JOB DESCRIPTION. Deputy Director, external affairs. Grade: Date Prepared: November 2016 PURPOSE

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1 JOB DESCRIPTION Job Title: Reports To: Location: Grade: Head of Communications Deputy Director, external affairs London B Date Prepared: November 2016 PURPOSE The Head of Communications role is responsible for the strategic and operational delivery of a high quality integrated communications function for the NHS Confederation group. This includes the development of proactive external communications, managing immediate day-to-day media, editorial, publishing, public affairs and digital functions but working closely with other areas of the communications and commercial directorate. NATURE & SCOPE The purpose of this role is to provide the NHS Confederation group with strategic planning and operational delivery of a high quality communications function. This includes the development of proactive external communications, managing immediate day-to-day media ensuring high quality publishing, editorial and digital products. The role of the post holder is: To ensure the effective day-to-day management, coordination and delivery of integrated external publishing, media and digital communications for NHSC To lead the process of developing longer-term external communications and member engagement strategies for NHSC in conjunction with the head of the directorate that will enable the organisation to achieve its desired profile as the independent, credible collective voice for the NHS and to develop a reputation for providing a high quality, high value service to its members. The post holder will be working on a day to day basis with a team, and directly managing a number of team leaders. It will also require close working with other teams and networks, including our offices in Brussels, Cardiff and Belfast. This role will be a key part of the directorate senior management team and will work closely with the directorate head and other team leaders in developing an overall communications strategy for the NHS Confederation group and all its constituent parts. 1

2 STRUCTURE CHART Senior management team Deputy director of external affairs Senior communications (Grade D - Leeds) Head of communications (Grade B - London) Head of programme communications and AV production (Grade B - Leeds) Head of programme and corporate communications (Grade B - Leeds) Horizon Leeds manager Marketing manager Horizon events services project manager Commercial manager The team Head of communications (Grade B - London) Media relations manager Digital communications manager Communications manager (editorial) Public affairs manager Senior media (Grade D - London) Digital communications (Grade E - Leeds) Editorial and publishing (Grade E - London) Senior public affairs (Grade D - London) Media (Grade E - Leeds) Digital communications (Grade E - Leeds) Public affairs (0.5 FTE) (Grade E - London) 2

3 ACCOUNTABILITIES The responsibilities for the role include: Leading the strategic development of communications activity Work with the directorate leadership to establish and achieve the desired public profile and member perception of the group and develop plans for regularly testing and tracking this amongst stakeholders and members. Build communications capacity, skills and infrastructure required by the organisation. Operational delivery Work with the directorate leadership to: o proactively identify and establish relationships with key political, government, national NHS and related bodies, think-tanks/research bodies and other partners o identify a system for gathering intelligence on the activity of partners, stakeholders and competitors and identifying opportunities for influencing or engaging in joint work where appropriate. Develop and implement a proactive media handling strategy which: o includes clear policies and protocols for dealing with media enquiries about or to NHSC o contains strategies for proactively establishing and maintaining effective relationships with key media contacts o working closely with the directorate leadership to ensure NHSC always has clear, consistent external facing lines on all major issues that are of relevance to the organisation, that these have been developed in partnership with all relevant elements of the NHSC family and that all spokespeople are aware of and briefed on these lines on a regular basis. Work with the other senior managers to drive high standards in NHSC communications by providing strategic communications advice at the start of all NHSC projects and contributing to the signing off of all external NHSC materials (reports, consultation responses, media releases etc). Lead and operationally deliver member communications activities Work with the relevant teams to develop and implement a member communications and engagement plan for NHSC which ensures that members are aware of and actively engaged in the NHSC work programme and influencing activities. Undertake a range of communications activities as needed in order to ensure NHSC remains customer and member led, customer and member driven and customer and member focused. 3

4 KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE Essential skills The post-holder will require: extensive experience at a senior level in public sector communications including media relations, public affairs, campaigns, stakeholder management and corporate communications highly developed political awareness and judgement, in-depth knowledge of the NHS, understanding of wider public sector policy and how it impacts on the health service, and existing contacts within the health service trade media and other national health-related bodies excellent written and oral communications skills and a proven ability to develop strategic relationships and partnerships management experience in public sector organisations the ability to advise and influence internally at a senior level to help develop NHSC s emerging corporate strategies, policies and priorities, identifying and handling complex issues and reconciling different points of view the ability to operate with a high degree of flexibility in covering a range of activities from high level and strategic to operational and transactional, at the same time the ability to create simple but compelling messages to a wide range of audiences. SAFETY Health and Safety at Work Act The postholder is required to take reasonable care for the safety and health of themselves and others who may be affected by their acts and to promote/ maintain health and safety measures. SIGNATURES Jobholder Name Signature Date Manager Name

5 Signature Date Director Name Signature Date.... 5

6 PERSON SPECIFICATION Job Title: Head of Integrated Communications ATTRIBUTES ESSENTIAL CRITERIA DESIRABLE CRITERIA DEMONSTRATED BY: Application /Assessment/ Experience A record of achievement in strategic communications at a senior level, including successful implementation of a range of different internal and external communications activities A strong track record in managing complex stakeholder relations Extensive experience of working with the media and undertaking day-today media handling and drafting of press releases etc as well as providing strategic media relations advice to senior spokespeople for professional organisations Knowledge Extensive knowledge of politics and policy-making processes and media relations Knowledge of communications strategy, planning and delivery and Experience of working directly with/developing communications for primary health care professionals and CCGs. (Highly desirable) Experience of leading communications for and developing the profile of a new organisation or service Experience of working for a partnership or collaborative involving multiple organisations and spokespeople A strong track record of public affairs work including parliamentary engagement and broader influencing in Westminster and Whitehall. Experience of working for a membership body Detailed knowledge of current NHS issues facing NHSC members Application Assessment Application 6

7 impact measurement techniques Understanding of how to work in a complex matrix-organisation and/or partnership context Extensive, up to date knowledge of English health care system Skills First class written and oral communications Highly developed political awareness and judgement Ability to quickly interpret and understand complex policy issues Negotiation and conflict resolution skills Ability to work under pressure Ability to develop and focus on long term strategy while ensuring effective day-to-day delivery of communications activities Ability to in-reach and work as part of a client organisation s matrix team Application Assessment 7