Communications Manager (maternity cover)

Do you find your heart singing when you tell the stories of amazing people? Do you want to feel inspired knowing you’re improving the health and happiness of patients in our hospitals? And do you have a passion for marketing and communications that will motivate our supporters?

Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity raises funds for all ten hospitals in the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW). Millions of patients pass through the doors each year and 15,000 NHS staff care for them.

We’re looking for a Communications Manager to work in our small but mighty Brand & Marketing team (who were shortlisted for Communications Team of the Year at last year’s Third Sector Awards, no biggie) to raise the charity’s profile, drive income and demonstrate the impact our charity makes across the hospitals.

Job Summary

Ensure effective delivery of the charity’s marketing and communication plans to raise the charity’s profile, generate income, achieve our fundraising targets and demonstrate the impact the charity makes to its beneficiaries.

Working with the Head of Brand & Marketing, you will play a key part in activating our new five-year strategy and successfully communicating our new organisational purpose. You’ll master the art of engaging with a wide range of stakeholders in both University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) and the wider community to join us in doing great things.

You are our lead press contact and will work with local, regional and national media and partner PR teams to amplify the charity’s voice further and generate increased coverage of Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity (BWHC).

You’ll lead on key marketing activity, including fundraising events, campaigns and appeals, including the annual Christmas campaign.

Central to the role is ensuring we have excellent relationships with our NHS colleagues and hospital staff to enable us to identify storytellers, building on our “one team” approach and delivering impact reporting.

You’re our go-to person for our celebrity champions ensuring they are well looked after and engaged with our campaigns and appeals for additional reach and endorsement.

Key Accountabilities

Share meaningful content and powerful stories

• Lead the creation of specific charity key messaging and a case for support per project (e.g., Christmas, appeals) and ensure this is adhered to throughout all communications
• Understand our different audiences, utilising research and insight, and target communications accordingly
• Work closely with our fundraising teams on a content plan and delivery of communications, understanding the importance of stewardship, internal communications and our calendar of events
• Develop our impact portfolio, including the creation and design of the annual impact report
• Sensitively interview our storytellers, including patients, fundraisers and hospital staff, ensuring we’re using authentic voices throughout our communications
• Work closely with our grants team to ensure visibility around the hospitals
• Edit website content and ensure our news section is up to date
• Plan, create and post content on BWHC’s social media channels
• Create and submit content for UHBW’s Viva Engage that increases awareness and engagement with the charity, working closely with the internal and external UHBW communications teams to utilise other UHBW channels where available
• Lead on the content and design of Reach, our supporter newsletter, creating engaging and impact driven content
• Commission new photography and video, including obtaining permissions and consent for use. Monitor our image database to ensure it is compliant with GDPR.
• Create engaging video content promoting events, appeals or impact as and when relevant.

Champion our marketing campaigns

• Lead the promotion, activity and implementation of integrated marketing plans and materials as and when required across the year
• Manage the marketing materials workplan for the Brand & Marketing team
• Be the Brand & Marketing team lead on fundraising events, ensuring they have a good ROI and hit the fundraising/sign up target
• Work with the Head of Brand & Marketing to ensure any opportunities that arise from our partnership with NHS Charities Together and other charity partners are optimised
• Play a key role in the development and promotion of new ways of income generation, including merchandising.

Forge connections with PR teams and journalists

• Develop effective contacts and build personal relationships with local journalists and partner PR teams to initiate coverage and build strategic partnerships
• Lead communications activity for key national celebration/awareness days that BWHC can maximise income or engagement on
• Support colleagues with media interviews and delivering presentations, including supplying briefings or FAQs where necessary
• Monitor media coverage to ensure effective evaluation and reporting
• Lead on crisis communications planning and response and advise the Senior Management team as necessary.

Lead by example with internal communications and reporting

• Support the Head of Brand & Marketing with the quarterly team trustee report
• Provide data for analysis, KPI monitoring and internal reports
• Guide our internal communications to ensure BWHC staff are engaged and understand the activities and direction of the charity, including leading on Viva Engage
• Provide content for speeches, presentations and executive materials
• Work to continually improve internal processes to ensure they are effective and fit for purpose
• Support the CEO on LinkedIn content planning and creation
• To provide cover for colleagues during periods of absence and holiday.

Drive planning and budgeting

• Support the Head of Brand & Marketing in the development of the short and long-term Brand & Marketing strategies, business plans and budgets, prioritising workload across the year
• Manage the budget throughout the year and ensure any unexpected variance can be explained or accounted for
• In particular, lead, direct and deliver a new annual communications strategy, which includes our press and public relations strategy and our digital content/activity plan (working closely with the Digital & Communications Officer)
• Be an engaged member of the Management Team, contributing effectively to all departmental plans
• Manage and record any accompanying communications expenditure within the Brand & Marketing budget following correct ordering and purchase order procedures.

Lead and manage

• Line manage and offer direction to our two Digital & Communications Officers, ensuring they are supported in their tasks and responsibilities and meet their KPIs and performance targets
• Hold regular 121s, appraisal meetings and discuss training requirements/plans
• Support with the recruitment and management of our UHBW Charity Champions and ensure they are engaged, informed and convey key charity messaging
• Manage the relationship with our Celebrity Champions and ensure they are active and engaged with the charity and utilising their networks to maximise charity benefit and awareness.

Deadline for applications: 11:59pm, Sunday 2nd November
Interviews planned for: W/C Monday 10th November

Benefits

• 27 days annual holiday entitlement (pro-rata) plus an additional day off on your birthday and a wellbeing day. Plus an additional two days leave after five years of service. 
• Commitment to hybrid and flexible working
• Competitive pension scheme. We'll match employee pension contributions up to 8% (minimum 5%)
• Additional support via our enhanced Employee Assistance Programme, including up to eight sessions with a licensed counsellor
• Life assurance cover - 4x annual salary
• Commitment to training and development with budget set aside
• Medicash health plan - claim cash towards a range of medical costs
• Free Blue Light Card that allows access to hundreds of discounts at major retailers.