About this role
Job summary
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is looking for an experienced Communications and Engagement Manager to support the development of Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital/ Cambridge Children's Hospital, ambitious new hospitals on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in communicating a major healthcare project with significant public, political and stakeholder interest. Working with the Head of Communications for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital/ Cambridge Children's Hospital, you will plan and deliver high-quality communications and engagement activity that informs, involves and inspires staff, patients, partners and wider stakeholders.You will create compelling content for a range of channels, support media activity, deliver events, manage stakeholder communications, and help ensure patient and staff voices are represented throughout the project. You will also use audience insight, feedback and evaluation to shape effective, accessible communications.We are looking for someone with strong writing, planning and relationship-building skills, excellent judgement, and experience of delivering communications in a complex organisation. You will be confident working with senior colleagues, managing competing priorities and producing clear, engaging content.Join us and help tell the story of a hospital designed to transform care.
Main duties of the job
The Communications and Engagement Manager will help deliver an ambitious programme of communications and engagement around the new Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital/ Cambridge Children's Hospital, significant capital builds with widespread public and political interest on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus.
Working with the Head of Communications for Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital/ Cambridge Children's Hospital, you will be immersed in planning and delivering communication strategies.
You will need to work closely with workstream leads from across the Trust, as well as comms leads from partner organisations, to positively engage staff, patients and other stakeholders with the projects. You will ensure that patient and staff voices are heard and represented at all stages.
You will need to source, commission or create a variety of high quality content and assets for each project, manage communications channels and organise events to support comms objectives as appropriate, backed up by robust systems for measuring impact and value.
You will deputise for the Head of Communications in their absence, and work with other members of the CUH Communications team to secure media coverage and deliver communications activity where appropriate.
The Cambridge Children's Hospital role is 30 hours per week, fixed term until March 2027.
The Cambridge Cancer Research Hospital role is 37.5 hours per week, fixed term for 12 months.
About us
Our Trust
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Job description Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Please note:- Internal applicants on permanent contracts can apply for this post as a secondment or fixed term contract. For secondments you must have the approval of your line manager before applying. If you are an internal applicant currently on a fixed term contract you are able to apply for this as a fixed term position.
This vacancy will close at midnight on 31st August 2026.
Interviews are due to be held on 16th September 2026.
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Plus any additional requirements, i.e.
Please note:- Internal applicants on permanent contracts can apply for this post as a secondment or fixed term contract. For secondments you must have the approval of your line manager before applying. If you are an internal applicant currently on a fixed term contract you are able to apply for this as a fixed term position.
To be added to Band 2, Band 3, Band 4 Admin and Estates and Staff Bank posts:
As per Home Office guidelines, please be aware that, unfortunately, the Trust is unable to offer sponsorship for this particular position.
To be added to all advertised permanent vacancies:
Due to Home Office immigration rules, a full time permanent vacancy cannot be filled by individuals on a Student visa. Therefore, please be advised that if you are a Student visa holder, we will not be able to offer you a full time permanent contract unless you have:
- applied for a Graduate visa
- or you will have successfully completed your course and have applied for a Graduate visa before the anticipated start date of your employment
- Please note that we cannot accept applications from individuals who do not have the right to work in the UK or who have less than 6 months remaining on their visa from the proposed start date."
This vacancy will close at midnight on
Interviews are due to be held on
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only caf, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
Educated to degree level and/or equivalent level of skills or experience plus training and/or experience in the communications field to degree-level equivalent. Evidence of continuous professional development
Desirable
Either an under-graduate or post-graduate qualification in journalism, marketing, public relations or related field.
Experience Essential
Experience of leading external communications at a senior level in a large complex organisation. Dealing with a variety of professionals and staff at all levels. Experience of dealing with senior executives, providing advice where appropriate. Evidence of successful communication strategy, development and implementation. Experience in measuring and evaluating communications and designing channels that target audiences precisely. Practical experience in using different approaches to communications across all mediums. Experience of leading public engagement projects and consultations. Experience in stakeholder mapping techniques applied to large-scale change management projects. Experience in working with CRM-type databases as a tool for tracking public engagement projects.
Desirable
Experience of leading major project communications strategies within large NHS organisations
Knowledge Essential
Understanding of how to identify and target specific audience groups. Solid understanding of the law in relation to public engagement and consultation surrounding major service change in the NHS. Knowledge of customer relationships management databases and how they can be used to track delivery against a given strategy Knowledge of the media and how it operates as well as the law in relation to media relations Knowledge of editorial guidelines, content creation and channel management in communications practice.
Desirable
Knowledge of stakeholder communications approaches from across the industry sector and how they can be implemented in the NHS
Skills Essential
Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written communications skills. Political skills and knowledge of public sector issues, including those surrounding the NHS. Able to persuade and influence senior decision makers and develop highly effective working relationships with colleagues across a wide range of organisations. Ability to manage matrix stakeholder relationships in projects involving major change Ability to represent the organisation and reflect its aims and objectives, speaking publicly on its behalf. Able to plan complex multi-stakeholder communications projects and monitor their successful delivery with a high degree of attention to detail. Flexibility in handling a wide range of projects, managed to tight and competing deadlines. Ability to take the lead on projects involving external stakeholders at all levels. Ability to act with tact and diplomacy at all times. Ability to maintain the highest level of confidentiality.
Additional Requirements Essential
The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
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.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address Addenbrookes Hospital-Division Corporate
Hills Road
Cambridge
CB2 0QQ
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.cuh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)