Senior Programme Communications Officer (Work Well) - Band 6NHS

Job summary

Fixed Term/Secondment for 20 Months

Position will be offered as a fixed term contract if coming from an outside organisation or as a secondment if coming from an NHS organisation.

The Senior Programme Communications Officer (WorkWell) will play a key role in delivering communications, marketing and engagement activity for the Essex WorkWell programme, a service designed to help people whose health is affecting their ability to find, stay in or return to work. Working three days per week, the postholder will be responsible for raising awareness of the programme among residents, employers, healthcare professionals and referral partners across Essex. The role will support the development of a strong and recognisable WorkWell identity and deliver integrated communications activity across digital, social media, print, stakeholder and community channels.

This is an exciting opportunity to use communications to improve health outcomes, reduce health inequalities and support people to achieve their personal and employment goals. The successful candidate will work closely with NHS colleagues, local authorities, voluntary sector organisations, employers and delivery partners to promote the programme, share success stories and ensure communications are accessible, inclusive and evidence based. They will help translate complex information into clear and engaging content, while using insight and evaluation to continuously improve the effectiveness of communications activity.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidate will lead the day-to-day delivery of communications and engagement activity for the Essex WorkWell programme. They will develop and implement campaign plans, produce content for a range of channels including websites, newsletters, social media, presentations and promotional materials, and coordinate activity with partners across the health, care, community and employment sectors. They will identify and develop case studies, maintain stakeholder relationships, support media opportunities and monitor campaign performance to demonstrate impact and value.

We are looking for an experienced communications professional with excellent written and verbal communication skills and a proven ability to deliver effective campaigns. The ideal candidate will be confident developing content for different audiences, managing multiple priorities and building positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. They will have experience using digital channels, audience insight and evaluation to inform communications activity and improve outcomes. A strong understanding of accessibility, inclusion and reducing health inequalities is essential, along with the ability to work independently, use sound judgement and provide communications advice to colleagues and partners. Experience of working within the NHS, local government or another public sector organisation would be advantageous but is not essential.

Job description

ROLE PURPOSE / SUMMARY

Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) is a new organisation formed through the consolidation of three ICB areas in response to the NHSs ambition to deliver a more streamlined, strategic and cost-effective model of health commissioning. The ICB oversees the commissioning of care for the approximately 2 million people who live in Essex. Operating within a reduced running cost envelope and aligned to the new requirements of ICBs in England, the proposed Essex ICB will focus on improving population health outcomes, health equity and smarter resource allocation.

This Senior Communications Officer will lead the delivery of the communications and marketing programme for WorkWell across Essex. Working as part of the NHS Essex Communications and Engagement Team and alongside the WorkWell programme team, the post holder will develop and deliver evidence-based communications and behaviour change campaigns that raise awareness of the programme, encourage referrals and self-referrals, build confidence amongst employers and professionals, and support participation amongst people who could benefit from WorkWell.

The role will help deliver a long-term communications and marketing strategy that balances a universal Essex-wide approach with targeted communications and community engagement in areas experiencing the greatest levels of health inequality and economic inactivity, including Tendring, Basildon and Harlow.

The post holder will work with colleagues across NHS Essex, local authorities, Jobcentre Plus, voluntary and community organisations, providers and employers to ensure communications are coordinated, accessible, insight-led and evaluated. They will use audience insight, behavioural science principles and campaign evaluation to continuously improve communications and maximise the impact of the WorkWell programme. This supports WorkWell's ambition to provide early intervention, improve health and employment outcomes and reduce health inequalities across Essex.

As the ICB transitions to become a leaner, more focused strategic commissioning organisation the post holder will be expected to support delivery on the three fundamental shifts set out in the NHS 10-year plan:

• From Treatment to Prevention: Embedding preventative, personalised and population based approaches to commissioning.
• From Hospital to Community: Championing care model redesign that supports community and neighbourhood health.
• From Analogue to Digital: Enabling clinically driven transformation through digital innovation, data analytics and evidence based improvement.

KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

To deliver on the job description set out above, the job holder will be expected to deliver on the requirements set out below:

Policy and service development

• Support implementation of policy and / or service developments related to Work Well
• Support team to ensure compliance with relevant ICB policies
• Use research, innovation and audits to inform service improvements or performance management

Strategy and analysis

• Understanding of complex qualitative and quantitative data relating to unemployment.
• Helps present insights and reports, draw from complex data, that can be used to inform decision making and delivery
• Use of data and insight to contribute to reporting, including performance management, financial and quality reporting against agreed contractual or project deliverables
• Understanding of Population Health Management methodologies and tools and how to use them to inform projects and programmes that will improve outcomes for patients and sustainability of health services

Planning and organisation

• Support development and delivery of project plans relating to WorkWell, ensuring appropriate governance, risk management, escalations and reporting
• Lead coordination of meetings and events to support delivery of project plans
• Manage competing priorities, prioritising own and team resources to effectively deliver on short, medium and longer term priorities
• Ensure accurate reporting and records management
• Support delivery and monitoring of business plan for WorkWell

Communications and Partnerships

• Work collaboratively, modelling inclusive, respectful and compassionate leadership
• Supports development of high quality written and verbal briefings
• Build strong, trust-based relationships across the ICB as needed
• Supports effective engagement with patients and the public as required
• Work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams to help deliver agreed projects / manage directorate
• Share complex, sensitive and challenging information which may relate to service performance or staffing
• Able to manage conflict, find compromise and persuade based on evidence as needed

Financial and resource management

• Supports delivery of budget for WorkWell, including effective budget reporting as required
• Close working with finance business partner on oversight of project / directorate business and financial plans
• Supports procurement of relevant services

Team management and capability building

• Supporting directorate oversight of workforce reporting, including reporting on key HR metrics
• Able to influence in order to deliver effectively through those not directly line managing
• Support the effective transition of relevant functions to new portfolios within or beyond the ICB to support the new NHS operating model, in line with the requirements of the Model ICB Blueprint
• Work collaboratively with system partners to facilitate transitional arrangements
• Maintain a focus on quality, safety and affordability during transition
• Supporting effective Information Asset Management for the team

Other

• Use initiative and work independently as needed to deliver on requirements of the role
• Primarily desk-based work that requires use of visual display units, focused concentration and frequent participation in on-line or in person meetings
• Expected to be physically on site, this may be in the ICB officer, or in a partner location as required
• Able to use software required to develop report, including ability to deliver high quality documents through Microsoft suite (word, power point, excel, Share point )

Flexibility and evolving responsibilities

As the ICB continues to evolve, portfolios may be subject to change to reflect the needs of the organisation, the health and care system and national policy direction. This may include adjustments to areas of responsibility or realignment of reporting structures.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

The post holder will need to build constructive relationships with partners from across the health and care system. Key relationships will be with:

• WorkWell Programme Team
• Head of Learning and Change, WorkWell
• Wider Communications and Engagement Team
• Local Authority communications teams
• Department for Work and Pensions
• Jobcentre Plus
• Connect to Work programme
• Public Health teams
• Primary Care Networks
• Community providers
• Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise organisations
• Employer representatives
• Local media
• Marketing and creative agencies
• NHS England communications colleagues

About us

NHS Essex ICB is a statutory organisation responsible for the planning and funding of NHS services for around 1.9 million people across Essex. Our role as an ICB is to bring health and care services together, improve the health and wellbeing of our population and ensure equitable access to services and outcome for everyone. The organisations headquarters is Seax House, Chelmsford, and we operate a hybrid working model (2 office-based days) that includes working across Essex and from home. Essex ICB currently has offices in Brentwood, Harlow and Colchester, in addition to the Chelmsford HQ.

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We know that different experiences, ideas and perspectives help create a stronger and more innovative organisation that delivers better outcomes for patients. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, including people of all ages, disabilities, sex, gender identity or expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or personal circumstances. Our policies ensure all applicants are treated fairly and consistently throughout the recruitment process, including consideration of reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants.

Please note that the organisation does not hold a sponsorship licence.