Communications Officer

Hira Ni; Belfast City District; Hybrid; GBP 30,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

The Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland (HIRANI) seeks a communications professional to create and deliver content across projects, supporting internal and external relationships and the communications strategy.

You will develop/edit content for website, social media and newsletters; schedule campaigns and events; and produce digital/print publications aligned with branding. Hybrid working in central Belfast.

Qualifications

• 2+ years in a similar role.
• Photography and videography and digital media skills.
• Experience building a CRM.
• Experience using graphic design tools.
• Skills in using AI for communication.
• A background in health and life sciences (not essential).
• Right to work in the UK (sponsorship not available).

Responsibilities

• Develop and edit content for communications channels including website, social media and newsletters.
• Schedule content for campaigns and events, ensuring branding consistency.
• Produce digital and print publications in line with guidelines.
• Coordinate day-to-day communications operations and timely outputs.
• Build relationships with stakeholders and organisations to disseminate content.
• Ensure communications are accessible and appropriate for target audiences.
• Monitor health and life sciences landscape and provide insights.
• Report and analyse insights for reports and planning.
• Plan, organise and execute events, including post-event evaluations.

Skills

Communication

Attention to detail

Organisational skills

Initiative

Team collaboration

Education

Honours degree in media/communications/journalism

Tools

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

CRM

Graphic design tools

Photography & videography

AI for communication

Job description

• The Health Innovation Research Alliance Northern Ireland (HIRANI)
• Hybrid - A mixture of working from home and in office in central Belfast 2-3 days per week and willingness to travel to meetings within and outside Northern Ireland on occasion.

Date for Interview: Week beginning 19 th October

Anticipated start-date: Week beginning 3 rd November

Duration: Fixed term until August 2027 (with the intention to extend)

The Health Innovation Research Alliance (HIRANI) is a not-for-profit alliance of universities, healthcare providers and industry which promotes life and health sciences sector growth by providing a clear vision and supporting collaboration for health and prosperity.

We provide our sector-specific expertise and resources to support areas that will address barriers to innovation, and prioritise opportunities which must convene multidisciplinary stakeholders such as:

• Cluster building and connecting tools which create a narrative, build investable ventures, disseminated through our many communication channels and over 10,000 stakeholders in NI and across the globe.
• Advocate to promote a better understanding of the opportunities and barriers to market including regulation, procurement and implementation
• We convene skills programmes in Northern Ireland, such as the NHS Clinical Entrepreneur programme and Launchpad to develop and implement new medical products and services to benefit everyone in Northern Ireland.

The post-holder isprimarily responsible for creating and delivering communications for projects across the organisation, to support building internal and external HIRANI relationships with stakeholders, and potential collaborators in industry, government,academiaand health institutions.

This will include delivering on the internal and external communications strategy for HIRANI.

Major Duties:

• Work closely with the HIRANI team and stakeholders to develop and edit content for our communications channels including website, socialmediaand newsletters.
• Schedule content for the corporate social media campaigns, as-well as in-person events, ensuring onsite materials content and branding are consistent.
• Support on all aspects of the production of digital and print publications, ensuring HIRANI and stakeholders brandingand style guidelines are effectively deployed.
• Coordinate day-to-day operations of HIRANI communications, including triaging communications projects and ensuring timely delivery of outputs.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, partners, and organisations to support engagement and disseminate content.
• Know the HIRANI target audiences and ensure all communications are accessible, use plain language, and are appropriate for each intended audience.
• Monitor the health and life sciences innovation landscape and provide insights to the HIRANI team.
• Evaluate communications effectiveness, using insights to refine strategies and improve reach.
• Report and analyse insights for quarterly and annual reports.
• Work with the team on the planning, organising, and executing events.
• Take part in the setup and execution of events.
• Conduct post-event evaluations and reporting on success metrics.
• An outgoing personality with a genuine passion for connecting people and communications.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including content creation for multiple channels.
• An Honours degree with amedia,communicationsor journalismcomponent or equivalent industry experience
• An excellent ‘news sense’.
• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a broader team, recognising the importance of integrated communications.
• Attention to detail with good organisational skills.
• IT literacy – knowledge of Word, Excel and PowerPoint and a highly professional approach in all your communications, both internal and external, are essential
• Ability to act on initiative, to work under pressure and exercise judgment.
• Right to work in the UK (we cannot offer any sponsorship)

2+ years in a similar role

Photography and videography and digital media skills

Experience building a CRM

Experience using graphic design tools

Skills in Using AI for communication

A background in health and life sciences (not essential)

Reports to Chief Communications Officer

Work Environment – Hybrid (Full time post with two days per week (Monday and Wednesday) in central Belfast office)

HIRANI IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

Must have the right to work in the UK (sponsorship not available).