Head of Media and PR England
Job description
Head of Media and PR
This is a national vacancy, the successful candidate may be based at any of our main centres in the UK, final location to be agreed at interview.
Job Summary
This is an exciting opportunity to lead an experienced team of media and PR experts to deliver communications that save lives.
The work of the media and PR team is twofold – to inspire the public to donate blood and organs through excellent, impactful communications and to promote the amazing work that NHSBT does to save and improve lives.
By donating blood, a person can save up to three lives. By donating organs, a person can save nine lives. By inspiring people to donate, our communications save lives.
Working with the Assistant Director of Communications, you will be responsible for delivering the media and PR strategy, to try new things to inspire our audience and make people sit up and take notice of our exciting clinical and R&D work.
We work with donors, patients and families to help them tell their stories through media and PR and work with broadcasters, specialist media and podcasters to help them inspire their audiences.
You will work closely with senior colleagues across NHSBT to advise on media and PR and to work with the Communications senior team to develop and deliver the communications strategy. There will be exciting opportunities to shape and change how we deliver communications to get the best impact.
Main duties of the job
- Provide experienced, professional leadership for all aspects of media and PR for NHSBT. Specifically, to use the free / low cost media to recruit more Black heritage donors and encourage more people to join the organ donation register. As well as to promoting our work to address health inequalities and treat patients,
- Lead the team to deliver excellent media and PR opportunities including experimenting with new channels and techniques to reach and inspire our key audiences.
- Lead media handling at a national and regional level, managing a busy 24/7 press office and project managing communications projects across different functional teams.
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with influential organisations and journalists to create understanding and awareness of NHSBT and further our priorities.
- Work as NHSBT’s lead media and PR specialist, acting as a trusted professional advisor to the Executive Team and Board on media handling and no cost / low cost PR.
- Work with the Assistant Director of Communications to develop and implement NHSBT’s communications strategy supporting delivery of the organisation’s aims and objectives, promoting its purpose and safeguarding and improving’ its professional corporate image and reputation.
- Provide expert and excellent media advice and support and lead on all crisis communications.
- Work with colleagues across NHSBT to discover the work and stories that promote the work of NHSBT.
- Deliver NHSBT’s media and PR strategy.
NHSBT is a national organisation with offices in many areas of the country. Your team is based in different locations so you will be required to travel to meet face to face at least once a month.
About You
Experience and Knowledge
- Experience in a communications management role, involving complex, high-profile press and media handling
- Experience across the range of media and PR activity, preferably gained in a complex organisation
- In-depth understanding and experience of handling national and regional press, radio and broadcast
- Experience of managing a busy press office, including 24/7 on-call cover, dealing with sensitive issues as part of business as usual and crisis management.
- Leadership and management experience
- Significant experience of leading proactive and reactive media and PR
- Experience of giving strategic advice and support, of leading and achieving results through influence and persuasion, particularly with senior colleagues
- Knowledge and experience of the techniques and systems for evaluating media & PR activity.
Qualifications and Training
- Relevant degree/professional qualification or equivalent professional experience
- Demonstrates commitment to own continued professional development (CPD)
Please view the attached recruitment profile which is a summary of the detailed Job Description and Person Specification for the full personal attributes we require for the role. You will need to demonstrate these throughout the recruitment process.
About Us
At NHS Blood and Transplant, we’re incredibly proud of the many talented people who come together every day to make our organisation the very best it can be. We have clearly defined values that are centred around offering exceptional care to our donors and their families. We take care of each other too and we focus on building our expertise so we can change lives, provide quality support and offer fulfilling careers.
It’s an opportunity to contribute to a unique team as part of a service that saves lives 365 days a year. We offer brilliant benefits including 27 days of holiday (plus bank holidays), a comprehensive induction and training programme, and competitive pension scheme.
We are passionate about creating an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with and positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.
Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality.
Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever
This vacancy will close at 23:59 on Wednesday 20th September.
Interview date yet to be confirmed.
For informal enquiries please contact – Kate Thomas, [email protected], Assistant Director – Corporate Communications
