Job summary
- Main area
- Communications
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 980-HRA657-D
- Employer
- Health Research Authority
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- HRA
- Town
- Newcastle Upon Tyne
- Salary
- £29,970 - £36,483 per annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 12/01/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Communications Officer
NHS AfC: Band 5
The HRA is a Non Departmental Public Body with the remit to protect and promote the interests of patients and the public in health and social care research. We do this by supporting and promoting a robust and efficient regulatory and governance framework in the UK. We provide the Research Ethics Service (RES), Confidentiality Advice function, assessments and assurances on behalf of the NHS, and learning, guidance and advice for the research community. Our ambition is to make the UK a great place to do research, where more money invested in research goes into carrying out relevant, good quality research.
Our purpose is to ensure that research involving NHS patients and members of the public is approved through a proportionate and robust system, that they are provided with the information they need to help them decide whether they wish to take part, and that their opportunity to do so is maximised by simplifying the processes by which high quality research is assessed. We have already delivered significant improvements by centralising and simplifying the approval of research in the NHS in England, and are undertaking a range of significant programmes to deliver further improvements.
Job overview
Are you an organised communications professional with a keen eye for detail?
We are looking for a Communications Officer to join the Health Research Authority’s busy communications team.
The Communications Officer plays a key role in the team, acting as the first point of contact for enquiries from staff, members of the public and our stakeholders.
You will be working closely with colleagues across the organisation to ensure our internal and external communication channels are kept up to date.
The day-to-day duties of the role include helping to manage our social media accounts, writing content for our website and intranet, responding to media enquiries and co-ordinating our various newsletters.
This is an exciting opportunity to work in a supportive team and use your wide range of communications skills to help us make it easier to do research that people can trust.
Main duties of the job
The Communications Officer plays a key role in the day-to-day running of the team by:
· managing the communications team inbox, co-ordinating responses to internal and external queries and escalating important issues such as media enquiries
· being an active part of the social media rota, designing and publishing posts across channels, responding to queries, monitoring media and social media coverage, and escalating any responses to posts
· dealing with ad-hoc requests from colleagues for advice on communications, for example proof reading, ensuring documents follow the HRA house style and making documents accessible.
Please see attached job description for more information.
Working for our organisation
Working at the HRA, we are reminded daily of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for you, not just us and the work we do. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that promotes and values diversity. We know from experience that different ideas, perspectives and backgrounds create a stronger, more creative workplace that helps us to deliver the best services. We welcome applications which represent the rich diversity of our community: age, disability, gender identity and expression, ethnicity, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and other diverse characteristics, and we have policies in place to ensure that all applicants are treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process. When applying to work here, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement –if it works for us, we will do our best to make it work for you.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
This role sits within the Policy and Partnerships directorate which is made up of four teams: policy and engagement, communications, public involvement and data and AI policy. We provide support and advice across the organisation on communicating with staff and external audiences, engaging with stakeholders and involving patients and the public in our work. To find out more and to understand the full duties of the role, please refer to the job description attached. In submitting your application with us, please note the following: We currently do not accept applications via recruitment agencies. We do not hold a sponsorship licence and are unable to offer employment under any sponsorship arrangement. Where applicants fail to demonstrate how they meet any one of the essential criteria of the person specification, the application will not be shortlisted. You will be considered based only on the information in your application form. CVs will not be considered. The HRA reserves the right to close this vacancy early should it receive a sufficient number of applications.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- A professional qualification in communications, public relations, marketing, or a similar field (for example Degree / CAM, CIM or IPR diploma), or equivalent experience
Knowledge, skills and expertise
Essential criteria
- Excellent writing and editorial skills with experience of writing content that is aimed at different audiences and uses the right channel to reach them
- Experience of writing press releases, media monitoring and dealing with media enquiries
- Skilled in using content management systems to edit content on intranets and websites
- Experience of managing an organisation’s social media accounts, including writing tailored content, designing graphics and responding to comments
Desirable criteria
- An understanding of accessibility standards and how to make digital content accessible
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience of managing multiple projects to competing deadlines
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working in a complex organisation in a political landscape
Analytical and judgemental skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to analyse, edit and simplify complex information into easy to understand, engaging content
Interpersonal Skills:
Essential criteria
- Excellent team-working skills with a proactive approach to colleagues and work
- Ability to manage time effectively, balance multiple tasks and prioritise workload
Other:
Essential criteria
- Commitment to inclusivity and valuing diversity
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Nzinga Cotton
- Job title
- Communications Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
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