About this role
Job summary
The Communications Specialist will support the delivery of communications and engagement activity for the Delegated Commissioning Programme within Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (SPFT).
he role will focus on developing and delivering targeted communications to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders across the Sussex Integrated Care System (ICS), supporting the transition and ongoing management of delegated commissioning responsibilities.
The post holder will play a key role in communicating complex commissioning arrangements, service changes, and system priorities in a clear and accessible way. This includes engaging with staff, providers, partners, and service users to ensure transparency, understanding, and effective stakeholder involvement.
The role requires strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to work independently while advising and influencing senior stakeholders across commissioning and provider organisations.
Main duties of the job
The Communications Specialist will lead the delivery of communications and engagement activity to support the Delegated Commissioning programme, ensuring complex commissioning arrangements, service changes, and system priorities are clearly understood across the Trust and wider Integrated Care System. Key duties include developing and implementing communications strategies and plans, producing high-quality content across multiple channels, managing stakeholder engagement with providers, staff, partners and service users, and supporting media activity and reputation management. The role also involves advising senior stakeholders, ensuring communications are embedded within programme delivery, monitoring engagement and impact, and maintaining effective communication systems and governance processes.
The role requires excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear and accessible messages. Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills are essential, alongside the ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently in a fast-paced environment. The postholder must demonstrate strong organisational skills, attention to detail, and a proactive, collaborative approach, with the confidence to advise senior colleagues and contribute to system-wide working.
About us
All staff are required to
o Abide by the standards of behaviour expected of all staff in the Trust disciplinary policy and procedure.o Adhere to all Trust policies and procedures and be responsible for making themselves aware of these policies and procedures.o Treat information relating to patient, employees and businesses of the Trust in the strictest confidence.o Maintain their own awareness of, and comply with, policies and procedures relating to Health and Safety (whether statutory or Trust), and assist in ensuring the compliance of other staff.o Support the Trust's visions and values and in particular the promotion of a positive approach to diversity, equality, rights, and treating others with dignity and respect; to eliminate discrimination and disadvantage in service delivery and employment, and to manage, support or comply by adhering to the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy. o Demonstrate the core principles of safeguarding and protection Human Rights; treating people with dignity, fairness, equality, respect and autonomy.o Develop and maintain positive relationships with all colleagues, taking account of their age, religion or belief, ethnicity, sex, marital or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, gender identity, pregnancy or maternity status and any disability.o Take responsibility for the safeguarding and protection of children and young people and vulnerable adults very seriously, as does The Trust.
Job description Job responsibilities
To provide leadership for communications, engagement and involvement strategies and plans to support the community transformation programme and related initiatives; To provide communications advice to the senior project leadership team, board members, clinicians, staff and partners; To manage and support stakeholder and public engagement related to the community transformation programme; Provide media relations, stakeholder engagement and other support as needed in relation to the Communications Department and the work of Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Ensure communications is considered in all planning relating to the programme; advising programme teams on appropriate approaches; Act as communications link between the community transformation programme and stakeholders including local community, local government, NHS England and NHS Improvement and all ICB partners. Develop and deliver a communications and engagement plan for internal and external stakeholders in line with the national and local objectives of the community transformation programme; Lead early and continual engagement with stakeholders to explain the programme vision and seek views in order to shape and design community services for the future; Develop creative content to explain the programme to the public; Produce briefings / newsletters / updates to proactively inform stakeholders about key activity of the transformation work; Facilitate a monthly webinar open to all stakeholders, to provide the latest updates from the programme. Position the local transformation work nationally - through blogs and media relations work in order to generate interest and clarity; Explore opportunities to share best practice with communications colleagues within the Sussex Partnership Communications team, the ICB and the NHS national communications network; Support the facilitation of the changing the language project and reference group, and work in collaboration with people with lived experience, and staff across the health and care sector; Ensure systems are in place to maintain an effective stakeholder management database.
Person Specification
Skills Essential
Demonstrates an ability to lead and delegate tasks to team members. Briefing members of the project team on approach to communications and engagement Provide coaching and guidance for media engagement to programme spokespeople Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including senior management, clinical staff, external partners and service users. Able to assimilate complex information and translate this into effective, engaging communications approaches. This includes developing effective engagement plans targeting a range of stakeholders. Ability to analyse very complex issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources. Regular management of difficult and distressing situations where there are competing and sometimes urgent demands. Demonstrates tact, diplomacy, sensitivity and maturity in dealing with people with differing perspectives and priorities. Advanced keyboard skills, IT literate and able to use a range of computer packages and the Internet. Ability to design presentations, publications and other relevant documents High levels of concentration required for drafting press releases, publications, providing communications advice to leaders and colleagues in the transformation project. Ability to analyse very complex issues where material is conflicting and drawn from multiple sources. Demonstrated capability to act upon incomplete information, using experience to make inferences and decision making. Frequent restriction position for working with IT equipment for content production and attending virtual calls. Demonstrate a proactive approach to support the team achieve the programme's milestones. Demonstrates a strong desire to improve performance and make a difference to the population of Sussex.
Qualifications Essential
Educated to degree level or relevant experience Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
Chartered Institute of Public Relations qualifications
Knowledge/Experience Essential
Highly specialist knowledge with significant experience in communications Knowledge of communications, public relations, journalism and marketing communications. Experience of developing communication and engagement plans involving internal and external stakeholders. Experience of or training in public sector communications and understanding of local Sussex political, NHS and third sector organisations Experience of setting up and implementing internal processes and procedures Knowledge of Financial Systems e.g. monitoring budget management, processing invoices and procurement Understanding of purchasing and budget sign off requirements for major projects
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 Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address Portland House
Richmond Road
Worthing
BN11 1HS
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)