JOB DESCRIPTION

Job Title: Deputy Director Communications, NHS Employers

Reports To: Director of Communications, NHS Confederation

(dotted line to Director, NHS Employers)

Location: London or Leeds (with frequent travel to other location)

FTE: 1.2 WTE job share

Date Prepared: May 2011

PURPOSE

The Deputy Director works alongside the Directors of NHS Employers to ensure that the organisation, as part of the NHS Confederation, is successful in meeting its strategic and business objectives and fulfilling the aspirations and expectations of its key stakeholders who are NHS organisations, the Policy Board, the Department of Health, national networks of employers and NHS Confederation members.

NATURE & SCOPE

Including Dimensions

The postholder will ensure that NHS Employers has a high profile, strong relationships and a positive reputation with the NHS, the Department of Health and with a broad range of national and regional stakeholders including ministers; is aware of and fully responsive to the priorities and needs of employers; and has effective and comprehensive communications, engagement and networking programmes to support its work.

As part of NHS Employers senior management team the postholder will be expected to take responsibility for input into strategic decisions and planning, and to be an ambassador for the organisation.

Key Relationships:

·  Chair and members of the NHS Employers Board and Policy Board

·  Senior civil servants in the DH, particularly the Director and senior officials in the Communications Directorate

·  Senior national contacts in stakeholder bodies including the health trade unions, professional associations and arms length bodies

·  Directors of the NHS Confederation and network leads

·  Deputy Director of Communications, Deputy Director of Engagement and Head of Events

Dimensions:

Staffing: Responsible for approximately 16 staff

Budget: Staffing budget: £500k approx

Activity budget: £1m approx

STRUCTURE CHART

ACCOUNTABILITIES

·  Represent NHS Employers publicly with a range of stakeholders.

·  Represent the Director – NHS Employers and Director of Communications, NHS Confederation as required.

·  To be ambassador for the organisation as part of the NHSE Senior management team.

·  To provide senior management and professional leadership and strategic advice on the range of communications activities across the organisation, ensuring that NHS Employers has a high profile and a positive reputation.

·  To oversee the marketing, positioning and communications activities in relation to the NHSE annual events for workforce leaders in the NHS, focussing on generation of relevant programme content and the wider impact of the event on NHS Employer reputation.

·  To oversee and commission additional marketing, sponsorship and commercial partnership activity to support the work programme of NHS Employers, ensuring that it is integrated into other communications activity for NHS Employers.

·  To ensure the development and maintenance of an effective and relevant corporate and knowledge website for NHS Employers, incorporating systems for timely two-way sharing of information.

·  To oversee the commissioning of regular evaluation of the views of key audiences in order to continually improve on our reputation an awareness of our work programmes.

·  To develop and oversee effective mechanisms for gathering the views of employers, ensuring that our work programmes meet their priorities and needs.

·  To develop regional and national contacts with employers, particularly HR and workforce leads.

·  To lead on the management of relationships and partnerships with key stakeholders, including the Department of Health, NHS professional organisations and trade unions.

·  In conjunction with the Directors of NHS Employers, support the development and implementation of organisational marketing plans, new product development, business partnerships and targeting of new audiences.

·  To oversee the commissioning and ensure delivery of effective, relevant and high qualityexternal communications including media, stakeholder and parliamentary relations and print and digital media and have final sign off for all media, public affairs and policy materials for NHS Employers.

·  To oversee the preparation and sign off all formal responses for NHS Employers to consultations, inquiries and evidence to parliamentary committees.

·  To ensure that new and emerging issues and risks are identified at an early stage, and appropriate handling strategies are developed.

·  As part of the senior management team, contribute to the NHS Employers/NHS Confederation organisational development process and the strategic development of NHS Employers.

·  Line management of strategic communications, NHS Careers communications, corporate communications and employer engagement teams.

·  To be accountable for the organisation’s core communications budget.

·  To work closely with the Deputy Director of Communications and Deputy Director of Engagement to ensure we develop and deliver consistent, joined up and value-added communications messages and products for journalists, political audiences, stakeholders, NHS leaders and managers, HR leaders and practitioners and other key audiences across the whole organisation.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

The postholder is expected to be educated to degree level with a suitable professional qualification or higher degree. First class technical skills in a communications function are essential.

The post requires extensive senior management experience in public sector organisations and experience of working with Ministers and senior officials in Whitehall and with national officials and trade unions. A thorough understanding of the structure and operation of the NHS and the national workforce agenda is essential.

Other skills and abilities include:

·  Strong influencing skills

·  Able to identify and manage political sensitivities and priorities

·  High level communication skills

·  Strong programme management skills

·  Able to lead and motivate teams

·  Ability to prioritise and manage own workload and conflicting priorities

SAFETY

Health and Safety at Work Act

The postholder is required to take reasonable care for the safety and health of themselves and others who may be affected by their acts and to promote/ maintain health and safety measures.

Job Description Deputy Director for Communications (NHS Employers)

ATTRIBUTES /

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

/ DESIRABLE CRITERIA / DEMONSTRATED BY
Experience / ·  A record of achievement in strategic communications at a senior level
·  A strong track record in managing complex internal and external relationships
·  Experience of managing people and budgets / Application
Knowledge / ·  Understanding of how to work in a complex matrix-organisation
·  Understanding of use of a range of communications channels
·  Understanding of marketing techniques / ·  Extensive knowledge of heath and public sector issues / Application
Interview
Skills / ·  First class written and oral communications
·  Excellent political awareness
·  Quick to interpret complex issues
·  Conflict resolution
·  Ability to work under pressure
·  Ability to maintain focus on longer term strategy
·  Demonstrable personal impact, with strong representational, influencing and negotiating skills

Job Description Deputy Director for Communications (NHS Employers)