Communications Manager

Overview

The purpose of the role is to lead on the development and delivery of communications strategies and plans. The post holder will also support the Senior Communications Manager for Campaigns and Planning in the development and delivery of strategic communications and campaigns across a range of disciplines that help Public Health Wales achieve its organisational priorities. The role will provide expert advice and support on complex, sensitive, and high-profile issues, ensuring clear, accurate and empathetic communication across content, digital channels, media relations and stakeholder engagement, while maintaining Public Health Wales' reputation and public trust.

We are Public Health Wales - the national public health agency in Wales. Our purpose is  Working together for a healthier Wales . We exist to help everyone in Wales live longer, healthier, happier lives. Together with our partners, we work to increase healthy life expectancy, improve health and well-being, and reduce inequalities for everyone in Wales, now and for future generations.

Our teams work to prevent disease, protect health, and provide leadership, specialist services and public health expertise. We are the leading source of public health information, research and innovation in Wales. In a world facing complex health challenges, our work has never been so important.

We are guided by our Values,  Working together, with trust and respect, to make a difference . We are committed to building an inclusive workplace that values equality and diversity. We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of the communities we serve and are supportive of flexible working arrangements, including part time roles and job sharing.

To find out more about working for us and the benefits we offer please visit phw.nhs.wales/careers. For guidance on the application process, please visit phw.nhs.wales/working-for-us/applicant-information-and-guidance.

The Communications Manager is responsible for supporting the development and delivery of public health communications strategies, plans and campaigns in Public Health Wales. The Communications Manager will:

• Partnership Communications
  • Strengthen the partnership between Public Health Wales and its stakeholders by supporting and promoting open and proactive communications between them
• Marketing Communications
  • Create, write and edit content for Public Health Wales materials, including social media, to be seen by stakeholders and the public
  • Support sustained engagement with local government, the third sector, the public and other stakeholders in relation to public health
  • Develop, deliver and evaluate communications campaigns in line with Government Communications Service methods
• Media relations
  • Implement media relations programmes by developing plans in relation to high-profile, complex, contentious and/or challenging issues
  • Drafting press releases, statements and features
  • Interpreting specialist clinical information into easy-to-understand health messages for the public; and promoting them
  • Liaising with journalists to promote feature and news ideas, set up pictures and set up interviews
  • Advising and supporting staff in drafting press releases and media responses on all types of issues including those which are complex, contentious and/or challenging
  • Advising and supporting staff on the delivery of health advice through the media
  • Working in partnership with communications officers of partner organisations who have different, and sometimes contradictory, perspectives
  • Liaising with journalists, pressure groups and the public on issues which may be distressing, emotional, unwelcome and/or stressful as well as complex, contentious and/or challenging
  • Receive media enquiries on behalf of Public Health Wales and advise on, develop and manage responses on behalf of the organisations including lines to take on complex, contentious and/or challenging issues
  • Develop and manage a media monitoring system which reports on the media profile of Public Health Wales and the messages reported
• Websites
  • Liaise with staff in Public Health Wales and its web team to create, write and edit the content of its internet sites
• Social media
  • Promote and use social media to promote engagement with public health issues
• Standards for Health Services
  • Implement processes and systems in line with action plans to achieve the Standards for Health Services which relate to communication and citizen engagement
  • Collect evidence to demonstrate that Public Health Wales meets the Standards for Health Services which relate to communication and citizen engagement
• Other
  • Analyse the communication implications of policy proposals and provide advice on managing the implications
  • Provide input and advice to policy development
  • Attend, report to and contribute to discussions at meetings of the Public Health Wales Communications Team
  • Deputise for the Senior Manager (Campaigns and Planning) at meetings and in other communications work in…