Deputy Head of Communications and Engagement

Deputy Head of Communications and Engagement (Place and Primary Care) North Central London Integrated Care Board

This is an exciting opportunity to shape a new role, managing a small team to deliver priority strategic communications and engagement at place and neighbourhood level across five boroughs in North Central London.

With a focus on primary care, population health and reducing inequalities in a complex and high-profile health and care environment, we are looking for someone who is passionate about improving residents' health outcomes and experience. The postholder will take a proactive approach to communications and engagement planning, horizon-scanning for opportunities and committed to working collaboratively with internal and external partners.

They will oversee delivery of priority work programmes, allocating in-house resources where possible, leveraging support from the wider team, and supporting services to brief, commission and manage external capacity and expertise as required.

You'll need to be flexible, creative, approachable, with strong experience leading strategic communications and engagement and delivering compelling campaigns to change behaviour. You will need to work collaboratively and be comfortable providing advice to senior colleagues and leading the delivery of joined-up communications on complex and sensitive issues.

Reporting to the Head of Communications and Engagement, and as a key member of our senior leadership team, you'll play an important and rewarding role in shaping our talented and friendly team.

Main duties of the job

To provide expert communications and engagement advice to senior directors and managers, with the confidence and gravitas to lead proactively and provide appropriate challenge to help deliver population health priorities.

To lead a small team providing specialist communications and engagement advice. To oversee the delivery of priority projects across the five NCL boroughs, allocating in-house resource where practical, and commissioning and managing external capacity as appropriate.

To lead on communications and engagement activity relating to primary care, including patient facing communications, campaigns, service changes and issues management.

To act as the named strategic communications and engagement advisor for two to three boroughs, working collaboratively with the Director of Place and borough partnerships, proactively identifying opportunities for joint work and maximising the potential of shared learning and resources.

About us

NHS North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCL ICB) is a statutory body responsible for planning and allocating health and care resources to improve the lives of people in our five boroughs: Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, and Islington.

As an ICB, we're focused on:

improving outcomes in population health and healthcare

tackling inequalities in outcomes, experience, and access

enhancing productivity and value for money

helping the NHS support broader social and economic development

It is an exciting time to be joining NCL ICB; we have recently undertaken an organisational change programme to redesign the structure of the organisation and the way that we work to better meet the needs of our population, our people, our system, and our partners. As part of the change programme, we are relaunching and reenergising the organisation, embedding new ways of working and building the capabilities we need to create a thriving organisational culture.

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification for full duties and responsibilities.

Person Specification Education / Qualifications

• Educated to Master degree, or equivalent level of experience in a communication and/or engagement role
• Evidence of continuing professional development or training, with sound knowledge of best practice as it relates to communications and engagement.

Experience

• Experience of working in the NHS or wider public sector.
• Significant experience of leading the development and delivery of strategic communications and engagement plans in a complex setting, with tangible evidence of effective delivery and measurable impact.
• Experience of acting as a strategic partner/account manager to senior leaders, supporting them to identify and deliver communications and engagement objectives within a portfolio.
• Significant experience of effectively managing and developing people and teams.
• Significant experience of developing and delivering robust communications and engagement strategies to support the delivery of high profile or sensitive change programmes.
• Significant experience of giving professional communications and engagement advice to senior leaders, including in relation to sensitive or high-profile issues.
• Significant experience of commissioning and managing external suppliers and specialists to deliver communications and engagement activity, with a good understanding of and reach into the sector.
• Experience of shaping and delivering communications activity to influence behaviour change, with a solid understanding of social marketing techniques.
• Experience of using a range of digital channels and techniques to reach and engage a wide range of stakeholders.
• Significant experience of delivering a robust approach to reactive and proactive media and public affairs.
• Significant experience of advising on and/or delivering patient and public engagement (PPE) activity to support communications and engagement objectives, with up-to-date knowledge and understanding of best practice.
• Experience of working within or managing a corporate brand, including ensuring all communications and content is accessible to everyone and reflective of our diverse communities.
• Experience of working at both a strategic and operational level and to take a long-term view while juggling day-today, unforeseen or time sensitive tasks.

Knowledge and skills

• Strong understanding of the role of the ICB and ICS within the wider NHS, including current issues and challenges and the wider political and public sector context.
• In-depth understanding of engagement approaches and methodologies, including co-production, direct involvement, outreach engagement and reaching seldom heard voices.
• Strong understanding of all aspects of communications, including strategic planning, media and public affairs, digital communications, campaigns, marcomms and internal communications.
• Excellent communications skills, including oral, written and presentation skills
• Exceptional editorial, copywriting, and story-telling skills, with a meticulous attention to detail and the creativity to translate complex ideas into engaging, people focused content.
• Excellent inter-personal, persuasion and negotiating skills with the ability to form and maintain productive, professional working relationships with a diverse range of individuals and groups.
• Ability to translate communications and engagement requirements to a technical brief and to work with internal and external suppliers to develop solutions, with excellent project management skills.
• Excellent professional judgement, with the emotional intelligence and political astuteness to manage contentious or sensitive issues, ensuring the communications response is measured and thoughtful.
• Ability to act as a champion for patients and residents, ensuring that their voice influences decision making.
• Ability to work to the highest standards, demonstrating resilience to pressure, a willingness to adapt quickly to changing situations, work flexibly and retain due professionalism at all times.
• Ability to navigate challenges and stay on course, with the tenacity and drive to prioritise actions and make things happen

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.

Employer name

North Central London Integrated Care Board

Assistant Director of Communications & Engagement

£66,718 to £76,271 a yearper annum inc HCA

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