Senior Communications Officers

NHS Band 6:£38,682 - £46,580 pro rata, per annum

We are looking for two experienced communications professionals to join our Communications and Engagement Team as Senior Communications Officers with a digital focus.

These roles offer an exciting opportunity to play a key part in shaping how we communicate with our staff, patients, communities and stakeholders across digital platforms. Working in a fast-paced environment, you will provide expert communications advice, create engaging content and support the delivery of strategic communications priorities.

You will be an excellent communicator with experience of using digital channels to deliver effective communications. You will be confident working with complex or sensitive information, managing competing priorities and building strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. Experience in social media or website/intranet development is essential for the relevant role.

Key Responsibilities

Communication and Working Relationships:

The post holder will be providing and receiving complex, sensitive or contentious information, where persuasive, motivational, negotiating, training, empathic or re‑assurance skills are required.

Analytical and Judgement:

Judgements involving complex facts or situations, which require the analysis, interpretation, and comparison of a range of options.

Planning and organising:

Planning and organisation of a number of complex activities or programmes, which require the formulation and adjustment of plans.

Physical

Skills:

The post requires physical skills which are normally obtained through practice over a period of time or during practical training e.g. standard driving or keyboard skills, use of some tools and types of equipment.

Assists patients, clients and relatives during incidental contacts.

Working as a partnership, both Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust have a shared vision for excellence in care for our patients and communities; with a set of strategic aims underpinning how we will achieve this.

The vision for our single corporate services is to:

• Be an employer of choice for corporate talent, attracting and retaining people who share our values for excellence in care and welcome the opportunity to benefit from the broad range of flexible career and development opportunities we can offer.
• Improve efficiency through simplified and standardised policies, processes, and systems, drawing on the best from both Trusts.
• Do things once and reduce any duplication on transactional tasks giving corporate staff the ability to focus on higher value and more diverse activities.
• Co‑invest in the latest digital solutions and standardise our approach, meaning we do things once for both organisations.
• Co‑locate teams in purpose‑built facilities on the Island and in Portsmouth to enable closer working and sharing.
• Build resilience for individuals and our teams.

This vacancy is part of the Single Corporate Services Division

The single corporate service is delivered across both organisation. You may be based at either IWT or PHU and individuals may be required to undertake business travel between sites.

Job purpose

Working as part of the Communications Team you will provide communications expertise and advice across the Group. You will be responsible for planning, creating and delivering content across multiple channels. This will include digital communications and marketing (websites, intranet and social media). You will also produce creative content such as design, videography and photography. You will match channels, styles and messages to audiences as appropriate, internally and externally.

You will be able to establish positive working relationships quickly at all levels of the organisation and manage a busy workload, responding to conflicting priorities as required.

The work will involve regular contact and engagement with members of the public, patients and their relatives. This would be to gather information and stories to promote the Trust and the services provided.

Due to the nature communications work, some out‑of‑hours working, including evenings and…