Associate Director of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement

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South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has a rich history, well-established community links and an international reputation. We deliver specialist services in the London boroughs of Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Wandsworth and Richmond.

We are committed to providing high quality and specialist care to our service users and we are recognised for the care and treatment we provide. The Care Quality Commission rates our services as 'good'.

We launched our five-year strategy, Aiming High; Changing Lives in 2021, together with Our Care Improvement System as our quality management system methodology to make a positive impact on patient care, outcomes, and staff experience. By joining SLaM, all staff will get the opportunity to be part of this exciting improvement journey supported with learning and development to harness everyone's potential as change makers.

The trust recognises the unique and valuable contribution that people with lived experience of mental illness can bring to a role. We therefore welcome applications from people with lived experience and consider them as an asset to the Trust.

Our Values

We take pride in providing specialist care to our service users where our Trust values and our promise to be caring, kind, polite, prompt, honest, listen and do what I say I'm going to do is at the heart of everything we do. When you join us, you'll be part of something special.

As a Trust, we are happy to talk flexible working.

Job overview

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Assistant Director of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement to join our communications senior leadership team. In this pivotal role, you will shape and execute our communications strategy, enhancing our public profile and ensuring clear, effective messaging across all of our internal and external channels.

You will be committed to bringing our values to life, producing exceptional communication campaigns and being a collaborative leader that can build relationships and inspire their team. You will also be confident working in a complex and fast-paced environment with high levels of public and media scrutiny.

Join us in making a meaningful impact on mental health in our community.

Main duties of the job

• To oversee the development, delivery, and evaluation of the Trust's communications strategy and stakeholder and community engagement plan that supports the Trust's strategic objectives and builds the Trust's reputation as a leading organisation within the NHS.
• To ensure that relationships with key stakeholders are maintained and proactively developed.
• To oversee the development and delivery of communications and engagement plans to support major trust-wide projects, providing leadership and expert advice.
• To work with senior managers to identify and develop communications campaigns to support the organisation in meeting its strategic objectives.
• To ensure that all communications materials and channels help build the Trust's reputation as a leading organisation within the NHS, are correctly tailored for the appropriate target audiences, including hard-to-reach audiences, and are in line with the Trust's overall communications strategy.
• To ensure the Trust brand and visual identity are developed and protected, including supporting other staff in the correct application of corporate style guidelines, ensuring compliance and addressing inconsistencies.
• To ensure the organisational internal and external channels are kept up-to-date with the relevant information from the clinical programmes and workstreams.
• To develop and maintain the Trust's Trust and Reputation dashboard and provide analysis.

Working for our organisation

We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and understand the importance of a healthy work-life balance. There is an extensive range of excellent benefits for you and your family.

Some of our benefits include:

• Generous pay, pensions, and leave, dependent on the role and length of service.
• Work-life balance with flexible working options such as part-time working and job sharing.
• Career development with opportunities to progress your career through mentoring, coaching, positive people management, collective leadership, and other talent programmes.
• Car lease options with competitive deals.
• Accommodation options available for key workers on selected sites.

Other benefits include:

• Counselling services
• Wellbeing events
• Long service awards
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Childcare vouchers
• Staff restaurants

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Leadership and strategy

• Lead the communications and stakeholder engagement team, setting agreed programmes of work and objectives in line with the overall communications strategy.
• Advise senior colleagues, including the Trust Board, on strategic communications and related issues, writing briefs and reports for senior colleagues.
• Provide advice and guidance to the Trust Board, Chief Executive, and the senior leadership team in accordance with current legislation, NHS initiatives, DHSC guidance, and communications best practice.
• Be an active participant in developing the department's annual strategic plan and other planning as required.
• Be the accountable lead for stakeholder relations and public affairs activity that builds the Trust's reputation as a leading organisation within the NHS, ensuring media activity is in line with the Trust's overall stakeholder and community engagement plan.
• Connect with peers across the South East London Integrated Care System (and beyond) to situate South London and Maudsley in the broader narrative of improving healthcare and lives in south east London.
• Be aware, promote the investigation, and, where beneficial, encourage the adoption of new and emerging technologies and media platforms.
• Audit all activity on an ongoing basis and devise and implement action plans to make required improvements.
• Deputise for the Director of Communications and Engagement where appropriate.

Management (including finance and resources)

• Directly line-manage the Senior Communications Manager and Stakeholder and Public Affairs Manager, including performance, annual leave, and sick leave.
• Responsible for the day-to-day management and direction of the Communications and Stakeholder Engagement team.
• Management of recruitment activity for any vacant posts within the team, ensuring compliance with training etc.
• Budgetary responsibility for the Communications and Stakeholder Engagement team, allocating financial and staff resources to projects, managing spend for projects and delivering projects within the agreed and allocated resources and in accordance with the Trust's Standing Financial Instructions.
• Constantly strive for value for money and greater efficiency in the use of these budgets and to ensure that they operate in recurrent financial balance year on year.
• Responsibility for tracking expenditure on communication and media activities and providing reports to the Director of Communications and Engagement, as required.
• Manage third parties (such as suppliers) to ensure deliverables are met in a timely manner and within budget.
• Commission and brief designers, communications agencies, and other external suppliers; ensuring that expenditure stays within agreed budget.
• Ensure administrative and financial integrity as expected within a public sector organisation following Trust and national guidance.

Reputation management

• To deliver creative communication campaigns and materials, alongside engagement activities that build the Trust's reputation as a leading organisation within the NHS.
• Maintain the Trust's Trust and Reputation dashboard, providing information on key metrics.
• Undertake market research projects as necessary to explore, benchmark, and measure levels of trust and the Trust's reputation amongst its communities and stakeholders.
• Horizon scan for opportunities for the Trust to raise its profile externally, including regional and national initiatives and events.
• Take, and be accountable for, decisions on reputational management, in order to support the Trust Board and senior managers.
• Lead on media management for the Trust, including agreeing proactive and reactive lines to take in relation to media enquiries.
• Provide advice, guidance, and engagement support to serious incident investigations and inquests.
• Manage the reputation of the organisation, advising senior managers and frontline staff of any potential reputational issues.
• Analyse, interpret, and present data to highlight issues, risks and support decision making with regards to reputation and stakeholder management.
• Brief the Executive and Senior Management teams on any potential media and reputational issues.
• Develop communications handling plans for sensitive issues including, but not limited to, serious incidents (both clinical and non-clinical), incidents involving patients and high-profile complaints.
• Develop and deliver crisis communications handling plans and direct the involvement of the wider communications team in the delivery of these.
• Act as a spokesperson for the Trust if appropriate and required, leading internal and external events and managing contentious issues.
• Ensure the Trust's values are embedded and expressed in all activities and underpin all communications and stakeholder activities.

Clinical communications (including patient information)

• To maintain and develop clinical communications that measurably inform and inspire our colleagues, in line with the organisation's strategic priorities.
• To lead on the strategic aspects of clinical communications, including the development, delivery, and evaluation of strategies and plans, advising both the team and senior management of key messages, channels, and actions.
• To develop and maintain patient information approach, including the auditing of patient information materials to ensure they are accurate and high quality.
• To be the lead operational responsible officer for clinical communications activities.
• To use specialist expertise to influence and persuade senior colleagues on a wide range of complex communications issues.
• Engage actively with colleagues across the Trust, using a range of methods, to monitor and improve the effectiveness of our internal communications.
• Encourage the clinical communications team to be creative and ambitious, alert to best practice and effective techniques from any sector.
• Ensure the Trust's values are embedded and expressed in all activities and underpin all clinical messages.

Stakeholder engagement

• To build and maintain strong and highly effective collaborative working relationships with system partners and wider regional and national partners (including the voluntary and community sector; media; patient groups; and pressure groups), creating the conditions for successful partnerships and promoting a culture of co-design and collaboration.
• To ensure that the Trust influences and seeks input from wider system partners including provider collaboratives, public health, local government, the voluntary and community sector, other partners, and local communities.
• Build a network of stakeholders that can be called on in relation to communication campaigns and initiatives.
• Be visible to colleagues as the key point of contact for external communications and stakeholder engagement.
• Work positively and collaboratively with colleagues at all levels, up to and including the Executive Team.
• Connect and work closely with peers across the south east London ICS.
• To advise and take decisions in relation to informal engagement and formal consultation activities as part of service developments and organisational change.

Project management

• To prioritise, plan and allocate resources (including budgets and staffing) for the delivery of key communications and media activities and projects.
• To apply measurement criteria and tools and evaluate communications and media activity and outcomes in line with project briefs.

Information Resources

• To produce and/or assist in the preparation of reports and, where necessary, attend relevant meetings with internal and external stakeholders to deliver those reports and advise on communications and media issues.
• To prepare briefings for regulatory, advisory bodies or internal stakeholders in respect of updating them on complex issues on an ad hoc basis as requested by the Director of Communications and Engagement.
• To analyse complex statistical data to inform the development of communications strategies, plans, and reports.
• To undertake annual audits and surveys and utilise other feedback techniques to evaluate the communications function both internally and externally, reporting findings and recommendations for improvement to the Executive Management Team and Senior Leadership Team.

Research and Development

• To be responsible for keeping up-to-date with best practice and new techniques in media relations, marketing, brand, digital communications, and public affairs.
• To keep up to date with national policy, new health initiatives, and partner organisations strategies and plans and how these impact locally on the Trust.
• Keep up to date with new and emerging technologies and platforms, and their potential to enhance our communications and media activities.

Training and Development

• To undertake mandatory and statutory training as required by Trust policy.
• To contribute and commit to undertaking an annual Development Review/appraisal.
• To undertake personal development as identified in the Personal Development Plan (PDP).
• To train colleagues at all levels across the Trust in PR skills, particularly in media handling and social media, as required.

Person specification

Training and Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Educated to master's level in relevant subject or equivalent level qualification or significant experience working at a similar level in a specialist area.

Desirable criteria

• CIPR diploma or advanced certificate.
• Professional qualification or equivalent experience in communications.

Values and behaviours

Essential criteria

• Ability to act in accordance with our values and behaviours.

Other

Essential criteria

• Empathy for individuals who have experienced mental health problems.

Desirable criteria

• Personal experience of mental health problems.

Experience

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable experience working in Communications at senior management level within a large NHS organisation or equivalent relevant health care environment.
• Experience in working with and influencing senior stakeholders and stakeholder groups, including at board level.
• Experience in developing and delivering creative, effective, and impactful communications strategies within the NHS.
• Experience in managing relationships, briefings, and events with high profile and influential external stakeholders, including MPs, councillors, NHS chairs and CEOs, and journalists.
• Experience in media management and 'crisis communications'.
• Demonstrable experience in establishing collaborative working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders/agencies.
• Experience in dealing with and advising on complex and/or sensitive/contentious matters.
• Experience in effectively planning, organising, and undertaking public engagement.
• Track record in managing, developing, and motivating individuals and high-performing teams, and in implementing and maintaining effective administrative systems and processes.
• Experience in budgetary management and the application of financial resources.
• Demonstrable communications experience working with digital, web, and new/social media channels.
• Working with and developing brands - visual and verbal - and championing the brand within the organisation.

Desirable criteria

• Experience working with NHS regulators.
• Managing significant budgets, suppliers, and effective matrix management across departments to deliver strategic goals through influencing and leading the work of others.

Knowledge and skills

Essential criteria

• Highly advanced communications skills as an expert and leader, using these skills both practically in hands-on delivery of communications products and strategically.
• Exercise influence, present complex information and engage in high-level discussions.
• Knowledge of communications, public relations, journalism, and communications techniques, approaches, procedures, gained within one or more of the NHS, health or related public sector or consumer/third sector communications, organisational and external political and stakeholder environment: acquired through experience in a relevant communications role.
• Highly skilled political operator in working with a wide range of external organisations such as local government, central government agencies, private sector agencies, community bodies, and the voluntary and independent sector.
• Developing and deploying messaging platforms and working in a complicated stakeholder environment with multiple demands and agendas.
• Able to lead, motivate, and develop a team.
• Able to evaluate and learn from outcomes, with a clear commitment to innovation, learning, and improvement.
• Effectiveness in conflict resolution and management.

Desirable criteria

• Advanced skills of analysis, and ability to exercise sophisticated judgement in relation to PR implications of decisions and actions.
• Identify interdependencies, manage risks, model the potential impacts of change and determine resource requirements.

The Trust is committed to providing services which embrace diversity and that promote equality of opportunity. We are a Disability Confident Employer and welcome applicants from all sections of the community and people of all protected characteristics. We provide reasonable adjustments for candidates with a disability and are committed to treating people fairly with compassion, respect, and dignity and in promoting equality and human rights. We aim to put this commitment into practice by:

• Embedding our commitment to tackling inequality, eliminating discrimination and harassment; promoting equality of opportunity and fostering good relations in our everyday practice.
• Ensuring that all our services and all staff understand and support our commitment.
• We believe that people who use our services, their carers and our staff, should be treated with compassion, respect, and dignity.

Please note:

• All applications for this post will need to be made online.
• Read and understand the Job Description and Personal Specification attached to the role. Your Statement in Support should reflect the requirements specified as your application will be judged against these criteria.
• The closing date listed is a guide only and that the vacancy may close earlier should a sufficient number of applicants have been received. We advise that you submit your application as early as possible.
• Once you have submitted your application you agree to your application being transferred to a 3rd party e-recruitment system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs.
• Should you not have heard from us within three weeks from the closing date, your application has not been successful.
• Priority consideration for applications may be given to at-risk NHS employees.
• Should you be successful and appointed, you authorise South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust to confirm your previous NHS service via an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) process.
• We are a smoke-free Trust.

SLaM is a Stonewall Diversity Champion; Stonewall is the largest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans (LGBT) rights charity in Europe.