Manager Communications jobs in United Kingdom

Employer University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Leicester Royal Infirmary Town Leicester Salary £47,810 - £54,710 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 27/02/2026 23:59

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The UHL-UHN Group is moving through a programme of significant transformation involving the implementation of transformative clinical models of service and organisational integration, including the introduction of AI-based systems. A key element of this change will be the constant evolution of our digital systems to ensure our clinical services and management process are modern, safe, effective and well governed.

The Digital Communications Manager (DCM) will develop and implement impactful communications and engagement plans for the One Digital programme and its associated projects — in particular, the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) programme. The role will ensure all communications align with and support wider organisational strategies and objectives.

The DCM will use insight to segment and tailor our approaches, generating compelling and relevant communications campaigns for staff, stakeholders and the public.

The One Digital programme spans the group formed by University Hospitals of Leicester (UHL) and University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN). While this post is hosted within the UHL communications team, the postholder will work in close partnership with colleagues across UHN and the Digital and Data department delivering One Digital across the UHL–UHN Group.

We are looking for an enthusiastic, experienced and highly motivated communicator who thrives on new challenges and brings creativity, resilience and strategic thinking to their work.

Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).

We have four primary goals:

• high-quality care for all,
• being a great place to work,
• partnerships for impact,
• research and education excellence

And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.

Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:

• we are compassionate,
• we are proud,
• we are inclusive, and
• we are one team

This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.

About the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust:

Communications planning and delivery

Acting as lead communications specialist, scope, research, plan and refine a communications strategy for the Electronic Patient Record programme and associated projects.

Develop and coordinate creative, accurate and effective communications materials for a range of audiences to support the delivery of the programme and associated projects, e.g. web pages, presentations, newsletters, media releases.

Coordinate and facilitate events, including engagement sessions and workshops, using persuasion to facilitiate collaborative working and agreeing outcomes.

Liaise with third party suppliers to ensure a co‑ordinated approach to communication around the programme.

Collect and analyse data to ensure ongoing evaluation of all communications activities; adapt plans and activities based on the findings: e.g. undertaking audits or surveys and analysing findings.

Create and deliver reports on the communications activities and outcomes.

Work with the External Affairs team to respond to media enquiries about the programme and difficult organisational situations in a professional and timely manner, ensuring governance and policies for sensitive or complex queries and situations are followed.

Receive, interpret and communicate highly complex, sensitive information in ways that are easily accessible, carefully targeted and appropriate to the audience. This will include staff at all levels of the Trust, clinicians, patients and the public.

Engage our staff about the potential of our evolving digital programme and ensure we provide timely information to different audiences through a range of Trust and partner communications channels.

Work closely with Trust senior managers, the programme team and members of the project implementation teams to ensure stakeholders are effectively engaged and communicated with.

Ensure all Trust information meets NHS corporate identity guidelines and the Trust’s own style and brand guidelines.

Sourcing and commissioning work / resources to support communication for the programme, ensuring budgets and timescales are met.

Horizon scan national and regional publications and social media and feed back into the organisation on anything relevant to the programme.

Liaise with Communications teams in other Trusts which have implemented / are implementing comparable digital programmes to share best practice and lessons learned; amend plans in accordance with the findings

Support an effective communications and engagement programme with all stakeholders

Act as an ambassador for the Trust’s EPR programme, and develop and maintain effective networks and relationships with internal and external contacts

Governance

Provide reports to relevant governance bodies in relation to the progress and ongoing monitoring of communication processes.

Contribution to the Communications and Engagement team

Participating in and contributing to effective departmental and project meetings in a style consistent with the Trust’s organisational values.

Following departmental policies and procedures as they apply to the duties undertaken by this role.

You will be part of the team’s on-call rota.

Leadership

• Promoting the wider public good in all actions, acting in a morally, legally and socially appropriate manner in dealings with stakeholders and members of the portfolio teams and the organisation
• Identifying, addressing and resolving differences between individuals and / or interest groups
• Empowering and inspiring others to deliver successful projects; providing specialist communications training, sharing knowledge and skills with communications and project staff
• Developing and managing teams
• Establishing and maintaining close working partnerships with key managers within both the Digital Programmes Department and Digital Healthcare Departments.
• Ensuring that the project involves the communications team in relevant aspects and that their roles are clearly defined and understood
• Constantly seeks to drive up the quality, efficiency and effectiveness of the service the team provides, including supporting policy reviews and proposing changes to ways of working
• Ensuring the team is effective, supported and achieves a level of team wellbeing based on the Trust’s respective values and behaviours framework.
• Ensuring all policy and service developments are impact assessed in respect of equality and clinical safety requirements.
• Supervision of Communications Officers assigned to work on projects.

• Educated to degree level or equivalent, or be able to demonstrate an equivalent level of knowledge
• Highly specialist knowledge, underpinned by practical experience of digital and visual communications practices.
• Evidence of continued professional development in communications and engagement
• Postgraduate PR, journalism or marketing professional qualification e.g. CIM, CIPR, or equivalent level of experience
• Professional membership of a body relevant to engagement, communications or marketing

• Knowledge of marketing communication approaches and procedures
• Supporting the development of digital communications e.g. web and social media
• IT literacy and competency relevant to communications — reports, analysis and presentations, web and social media
• Evidence of success in delivering effective communications for a complex project delivering improvements
• Experience of devising, planning, implementing and evaluating effective communications and engagement strategies
• Broad experience across communications functions including internal and external communications, media relations (both proactive and reactive) and staff engagement
• Experience of working with highly complex and/or contentious information; able to analyse, edit and present this information for various internal and external audiences and publications
• Experience of using social media to communicate and engage effectively with internal and external audiences
• Knowledge of engagement and communications best practice in the NHS
• Knowledge of NHS clinical systems
• Ability to demonstrate a good understanding of NHS structures and current issues
• Experience of supporting large‑scale system change
• Selecting, developing and leading teams in a matrix management environment
• Assessing the skills and competence of individuals within a team and identifying their development needs

• Able to review highly complex and sensitive information which requires analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options

• Ability to co‑ordinate communications campaigns, including events
• Takes responsibility for own learning, development and behaviour - actively seeks to develop and demonstrate own competence
• Ability to inspire confidence and trust, command respect and create a sense of community amongst those involved in this area of work
• Ability to prepare and present reports to detailed specifications for Trust and others as requested
• Encourages a culture of openness

• Excellent organisational skills and ability to work under pressure and manage a varied and often challenging workload
• Able to work in a fast‑paced environment handling challenging issues and remaining calm under pressure

• Able to demonstrate a commitment to and understanding of the importance of treating all individuals with dignity and respect appropriate to their individual needs.
• All staff are expected to engage in compassionate and inclusive leadership in the provision of high‑quality care and interactions with others

• Ability to work under pressure to tight deadlines.
• • Ability to travel independently across UHL’s three Hospital sites: Leicester Royal Infirmary, Glenfield Hospital, Leicester General Hospital, our community hospital sites and County Hall in Glenfield.

• Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s Values and Behaviours

• Excellent communication skills, able to confidently present highly complex information and ideas in a straightforward, consistent, compelling, engaging style with appropriate language and tone for a range of audiences
• Well‑developed relationship building and networking skills and able to develop excellent working relationships across organisational boundaries

Please submit your application form without delay to avoid disappointment; we will close vacancies prior to the publishing closing date if we receive a sufficient number of completed application forms.

Please check the email account (including your junk mail) that you supplied as part of your application on a regular basis following the closing date and throughout the recruitment process, as this is how we will communicate with you.

UHL is an equal opportunities employer. We aim to employ a workforce that reflects the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds who match our job criteria.

Applicants who have a disability and meet the essential criteria for the job will be interviewed if you indicate you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you require a reasonable adjustment at any stage of the recruitment process please make the recruitment services team aware as soon as possible.

UHL is committed to helping colleagues balance the demands of both their work and personal needs through flexible working arrangements wherever reasonably practicable and subject to service needs.

Please note if you are successful in obtaining this position and the post involves regulated activity you will be required to undertake a Disclosure & Barring Service check.

The Trust will pay for the check initially and the money will then be deducted from your salary over a three month period commencing on your first month's payment.

The current price of a check is £38 for an enhanced and £18 for a standard check.

Due to the current Covid pandemic we have introduced a staff risk assessment into our pre-employment process. This now forms part of the mandatory pre-employment checks that will be carried out if you receive a conditional offer.

The risk assessment is intended to ensure you are able to safely perform your duties in any of our work areas, and if you have been identified as being particularly vulnerable to coronavirus. Our main aim is to reduce risk and to ensure the safety of all new starters to the Trust as well as current staff, patients and visitors.

If it is identified that you are within a vulnerable category, we will endeavour to make reasonable adjustments to accommodate this through discussions with both Occupational Health and your recruiting manager.

Covid-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself, family, colleagues and our patients/service users from the Covid-19 virus. We therefore continue to encourage our current and potential colleagues to get vaccinated.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust holds the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion at the heart of everything it does and all that it stands for. We are committed to developing a workforce that is representative of the community we serve. We welcome applications from the diverse community of Leicester, Leicester and Rutland, to help deliver healthcare services that meets the needs of our diverse communities.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Name Gareth Duggan
Job title Head of Communications and Engagement
Email address gareth.duggan2@nhs.net

Please get in touch if you would like an informal conversation about this role.