Head of Communications and Engagement

NHS; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A large healthcare organization in Cardiff seeks a Head of Communications and Engagement. You will lead a dynamic team, ensuring effective internal and external communications while enhancing public relations for the Health Board. This role demands significant leadership experience and a political awareness of the health landscape. The ideal candidate will manage stakeholder engagement and represent the organization’s vision to the public.

Qualifications

• Qualified at master's level or significant relevant professional experience of at least five years.
• Experience of advising and influencing senior leaders, including CEOs and Board Members.
• Experience of managing performance and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Deputise for the Director of Communications and Engagement as needed.
• Manage the Health Board's Communications Team.
• Design, develop, and evaluate communications campaigns.

Skills

Excellent judgement

Crisis management skills

Ability to forge relationships

Prioritisation of workload

Decision-making

Education

Master's degree or equivalent professional experience

Professional qualification in communications

Job description

Head of Communications and Engagement

The closing date is 18 January 2026

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is seeking to appoint a highly skilled and experienced communications professional with the drive to lead our busy communications and engagement team, with responsibility for delivering all internal, external and digital communications, content and collateral, public and media relations, stakeholder engagement and corporate events.

This is an incredibly exciting time to be joining the Health Board, as the organisation continues to grow and adapt to meet the health needs of the capital city and surrounding areas of Wales.

The successful candidate will be a senior influencer, adept at delivering impactful, evidence‑based and ambitious communications and engagement strategies. You will be used to working in a complex system, managing sensitive issues and competing priorities.

You will have a demonstrable commitment to collaborative working with stakeholders, as well as a passion for improving communications and engagement to support the delivery of high‑quality patient care and services.

The Head of Communications and Engagement will work alongside and support the Health Board's Executive Team, and provide relevant advice, guidance and assistance to clinical and departmental service leads across Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan.

For informal discussions about this role, please contact Joanne Brandon, Director of Communications and Engagement: [e-mail]

Main duties of the job

The Head of Communications and Engagement will support the Director in the strategic management and delivery of a range of highly professional communications services to the Health Board.

The post-holder is responsible for leading the busy, fast‑paced communications and engagement team, providing strategic professional advice and expertise on all aspects of communication, and staff and stakeholder engagement for the Health Board. The role requires the candidate to demonstrate leadership to both the department and within the wider organisation of health care services.

The post-holder will develop, deliver and evaluate a range of integrated communications campaigns which reflect organisational objectives, operational priorities and enhance the reputation of the Health Board, reflecting its commitment to public accountability and helping to build public confidence in local health services.

The Head of Communications and Engagement will have enhanced knowledge and understanding of the political landscape and its alignment to health care services and utilise this knowledge to advise and influence senior leaders across the hospital as well as the local health economy.

About us

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is one of the largest Integrated Health Boards in the UK, employing over 17,000 staff, providing over 100 specialist services. Working across 6 hospital sites, we have a diverse range of career opportunities to offer. Serving over 500,000 people living in Cardiff and the Vale, we are focussed on the health and care needs of our local population whilst working with our partners to develop regional services. Together we are committed to improving health outcomes for everyone, delivering excellent care and support.

Our mission is "Living Well, Caring Well, Working Together", and our vision is that every person's chance of leading a healthy life should be equal. Our 10‑year transformation and improvement strategy, Shaping Our Future Wellbeing, is our chance to work collaboratively with the public and our workforce to make our health board more sustainable for the future.

Job responsibilities

To deputise for the Director of Communications and Engagement when required.

To manage the Health Boards Communications Team, ensuring that performance is optimised and that the teams work programme is delivered to a consistently high standard.

To maintain day‑to‑day oversight and management of the team budget.

To refresh, deliver and evaluate the UHB Communications Plan, and supporting Communications Team work programme, identifying short, medium and longer‑term communications priorities in line with the UHBs organisational priorities and its Integrated Medium‑Term Plan or Annual Plan.

To design, develop, deliver and evaluate a range of integrated communications campaigns which reflect the UHBs organisational goals and objectives, ensuring that such campaigns are timely, well‑planned and executed and represent demonstrable return on investment.

To be responsible for providing a specialist communications service to the UHBs Clinical Boards and other corporate services, which is responsive to need and effective in its delivery of communications activity and which reflects the needs of the health board more broadly.

To lead the media relations element of the UHB Communications Plan, supported by the broader communications, digital and social media colleagues. Acting as the senior adviser on complex issues, providing advice at Board level on risks, opportunities and mitigating strategies where there is potential for reputational damage.

To ensure reputational risks are managed and escalated appropriately (including via Welsh Gov‑ments Communications Team and other relevant stakeholders).

To provide an effective media and political monitoring service for the UHB which evaluates risks and issues and provides a tool for the measurement of progress against an agreed set of performance objectives for media relations.

To interpret and implement national policies as they relate to communications.

To develop highly complex and sensitive information into accessible and engaging editorial content to be used across a range of communications platforms, including media releases, the UHBs e‑communication tools, promotional and other materials.

To be responsible for the integrity of the UHBs visual identity and branding, ensuring consistency of approach across all printed and digital promotional media.

To represent the UHB on a wide variety of internal and external fora, ensuring a high degree of professionalism and always being mindful of the UHBS reputation.

To develop, deploy and review the use of appropriate evaluation tools to demonstrate the effectiveness of the UHB Communication Plan, advising the Board and Executive Management Team of the outcome of such evaluation and advising on any suggested revision of the Plan.

To provide advice to patients, clients, carers and members of the public who contact the Communications Team.

To use appropriate IT systems and platforms, including social media, content management systems, Microsoft Office 365 and associated platforms.

To execute contingency communication plans as necessary, working closely with the appropriate partners and stakeholders as required. To horizon scan internally and externally, ensuring that potential risks and/or issues pertinent to the Health Boards public profile and reputation are identified at an early stage and that the Health Board can respond to and/or capitalise on opportunities in a timely and effective fashion.

To update and maintain effective crisis communication plans/responses and policies in line with local, regional and national requirements.

To update and maintain all relevant social, digital and communication policies to support delivery of service, including Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) as required.

To provide written reports, summaries, press and media content, data analysis and evaluation to support operational and strategic communication activity and delivery to an excellent standard.

To engage in professional development activities which further develop relevant skills and expertise.

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click Apply now to view in Trac.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Knowledge

• Qualified at master's level or equivalent OR significant relevant professional experience of at least five years
• Professional qualification in communications or related discipline, or evidence of working towards such a qualification

Experience

• Significant relevant experience at a senior level in a large and complex organisation
• Experience of advising and influencing senior leaders, including CEOs and Board Members
• Experience of managing performance and budgets

Skills and Attributes

• Excellent judgement, decision‑making and crisis management skills
• Ability to forge relationships and influence a wide range of individuals across various organisations and boundaries and at all levels
• Able to prioritise own and team's workload, managing multiple projects simultaneously and making best use of available resources to meet organisational need and achieve positive solutions

Knowledge and Experience

• Highly specialist knowledge of a range of communications disciplines, including social and media relations, digital engagement and internal communications
• To develop, deploy and review the use of appropriate evaluation tools to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Health Board's Communication Plan, advising the Board and Executive Management Team of the outcome of such evaluation and advising on any suggested revision of the Plan.
• Politically literate with solid understanding of the external political environment in Wales and beyond and its impact on NHS Wales

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board