About this role
Job summary
This is an exciting new leadership role to shape the communications for our ambitious transformation programme, helping to deliver better outcomes for patients and improve the working lives of our 18,000 colleagues.
This is a rare opportunity to influence how healthcare is delivered across St George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group (gesh). Working alongside programme directors, executive leaders and clinical teams, you will lead the communications and engagement for our largest transformation programmes, designing tailored strategies that bring our people, patients, partners and communities with us on our journey.
Success in this role will be built on meaningful engagement and, where appropriate, formal public consultation. You will ensure that staff, patients, local communities and stakeholders have genuine opportunities to shape the future of our services, helping to create a more joined-up, sustainable and patient-centred healthcare system.
You'll join a high-performing, strategic and supportive communications team that values collaboration, compassion and creativity. We are committed to developing our people, supporting flexible working and creating an environment where everyone can have fun and thrive while maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
Main duties of the job
We are now in the process of formally merging our two trusts and delivering our ambitious transformation programme. The Group Head of Transformation Communications will play a crucial role in helping to engage, listen and influence key stakeholders - internally and externally - so we can deliver our ambition of providing outstanding care together. Providing strategic communications leadership across the gesh transformation portfolio reporting into the Chief Communication Officer but working directly with the leads for each programme.
The postholder will advise on a recommended communications approach to engage our staff, patients, stakeholders and communities to ensure they are fully involved and informed on how the Group is transforming to better care for patient across South West London and Surrey.
This role will also help shape the vision for gesh 2030 and the communications approach to help us get there - working closely with executive directors, site leadership teams, clinical leaders, operational teams and senior stakeholders to ensure that staff, patients, communities and partners are informed, engaged and involved throughout any period of change.
*Please refer to the attached JD for further main duties of the job*
About us
St George's, Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals and Health Group cares for a population of four million people in South West London and North East Surrey.Our sites include St George's Hospital, one of 11 major trauma centres in the UK and the largest healthcare provider and major teaching hospital in the area; St Helier Hospital, home to the South West Thames Renal and Transplantation Unit and Queen Mary's Hospital for Children; and Epsom Hospital, home to the South West London Elective Orthopaedic Centre (SWLEOC).
After years of collaboration, our two Trusts became a hospitals group in 2021. While remaining as two separate Trusts, being a hospitals group will help us to collaborate more closely on research, and the development, education, and training of our 17,000-strong workforce.
At gesh we are committed to supporting flexible working arrangements. Applicants are encouraged to discuss any flexibility they may need during the recruitment process.
Job description Job responsibilities
We are now in the process of formally merging our two trusts and delivering our ambitious transformation programme. The Group Head of Transformation Communications will play a crucial role in helping to engage, listen and influence key stakeholders internally and externally so we can deliver our ambition of providing outstanding care together. Providing strategic communications leadership across the gesh transformation portfolio reporting into the Chief Communication Officer but working directly with the leads for each programme.
The postholder will advise on a recommended communications approach to engage our staff, patients, stakeholders and communities to ensure they are fully involved and informed on how the Group is transforming to better care for patient across South West London and Surrey.
This role will also help shape the vision for gesh 2030 and the communications approach to help us get there - working closely with executive directors, site leadership teams, clinical leaders, operational teams and senior stakeholders to ensure that staff, patients, communities and partners are informed, engaged and involved throughout any period of change.
Key to this role is strong relationships with the wider communication team who will help deliver some of the communication activity required in and outside the organisation. In addition, for some programmes a full consultation maybe required in which the postholder will need to work with the ICB to help create a plan to hear the voices from our communities and ensure their opinions are heard and acted on.
This role is part of the communications senior leadership team and will provide additional resilience lead on crisis communications planning and response, providing high-quality and experienced strategic advice to senior and board level executives across gesh and site leadership teams at both trusts.
All members of the senior communications team at gesh are expected to be compassionate leaders overseeing a friendly and supportive team, helping colleagues to do their best for our people and patients, take pride in what they do, while having fun, working collaboratively, and creating regular opportunities for development and growth.
The post holder will need to be willing to work flexibly when required occasionally out of hours to support attendance at evening meetings but we also recognise that rest and recuperation is important, and you will be encouraged to finish on time and take time back if you work longer hours.
The post holder will take part on the 24/7 on call communications rota to respond to incidents and issues.
This postholder will be accountable to the Group Chief Communications Officer, deputising for the Group Deputy Chief Communications Officer when required.
For more information about this role, or to submit an expression of interest, please contact Anna Macarthur, Chief Communications Officer on 07777 623882
Person Specification
Experience Essential
oProven experience in a senior media handling / advisory role within healthcare, NHS, or a similar organisation. oExperience of evaluating campaigns, events and other work to ensure continuous improvement and learning oExcellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to present complex information to a large variety of audiences oExperience of using insight to create engaging and innovative evidence-based campaigns oExperience of championing equality and diversity in all communication and of driving awareness of equity in the workplace and tackling racism Experience of working strategically to deliver corporate priorities Experience of reconciling widely differing/ sincerely held professional differences in expert opinion in relation to communication strategies An accomplished negotiator with excellent skills of persuasion and the ability to remain calm if negotiations prove stressful
Skills Essential
oAn accomplished negotiator with excellent skills of persuasion and the ability to remain calm if negotiations prove stressful oDemonstrable experience of managing social media channels in a complex organisation. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to present complex information to a large variety of audiences Understanding of corporate communications and reputation management Knowledge of communications techniques, approaches, procedures, health service communications, organisation, project management Understanding of dynamics and complexities of the NHS environment Evidence of a solid understanding, and practical application within a communications role, of the core requirements of legislation including Freedom of Information Act
Qualifications Essential
Relevant degree level or equivalent plus training and/or experience in communications field Evidence of continuing professional development
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.
Employer details Employer name St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address St George's Hospital
Blackshaw Road
London
SW17 0QT
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.stgeorges.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)