in meaningful, varied work with supportive managers, a strong commitment to the right values and behaviours and a great team spirit.

The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:
+ Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
+ Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
+ Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
+ Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
+ Delivering value for money.
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band., NHS England