Communications and Engagement Manager
16 hours ago
London
Job summaryThe Communications and Engagement Manager plays a key role in delivering high-quality, professional and responsive communications and engagement activity for Whittington Health to support the Trust's ambitions. The post-holder leads on and supports a range of internal and external communications projects and campaigns, providing expert advice and support, shaping and delivering strategic communications and engagement activity and ensuring that all the materials the team produces is of a high standard.The post holder will work in a dynamic and fast paced environment, enjoying working at the heart of a busy NHS organisation, where no two days are the same. The role features the opportunity to make a real impact by helping to protect and enhance the Trust's reputation while communicating and engaging with patients, local communities, and colleagues across the Trust and wider health and care system.The Communications and Engagement Manager is a key member of the Communications and Engagement Team. They will support a number of significant programmes, depending on the needs of the Team and the Trust, which may include the procurement of an electronic patient record, potential expansion of a Community Diagnostic Centre, a systemwide transformation of maternity and neonatal services, plus the rollout of a new clinical strategy and the Trust's ambitions as a leader in Neighbourhood Working.Main duties of the jobThe post holder will own the planning delivery and evaluation of individual projects across a diverse brief.Delivery of projects and campaigns will include the design, creation and publication of a wide range of materials to execute them. This includes social and digital resources, physical assets, engagement materials and other tactical products such as proactive media releases and reactive statements.Managed by the Head of Communications and Engagement, the post holder will support the day-to-day running of the team, ensuring the delivery of regular communications activities, including populating and critically examining the planning grid, creating and/or supervising internal and external newsletters, webinars and town halls.They will lead or support on identifying and delivering engagement in the communities we serve, placing listening and involvement at the heart of developing our plans.The post-holder will regularly generate proactive media opportunities, and will develop plans to ensure that generated media opportunities support the strategic ambitions of the Trust, ensure our vision, values and other key messages are clearly articulated.The communications team may flex over time depending on organisational need, but at the point of recruitment the post holder will line-manage two Communications and Engagement Officers, ensuring that they are supported to thrive in their role, and that their work is timely and of high quality.About usThe Communications and Engagement Team operates in a demanding and busy environment. The team has a wide range of stakeholders including 5,000 staff and the 500,000 people the Trust cares for and supports at our hospital site and across the community. The team also builds and maintains positive relationships with regional and national health and care organisations and commissioners, local authorities, councillors and MPs, other local partner organisations, and local, regional and national media.The Team plays a key role in managing and enhancing the reputation of the organisation. It leads and/or contributes towards campaigns, media management, communications with staff and external stakeholders, community engagement, corporate publications, patient information, service changes and major incidents.The members of the Communications and Engagement Team also exemplars of the best of the Trust's culture, living the organisation's ICARE values, underpinning all their work with Equity.The team works innovatively, and team members are encouraged to keep building their knowledge within their roles and stay abreast of the leading edge of communications practice.The team is small and collaborative, and team members step in to support one another when necessary as priorities and capacities shift in the context of constant change across the NHS.DetailsDate posted14 August 2026Pay schemeAgenda for changeBandBand 7Salary 58,133 to 65,261 a year per annum inclusive of HCAs ContractPermanentWorking pattern Full-time Reference number220-WHT-8148164Job locationsWhittington HospitalMagdala AvenueLondonN19 5NFUnited KingdomJob descriptionJob responsibilitiesPlease see the Job Description and Person Specification for more information, or call Mike Smith for a chat about the role. Job description Job responsibilitiesPlease see the Job Description and Person Specification for more information, or call Mike Smith for a chat about the role.Person Specification Education and qualifications EssentialMaster's degree, specialist communication postgraduate qualification, or equivalent experienceEvidence of continued learning and development in communications and engagementDesirableProject Management qualification or equivalent experienceMembership of a professional body such as the CIPR or PRCA Experience EssentialExperience of complex communications and engagement activityExperience of issues management, including crisis management and confident handling of stakeholders and media on contentious subjectsExperience of line management within a complex organisationExperience of creating opportunities and working collaboratively with internal and external partnersExperience of using digital channels including social media to communicate with key audiencesExperience of project ownership, including planning, delivery and evaluationExperience managing a budget for projects or campaignsDesirableExperience of engagement with a diverse range of stakeholdersExperience in the NHS, or another politically high-profile settingExperience of working innovatively, using new and emerging tools to improve impactExperience of developing and delivering business cases Skills EssentialAbility to command the confidence of colleagues, staff, Directors and Board membersKnowledge of myriad communication channels, their strengths and weaknesses.Politically astute with proven track record of developing networksProven ability to manage and deliver to deadlines and within resourcesProven ability to think and plan strategically and prioritise work programmes in the face of competing demandsExcellent written, and verbal/oral communication skillsExcellent numerical, critical reasoning skillsEffective negotiation and influencing skillsAbility to deal with highly complex or highly sensitive informationAbility to communicate effectively to a range of audiences, including those with significant barriers to understanding or acceptance or in a hostile or emotive environmentAbility to identify, lead and facilitate new initiativesAbility to build relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, partners and interested partiesSignificant influencing and persuasion skillsDesirableA good understanding of the NHS and the changing environment, including awareness and understanding of current and impending health policy developmentsUnderstanding of current data protection and freedom of information legislationUnderstanding of impact of current health policy developments on provider organisations Personal qualities EssentialExcellent interpersonal skillsExcellent political awareness and sensitivityExcellent team playerEmotionally resilient and able to work to demanding timetablesPositive, and curious with creative energy and a bias to action Person Specification Education and qualifications EssentialMaster's degree, specialist communication postgraduate qualification, or equivalent experienceEvidence of continued learning and development in communications and engagementDesirableProject Management qualification or equivalent experienceMembership of a professional body such as the CIPR or PRCA Experience EssentialExperience of complex communications and engagement activityExperience of issues management, including crisis management and confident handling of stakeholders and media on contentious subjectsExperience of line management within a complex organisationExperience of creating opportunities and working collaboratively with internal and external partnersExperience of using digital channels including social media to communicate with key audiencesExperience of project ownership, including planning, delivery and evaluationExperience managing a budget for projects or campaignsDesirableExperience of engagement with a diverse range of stakeholdersExperience in the NHS, or another politically high-profile settingExperience of working innovatively, using new and emerging tools to improve impactExperience of developing and delivering business cases Skills EssentialAbility to command the confidence of colleagues, staff, Directors and Board membersKnowledge of myriad communication channels, their strengths and weaknesses.Politically astute with proven track record of developing networksProven ability to manage and deliver to deadlines and within resourcesProven ability to think and plan strategically and prioritise work programmes in the face of competing demandsExcellent written, and verbal/oral communication skillsExcellent numerical, critical reasoning skillsEffective negotiation and influencing skillsAbility to deal with highly complex or highly sensitive informationAbility to communicate effectively to a range of audiences, including those with significant barriers to understanding or acceptance or in a hostile or emotive environmentAbility to identify, lead and facilitate new initiativesAbility to build relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, partners and interested partiesSignificant influencing and persuasion skillsDesirableA good understanding of the NHS and the changing environment, including awareness and understanding of current and impending health policy developmentsUnderstanding of current data protection and freedom of information legislationUnderstanding of impact of current health policy developments on provider organisations Personal qualities EssentialExcellent interpersonal skillsExcellent political awareness and sensitivityExcellent team playerEmotionally resilient and able to work to demanding timetablesPositive, and curious with creative energy and a bias to actionDisclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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 SponsorshipApplications 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). Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service CheckThis 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 SponsorshipApplications 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 detailsEmployer nameWhittington Hospital NHS TrustAddressWhittington HospitalMagdala AvenueLondonN19 5NFUnited KingdomEmployer's websiteEmployer detailsEmployer nameWhittington Hospital NHS TrustAddressWhittington HospitalMagdala AvenueLondonN19 5NFUnited KingdomEmployer's website