Lead Corporate Communications Consultant/Manager- Public Sector

INTERIM HEAD OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS/CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT/MANAGER - PUBLIC SECTOR

Contract. Edinburgh. 3 months +. £30 - £31 per hour. MUST HAVE PUBLIC SECTOR EXPERIENCE TO APPLY!

The Head of Corporate Communications leads on strategic and operational communications and engagement. They will be the key adviser to the Director of Digital Transformation on communications and engagement, while overseeing and co-ordinating all communications and engagement activity.

THE INTERIM POST HOLDER WILL UNDERTAKE A COMPREHENSIVE TRANSFORMATION OF THE CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP TO MAKE IT DIGITAL BY DEFAULT, STRATEGICALLY AND TACTICALLY CAPABLE OF DELIVERING A MODERN, PRO-ACTIVE, DIGITAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICE EXPLICITLY INCLUDING DIGITAL DESIGN, MOVING IMAGE, ANIMATION AND A FULLY DIGITAL EVENTS MANAGEMENT SERVICE.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:

- Significant experience working at a senior level in a large and complex public sector organisation, including confidence in working with elected members, Executive and Non-executive Board members
- Significant experience of leading teams of 15+ people and managing those teams through change
- Experience of working with the Department of Health and other Government bodies
- Demonstrable success as a communications/PR lead, with evidence of applying best practice
- Evidence of successfully handling sensitive situations efficiently and confidentially
- Highly developed specialist knowledge of communications, public relations and engagement theory and practice
- Evidence of successful media management in challenging circumstances
- Experience of procuring and managing external agencies
- Experience of managing communications budgets

THE HEAD OF CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES ARE:

COMMUNICATIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS

- Leading and supporting a team of communicators across three different disciplines and ensuring the integration and alignment with the digital transformation strategy.
- Providing strategic communications counsel to the company Board.
- Having regular and meaningful contact with internal and external stakeholders of all levels and will often need to engage with them over complex and potentially contentious issues. The highest level of communication skills will be required to engage NHS
- Developing key relationships with senior stakeholders both internally and externally.
- Employing effective communication, negotiation and influencing skills to deliver objectives over the duration of the tenure
- Maintaining focus and drive, in the context of possible strategic change in response to the wider environment.

STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT

- Leading the development, implementation and evaluation of communications and engagement strategies and plans which support the work of the company
- Devising, implementing and monitoring the communications and engagement strategy, including the evaluation and interpretation of best practice and regulatory requirements. Supporting the Digital Transformation Director in developing the culture, supporting the inspiration and motivation of internal/external stakeholders.
- Providing strategic counsel and advice for the Board and senior personnel on all communications and engagement issues.
- Proactively managing the reputation of company, including during controversial and negative issues where some stakeholder relationships or audiences may be antagonistic.

OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT AND PROFESSIONAL LEADERSHIP - COMMUNICATIONS

- Taking responsibility for a range of policy implementation, policy development and service development, across the communications function
- Personally producing reports, proposals and presentations... This will require communicating, influencing and negotiating at the highest level to ensure that proposals are adopted and implemented.
- Undertaking communications information gathering, analysis and interpretation.
- Providing expert and best practice advice in areas including, but not limited to communications and engagement.
- Preparing reports on behalf of the Digital Transformation Director for the Board.

FINANCIAL

- Setting financial budget for the communications function & the engagement function
- Procuring and project managing external specialist support where appropriate (eg video production, design and print)

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND STAFF MANAGEMENT

- Line management of the corporate communications team
- Working in a range of organisational settings, with the ability to self-motivate, organise and work on behalf of the Director of Digital Transformation and the Board.

FREEDOM TO ACT

- Taking overall responsibility, as the strategic and operational lead, for all aspects of communications and engagement activity, interpreting and applying national policies as appropriate to develop and agree local strategies, policies and procedures
- Undertaking proactive decision-making and horizon-scanning to influence stakeholder relationships and mitigate reputational risk to the organisation
- Occasional management of suppliers and other communications professionals

IF YOU HAVE THE RELEVANT EXPERIENCE FOR THIS ROLE THEN APPLY NOW FOR MORE INFORMATION

PARITY - SOURCE, DEVELOP, TRANSFORM

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