Job summary
Agenda for Change Band 8d- salary range £79,592 to £91,787.
We are looking for an exceptional communications professional to join us as our new Associate Director of Communications and Engagement. In this role, the Associate Director ensures that our strategic communications are supportive of our vision and strategic objectives, well-planned, high quality and appropriate for a range of stakeholders including, patients, carers, staff, partner organisations, members, the public and the media.
The Associate Director of Communications and Engagement is required to strategically lead and be accountable for the communications function providing professional advice, expertise and leadership on all aspects of communication, working particularly closely with the Deputy Chief Executive and supporting them in the interface with our two Integrated Care Systems.
Main duties of the job
To thrive as our Associate Director of Communications and Engagement we anticipate that you will be drawing on extensive experience in demanding senior communications roles and will be effective at managing a very busy and extensive portfolio of work. We are looking for you to have the confidence to work autonomously and, above all else, to be a credible and knowledgeable in communications and engagement, someone who is keen to really understand our services and who can lead on our development, implementation and evaluation of communications strategies, projects and campaigns on behalf of the Board of Directors and the Executive Team.
You will be a very visible presence, a focal point for all leaders and managers at AWP, and a key leadership figure for the Communications Team. You will have a crucial role in providing communications, marketing and media, reputation and crisis management advice to the Board of Directors, Executive Team and other senior managers. You will promote AWP as ‘an outstanding Trust’ by supporting the delivery of the Trust corporate and clinical strategies and promote the Trust brand and identity.
Above all you must have a true passion to ensure that AWP establishes new and innovative ways to optimise the connections with our population and stakeholders as well as our staff and local workforce.
About us
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust) a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care. We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset. Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please find a detailed Job Description attached which sets out the main responsibilities of the role. If this sounds like you, then we would like you to apply and if youd like to discuss this exciting opportunity please contact Alison Smith, Deputy Chief Executive at alison.smith199@nhs.net
Provisional Interview Date: 10th February 2023
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please find a detailed Job Description attached which sets out the main responsibilities of the role. If this sounds like you, then we would like you to apply and if youd like to discuss this exciting opportunity please contact Alison Smith, Deputy Chief Executive at alison.smith199@nhs.net
Provisional Interview Date: 10th February 2023
Person Specification
education
Essential
- Relevant professional qualification such-as a Masters degree in PR, communications, media or marketing Masters degree
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Professional knowledge acquired through postgraduate degree experience, working at Associate Director level , short specialist courses, CPD, and in addition further specialist communications training or equivalent experience
- Significant experience at a management level in a professional communications or PR role, preferably in a service organisation
- Significant and wide-ranging experience of orchestrating, overseeing, evaluating and updating effective strategies at a senior level
- Proven experience of effectively leading a successful communications team
- Experience of managing budgets
- Excellent writing skills using plain English and a variety of styles for varying audiences
- Very senior level experience of managing external and internal communications issues, including high-profile media and internal communications associated with a major incident, crisis or other difficult situation
Person Specification
education
Essential
- Relevant professional qualification such-as a Masters degree in PR, communications, media or marketing Masters degree
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Professional knowledge acquired through postgraduate degree experience, working at Associate Director level , short specialist courses, CPD, and in addition further specialist communications training or equivalent experience
- Significant experience at a management level in a professional communications or PR role, preferably in a service organisation
- Significant and wide-ranging experience of orchestrating, overseeing, evaluating and updating effective strategies at a senior level
- Proven experience of effectively leading a successful communications team
- Experience of managing budgets
- Excellent writing skills using plain English and a variety of styles for varying audiences
- Very senior level experience of managing external and internal communications issues, including high-profile media and internal communications associated with a major incident, crisis or other difficult situation
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.
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) .
Additional information
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) .
