Communication and Engagement Lead

Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance is looking for an experienced and enthusiastic Communications and Engagement Lead to continue to develop and deliver the Alliance's communications and engagement strategy.

Our Alliance brings together clinical and managerial leaders from health and social care organisations across the region, alongside patient representatives and other partners, including VCSFE (voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise) organisations.We also collaborate with the thriving research bodies in Greater Manchester. By bringing together world-class researchers, clinicians and operational delivery, we have a unique opportunity to improve the lives of people affected by cancer.

The Communications and Engagement Lead is responsible for two critical areas within the Alliance: external communications and our Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) programme.

This is a unique opportunity for experienced communications and engagement professionals to have a direct impact of cancer outcomes in our area.

The post is full-time although flexible working will be considered.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Anna Perkins, Communications and Engagement Lead on anna.perkins4@nhs.net

Main duties of the job

This is a varied and important leadership role, consisting of a range of campaign development, media, digital and stakeholder engagement work to support the Alliance in achieving its ambitions to improve the lives and experiences of people affected by cancer here in Greater Manchester.

We are looking for an experienced and passionate individual who has an excellent track record in leadership. project delivery, all communication types (with a specific focus on media work) and is committed to meaningful engagement with people who have been affected by cancer to improve services.

A comprehensive description of duties and skills is available in the full job description provided.

The successful applicant will be experienced in working both autonomously and as part of a wider organisation and have strong leadership and line management experience, in order to support the wider Communications and Engagement Team.

About us

The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.

Job description

Job responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The roles and responsibilities of this post are as follows:

• Take a project management role in the development of a Greater Manchester Cancer Plan taking the lead on the visual identity and working with communications and engagement colleagues across Greater Manchester to socialise ideas and lead on effective communication.
• Liaise with the NHS England Cancer Programme, National PPIE Leads, NHS North West Communications Team, Greater Manchester ICB Communications Teams and PPIE Teams and the Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance teams to lead the development and implementation of the Greater Manchester Cancer communications and engagement strategy and delivery plan.
• Provide strategic advice and guidance, scope, plan and provide communications and engagement support for different projects and programmes, including Greater Manchester-wide events and campaigns. This will support the strategic objectives, vision and key initiatives of the Alliance to support the delivery of the NHS Englands Planning Guidance.
• Ensure that communications and engagement is managed effectively by working with the relevant programme teams and key stakeholders to ensure a strategic and tactical approach to communications and engagement implementation and delivery.
• Constantly review activity and effectiveness and update the communications and engagement strategy and implementation plan accordingly.
• Be the subject matter communications and engagement expert and provide support and advice to communications and engagement colleagues in other themes/programmes.
• Manage proactive and reactive media activity (including broadcast, digital and print) and manage reputational risk for NHS cancer services in Greater Manchester and of the Cancer Alliance as a whole. This will involve preparing suitable media statements, considering and managing media requests, media training senior directors and spokespeople and proactively selling in stories to the media. This work will focus specifically on supporting the Alliances Early Diagnosis agenda.
• Support pathway board teams to develop public awareness and behaviour-change campaigns, to support early presentation and diagnosis, including targeted campaigns to communities highlighted as part of our health inequalities agenda. This will be in line with the Early Diagnosis Steering Committee, ensuring activities are prioritised in line with our delivery plan. You will focus on Early Diagnosis projects, whilst also supporting the GM ICBs screening team with communications activities
• Ensure patient and public voices are captured and considered throughout all of the Alliances work, including by working with underrepresented communities, developing our own User Involvement Programme and encouraging increased uptake of NHS England patient experience surveys, such as the Quality of Life (QoL) survey and the Cancer Patient Experience surveys (CPES and U-16 CPES). You will work in tandem with the Personalised Care team to consider how Experience of Care can be improved for patients using this insight. You will also use this insight to support Early Diagnosis projects, to target underrepresented communities at higher risk of health inequalities or experiencing poorer outcomes.
• Support the design, development and delivery of key events, including the Greater Manchester Cancer Conference and Awards. This includes liaising with the National Cancer Programme for NHSE representation, senior leaders from across Greater Manchester, The Mayors Office and Greater Manchester Combined Authority and the wider NHS workforce in GM. You will ensure patient voices and ideas are encouraged and incorporated throughout. You will also be responsible for undertaking post-event analysis to shape future events.
• You will be expected to work flexibly and support other organisational priorities as necessary task and finish groups and staff brought in to support specific events

COMMUNICATION AND SUPPORT

• This role requires excellent interpersonal communication skills active listening skills, excellent facilitation skills working with dynamic individuals, good time management and written documentation skills and a high degree of attention to detail.
• You will provide and receive highly complex and sensitive information and apply a keen understanding of both local and national politics and their impact.
• You will also liaise with other GM ICB teams to ensure a strategic and tactical approach to communications and engagement implementation and delivery, in addition to developing close working relationships with the other key stakeholders listed within this document

SET-UP AND ORGANISATION

• You will manage, deploy and co-ordinate resources effectively, including staffing, financial and ICT requirements. You will manage budgets for Greater Manchester-wide events and a communications budget.

PLANNING AND REPORTING

• You will lead the development, implementation and delivery of the Greater Manchester Cancer communications and engagement plan. You will be responsible for ensuring all delivery milestones are in place and met.
• You will provide robust and effective analysis of different approaches and outcomes to inform strategic objectives in relation to the Plan to ensure the best approach is taken.
• You will be responsible for evaluating the delivery of the communications and engagement activity and report on this through the relevant governing structures. You will use this to regularly review strategy and approach and make changes where necessary.
• You will effectively manage risk through effective analysis, mitigation and contingency planning.

Key working relationships

• Medical & Associate Directors
• GP & Macmillan Leads
• Early Diagnosis and Commissioning Director
• Early Diagnosis Steering Committee
• Communications and Engagement Lead at GM ICB, NHS NW, NHSE
• Greater Manchester Programme, Project and Pathway leads
• Team members
• Voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors
• GM Communications and Engagement community (including Head of Comms at Trusts and localities and Patient Experience teams)
• National and regional PPIE teams
• Local and national media contacts

LEADERSHIP AND EXPERTISE

• You will be a member of the Cancer Alliances Senior Management Team (SMT), supporting SMT to make key decisions and manage risks and be the SMT reporting lead of the subjects of external communications and Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement.
• You will be confident and experienced in dealing with the media, including in handling reactive and crisis media issues, in order to advise the Senior Management Team and Clinical Leads at the Alliance.
• You will be experienced in working alongside a wide range of stakeholders, including the public and service users.

The post holder will also:

• Represent Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance in a professional and positive manner
• Contribute to the team by developing and sharing knowledge, experience, skills and best practice
• Follow prescribed Greater Manchester Cancer Alliance policies and procedures in all relevant aspects of management
• Ensure that projects are delivered within the available resources and agreed timescales, providing regular reports and raising significant problems/issues in a timely manner
• Exert influence upon key stakeholders to ensure that the teams goals and objectives remain a priority in their own work programmes

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Specialist knowledge of communications, public relations, journalism and marketing communications techniques, approaches, procedures, health service communications, organisation, project management, external political environment: acquired through training to relevant degree level or equivalent plus training and/or experience in communications field to master's level equivalent.

Desirable

• Evidence of continuing professional development

Experience

Essential

• Specialist knowledge of: communications, public relations and marketing communications techniques, approaches, procedures external political environment underpinned by theory and experience.
• Knowledge and experience of Patient and Public Involvement and Experience (PPIE) including managing risk, co-production methods and embedding and delivering opportunities for engagement.
• Knowledge and understanding of the health and social care sector
• Experience of developing, implementing and evaluating communications and engagement strategies, actions plans and campaigns - internally and externally
• Ability to operative dynamically in a constantly changing environment, and manage and prioritise multiple programmes of work.
• Experience of working in a demanding, high profile communications and engagement team - working to time and sensitive deadlines
• Previously responsible for a budget, involved in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes
• Previously responsible for a budget, involved in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes
• Understanding of the relationship between the Integrated Care Board, its partners and its long term goals.
• Proven experience of successfully managing and delivering complex communications and engagement work programmes.
• Experience of managing a team to deliver projects or events.
• Experience of employing national policies in local communications.
• Experience of managing a budget to deliver events and communications materials.
• Experience of involving and engaging people with a long term strategic vision and purpose
• Experience of working in a politically sensitive environment and demonstrating keen political awareness.
• Experience of considering equality issues for all programme or policy changes

Desirable

• Has an understanding of cancer services in Greater Manchester
• Has experience of working in patient engagement or patient and public involvement and engagement (PPIE)

Skills

Essential

• Demonstrates clear leadership on the subject of Communications and Engagement to internal and external stakeholders
• Has excellent interpersonal skills, written and verbal communication skills
• Can use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint software to a high standard
• Can produce concise and insightful written materials for senior stakeholders or a broader audience as appropriate
• Can create and deliver presentations to a broad range of different stakeholders
• Can facilitate group activities with dynamic characters
• Can influence and challenge other team members and senior colleagues when necessary
• Numerate and able to understand complex information
• Can analyse very complex information from a wide range of sources where material may be conflicting
• Uses experience to make inferences and act where information is incomplete
• Can develop plans for the short and long term for services th
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