Head of Communications | University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust

UHCW NHS Trust; Coventry; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare provider in Coventry is seeking a Head of Communications to lead their communications team. This role involves developing effective communication strategies, managing media relations, and ensuring internal engagement for optimal team performance. Candidates should have significant experience in communications and a passion for healthcare improvement.

Qualifications

• Experience in strategic communications and media relations.
• Proven ability to lead a communications team effectively.
• Strong interpersonal skills to build relationships with stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement communications strategies and plans.
• Provide advice to the Executive Team on communications and media.
• Lead and manage the communications team to ensure effective operations.

Skills

Strategic advice and support

Media relations

Internal communications

Stakeholder management

Crisis management

Education

Experience in communications

Job description

Overview

A rare opportunity to lead a phenomenally successful and high profile communications team. We are seeking a highly motivated, creative and inspirational Head of Communications to take a pivotal role in leading our communications service. You will be an excellent storyteller and highly skilled communicator with a proven track record of providing leadership and professional advice, delivering effective, data-driven and accessible communication and engagement strategies.

We are a values-led organisation and are looking for someone who can build relationships at pace, internally and externally, whilst championing the communications function. This is a 1 year secondment opportunity covering a secondment (that may extend).

To optimise team effectiveness for a communications team that supports the business operations for two hospitals and their services, colleagues are required to be based in Coventry for a minimum of 4 days per week.

Reporting to the Director of Marketing and Communications, you will be a kind, compassionate leader who cultivates a culture of high performance, collaboration and innovation to optimise team and individual talent. The team of 7 delivers a full range of communications including plans, internal communications for 11,000 staff, media relations, social media, external relations, marketing campaigns, design, photography, video, and supports operational communications.

The Head of Communications will work within a corporate communications team to deliver impactful, evidence-based messaging and storytelling that resonates with our audiences. This senior role will support the many innovations and transformations our organisation is involved with across all aspects of communications and marketing.

Specialisms / Competencies

• Strategic advice and support
• Internal communications and employee engagement
• Media relations and social media
• Social media
• Stakeholder relations and management
• Issues and crisis management
• Events management and marketing
• Campaigns
• Branding, design and corporate identity development
• Performance reporting for the comms service
• Policies, standards and evaluation of activity
• Insight and marketing research
• Public and patient engagement
• Operational Management
• Programme Management
• Strategic Partnerships
• Organisational Development
• Consultations
• Media planning
• Monitoring (channels)
• Communications Training

About the Organisation

University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, rated as Good by the Care Quality Commission in August 2025, is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the UK. We are proud of our employees across our hospital sites, with high quality patient care at the heart of everything we do. We are recognised as a Pathway to Excellence designated organisation.

By joining our journey, you will form part of a passionate, talented team and will have access to a wide range of learning and development opportunities. The Trust is committed to building an organisation that values diversity and ensures equality, dignity and autonomy for all staff and patients.

Responsibilities

• Supporting the Director of Communications; responsible for development, implementation and evaluation of communications strategies, plans, projects and campaigns for UHCW Trust.
• Provide communications, marketing communications and media, reputation management advice and training to the Executive Team and senior colleagues; deputise for the Director of Communications.
• Act as the communications link between the organisation and stakeholders including local communities, government departments, professional bodies, and local and national government.

Knowledge, Training and Experience

To deliver strategic priorities as part of the UHCW strategy to build a positive reputation and help the Trust realise its ambition as a national and international leader in healthcare. A key communications management role overseeing the day-to-day operations of the communications service, leading and supporting a team of 5 staff and ensuring activities are planned, coordinated and efficient and effective.

Planning and Organisational Skills

• Oversight, development, monitoring and delivery of long-term strategic and communications plans, often involving changing situations and environmental factors.
• Partnership liaison: act as a communications link between organisations and stakeholders including local community, government departments, professional bodies, local and national government.
• Evaluating and reporting on metrics that demonstrate the value of the communications function and identify areas for improvement.

Physical Skills

Creative – responsible for ensuring messages are effectively presented with high-quality design and solutions that achieve the right impact in print, video and images. Oversight of corporate digital asset management (photography, video) in accordance with GDPR.

Patient / Client Care

• Patient communications – maintaining an overview of quality of communications for patients and their access to information, putting the patient first in all that we do.
• Respond to patients and issues relating to communications service concerns (e.g., Clinical Service Reviews, Court Cases).
• Work with patients on the development of communications, e.g., patient stories.

Policy / Service Development

Improvement – as a partner with Virginia Mason Institute in Seattle, USA, this role will work with the Innovation Hub and improvement teams to showcase the journey of improvement across all services.

Financial and Physical Resources

Resource management – responsible for effective management of resources including procurement, supplier management and the communications budget.

Human Resources

• Lead, manage, motivate and develop the communications team to maintain high standards of morale and embody Trust values.
• Ensure team development through reviews, objective setting and personal development plans.
• Training and Service Quality: governance, standards, staff training and assurance of communications and engagement plans; regular performance reports.

For further details of the role please see the attached job description.

This advert closes on Sunday 21 Sep 2025