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Communications Manager

Employer
Barts Charity
Location
Central London (with temporary home working due to COVID-19)
Salary
Starting salary: £35,000 - £40,000 per annum depending on experience
Closing date
11 Oct 2020

View more

Function
PR & Communications
Sector
Health & Medical
Hours
Full Time
Contract Type
Permanent

Job Description

Job title: Communications Manager

Department: Marketing & Communications

Reports to: Director of Marketing and Communications

Key relationships:

  • Marketing & Communications
  • Engagement & Fundraising
  • Relevant Trust staff

Purpose of the role

To promote Barts Charity and its activities in support of brand profile, increased donor acquisition, fundraising appeals and positive stakeholder relations

About Barts Charity

Barts Charity funds ground-breaking research, state-of-the-art equipment and innovative healthcare projects in London.

Our recent COVID-19 emergency appeal raised over £5m for the Barts Health NHS Trust (comprising St Bartholomew’s, the Royal London, Mile End, Whipps Cross, Newham University and the Nightingale London Hospitals) with funds providing life-saving patient care and long term wellbeing support for staff. We provide awards totalling £30m each year, making us a nationally significant healthcare funder. We sponsor medical research undertaken at the London School of Medicine and Dentistry, part of Queen Mary University London, supporting medical breakthroughs in a wide range areas including cardiology, trauma, HIV and COVID.

Regarding our values and behaviours, we:

  • are ambitious, focused and positive;
  • are impactful and proud of what we do;
  • collaborate, innovate and are always learning; are energetic, friendly and support each other;
  • behave with integrity, respect others and inspire trust.

About the role

Reporting to the Director of Marketing and Communications, this role is pivotal in the future development of the Charity as a nationally recognised brand. As we embark on a major brand awareness and supporter acquisition campaign, we need a communications professional with an expert understanding of media relations and/or campaigns to lead our external engagement activities and support internal communications both within the Charity and the Barts Health NHS Trust.

About you

You are ambitious, creative and results driven. You are passionate about the power of communications to influence behaviour and inspire action, and you have a strong capacity to persuade and motivate others.

You have exemplary experience in media relations, PR or campaigns and extensive media contacts. You are strategically minded and able to track and report performance in key audience segments according to clearly defined outcomes. You have a strong affinity with the medical sector in the UK. And experience in communicating science and/or on health and social affairs issues will be an advantage. You will have experience of managing external agencies or working in a client-facing role within a PR or communications agency.

Key responsibilities

Through a proactive and strategically aligned approach to PR and media relations, raise the profile of Barts Charity, building our brand awareness and engagement level to harness increased donations and greater recognition of our role:

  • Work with the Director of Marketing and Communications on the development of a proactive media engagement plan formed around key strategic priorities, including ‘business as usual’ and campaign-related content Identify and respond to reactive opportunities in a way that supports strategic focus and strategic messaging
  • Seek opportunities for engagement-focused events and activities targeting our key audiences and supporting our positioning strategy
  • Develop key messages, briefing documents and other resources to support a transformational programme of promotional activities
  • Ensure spokespeople are identified, trained and supported Write and place press releases, op-eds, articles and blogs to deliver positive coverage
  • Track reputation risk and devise strategies for responding to, minimising and mitigating those risks
  • Ensure a proactive approach to risk management internally and externally with key partners Campaigns
  • Support calls to action on behalf of Barts Charity including through PR partnerships, media endorsements, engagement events and celebrity support
  • Develop ideas for and organise PR launches, photoshoots and media briefings
  • Contribute to and drive campaign development through adept project management, story planning and case study acquisition
  • Ensure regular reviews of effectiveness and performance

Internal communications

  • Ensure that major funding announcements, appeal launches and Charity developments are routinely shared with Barts Charity colleagues and, through collaboration with the Trust’s Comms Team, with staff at all five Trust hospitals
  • In close collaboration with Engagement and Fundraising colleagues, support the Trust’s staff engagement programme including through promotion of the Health Heroes Awards
  • Devise a long term approach to internal communications targeting staff at the Barts Health NHS Trust

Networking, strategic planning and performance monitoring

  • Grow and maintain close contacts across local, national and specialist media outlets (print, broadcast and online)
  • Develop strong professional relationships with partners and stakeholders including (but not limited to) Barts Health NHS Trust, Queen Mary University of London, sector colleagues and suppliers
  • Engage in shared planning and professional development with Barts Health NHS Trust Communications colleagues

The above list of responsibilities is not exhaustive. From time to time, the postholder may be required to carry out other such duties that are broadly consistent with the role, as reasonably requested by the Director of Marketing and Communications.

Inclusion

The population of northeast London is one of the most diverse in the UK. The staffs of both Barts Health and SMD have a significant proportion of BAME employees.  We at Barts Charity recognise that we need our staff and senior volunteers to be more representative of the organisations which we fund, and the people whose healthcare we are looking to improve.   By embracing greater diversity of thought and experience, alongside consciously devoting our funding to addressing healthcare inequalities, we can be a more impactful funder and a potent agent for change. 

We encourage applications from underrepresented groups, particularly people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, but also a broad age-range and people living with disabilities.

We work to ensure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible to everyone. This includes making reasonable adjustments for people who have a disability or long-term condition. If you would like us to make reasonable adjustments during the application process, please let us know when you apply.

How to apply

In order to apply, please submit a CV along with a covering letter which explains how your experience and values make you a good match for this role. Please include your current salary and your current notice period. 

Please send your application to joinus@bartscharity.org.uk

All candidates are also requested to complete an online Diversity & Inclusion Monitoring Form which will be sent to you when we have received your application. This will help us monitor selection decisions to assess whether we are meeting our equality of opportunity targets. Any information collated from the Monitoring Forms is anonymous and will not be used as part of the selection process.

Personal data

In line with GDPR, we ask that in your CV and covering letter you do NOT send us any information that can identify children or any of your Sensitive Personal Data (racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, data concerning health or sex life and sexual orientation, genetic and/or biometric data). Following this notice, any inclusion of your Sensitive Personal Data in your CV/application documentation will be understood by us as your express consent to process this information going forward. Please also remember to not mention anyone’s information or details (e.g. referees) who have not previously agreed to their inclusion.

 

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential = E   Desirable = D

EDUCATION/ QUALIFICATION

Degree level or equivalent - D

Relevant experience - E

SKILLS

Excellent communications and influencing skills, both written and verbal - E

Able to engage effectively with multiple stakeholders and talk with authority and confidence - E   

Exemplary copywriting, editing and proofreading skills including ability to craft copy for different audiences and through different channels (including ability to produce blogs, press releases, web copy, social media posts and print editorial) - E

Ability to analyse risk and opportunity (tactical and strategic) and provide succinct written and verbal briefs to senior colleagues - E

Ability to translate complex technical or scientific information into engaging and accessible copy - E

Project management skills - D

Ability to act as a media spokesperson as required - D      

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE

Knowledge and understanding of media editorial process and news cycles - E

Ability to demonstrate experience of working in a campaigns-focused environment (either behaviour change or influence) - E

Affinity with donor audiences - E 

Internal communications and / or stakeholder management experience, preferably in a complex or politically sensitive environment - D

Experience working in an issues-led communications environment - D

Line management experience - D 

OTHER REQUIREMENTS

Self-sufficient but able to take direction and ensure alignment with strategy - E

Experience of prioritising and organising work effectively, able to operate as an integral part of a small team - E

Excellent people skills - E 

Demonstrable commitment to principles of equality, diversity and inclusion - E 

Aptitude for leadership - D

Demonstrable interest in healthcare and health innovation - D

 

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