Head of Communication and Engagement

Main area Communications and Engagement Grade NHS AfC:
Band 8b Contract Fixed term: 6 months (6 months to cover secondment) Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working

Employer Health Education and Improvement Wales Employer type NHS Site Ty Dysgu Town Nantgarw Salary £67,583 - £78,530 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 25/06/2026 23:59 Interview date 06/07/2026

We are committed to promoting inclusion at HEIW and we welcome applications from everybody recognising the value that diversity brings to our workforce. To work in the UK, candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (ROI) nationals require sponsorship via a Skilled Worker Visa, unless they have permission to work via another route. Please note that HEIW does not currently hold a licence to appoint skilled workers from overseas by sponsoring them to work in the UK.

If successful, candidates from outside of the UK or ROI would be responsible for obtaining their own sponsorship or visa to enable them to work for HEIW.

The salary scale for a Band 8b has been adjusted as part of the NHS Agenda for Change pay award for 2026/2027 and will be implemented in August 2026 backdated to 01 April 2026 where applicable.

HEIW is seeking an Interim Head of Communications and Engagement to provide operational leadership, professional oversight and strategic support during a six month secondment period.

The role will focus on maintaining a stable, well managed and high performing Communications and Engagement function during a period of significant organisational delivery, prioritisation and ongoing service development.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced communications and engagement professional who is ready to step into a broader leadership role within a supportive but fast paced environment.

The postholder will work closely with the Assistant Director, Strategic Partnerships, Engagement and Insight to support delivery of organisational priorities, strategic communications activity and wider stakeholder engagement objectives, while providing day-to-day leadership and oversight of the Communications and Engagement function.

Interviews are scheduled to be held on 6 and 7 July 2026.

The role will focus on:

• Providing day‑to‑day operational oversight of the Comms and Engagement function, ensuring effective delivery against agreed organisational priorities and objectives.
• Working closely with the Communications and Engagement Manager to maintain coordinated operational delivery, prioritisation and effective day‑to‑day management across the team.
• Working closely with the Assistant Director, Strategic Partnerships, Engagement and Insight to support strategic comms activity, national messaging and stakeholder engagement across priority areas.
• Overseeing delivery of comms and engagement activity across priority programmes and organisational work streams.
• Leading coordinated media handling, reputational management and communications responses across organisational and national priority issues.
• Maintaining effective governance, standards, accountability and performance management across the Comms and Engagement function.
• Managing operational communications risks, including appropriate escalation and issue management.
• Supporting effective planning, reporting, team development and collaborative working across the Comms and Engagement function.
• Providing line management and development support for the Senior Comms Officers.

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is the strategic workforce body for NHS Wales with statutory functions that include education and training, workforce planning, workforce development and transformation, leadership and succession planning, and careers. Our purpose is to develop a workforce that delivers excellent care to patients/service users and excellent population health. We are a Special Health Authority working closely with our partners;
Social Care Wales, education providers, professional and…