Head of PPI and Research Communications

University College London Hospital; London; On-site; GBP 200,000 +; Part time

Job summary

A leading healthcare institution in London seeks a Head of Patient and Public Involvement and Research Communications. This role involves developing strategic communications and ensuring effective engagement with patients in research. Candidates should have a strong background in communication and a master's level education. The position is part-time (0.5FTE), offering competitive benefits including flexible working options.

Benefits

Interest-free season ticket loan

Cycle to work scheme

Discounts on retail stores

Qualifications

• Educated to master's level.
• Experience and understanding of national and regional healthcare policy.
• Understanding of research methodology.

Responsibilities

• Develop the strategic communications for PPIE.
• Manage a team of communications and involvement experts.
• Engage with patients and public to enhance research impact.

Skills

Communication skills

Teamwork

Negotiation skills

Experience in engagement

Education

Master's degree

Postgraduate Qualification in communications and engagement

Job description

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

The use of AI is monitored and if applicants have used it, then they are required to declare this in their supporting statement.

Job overview

UCLH, together with leading university UCL, is a centre for world-class clinical research and has one of the largest portfolios of studies. UCLH is home to one of the country's most innovative biomedical research centres (BRCs). At our BRC we have built up a good reputation for our work in communicating our research and engaging with patients and the public.

Communicating and actively involving patients and the public in research are essential to the work we do at UCLH JRO and NIHR Biomedical Research Centre and is crucial to making our research more impactful and inclusive.

We now have an exciting opportunity for 0.5FTE-job share Head of Patient and Public Involvement and Research Communications to take our work to the next level. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who has a passion for communicating research and for ensuring the meaningful and effective engagement, involvement and participation (PPIE) of patients and the public in research, to shape and influence our work.

As the Head of PPIE and research communications, you will use your excellent communication and involvement skills and expertise to help senior staff and researchers to communicate, interact and work with patients and the public. You will be responsible for the strategic development of communications and PPIE, working with multiple departments and organisations to negotiate and establish partnerships to develop research communications and involvement.

Main duties of the job

The Head of PPIE and Research Communications is responsible for a PPIE support infrastructure for UCLH and UCL researchers, and for multiple communications and engagement channels including digital channels, websites, events and social media. The postholder manages a team of 4 communications and involvement experts.

The successful candidate will have a track record communicating complex information in clear, engaging ways; working with individuals, groups and communities; and identifying targeted and appropriate communication channels. The post holder will need to have excellent knowledge of communications, including digital communications, print and film and photography. The postholder will need influencing and negotiation skills, experience of working on complex projects with multiple partners and be comfortable with working at pace. The successful candidate will show a willingness and experience of developing and delivering innovative approaches to communications, involvement and engagement

Working for our organisation

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research.

We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:
• University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)
• National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
• Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals
• University College Hospital Grafton Way Building
• Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
• University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre
• The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
• University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street

We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women's health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*

* UCLH top trust to work at in England - In the most recent NHS staff survey UCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England - for the third year in a row.

UCLH recognises the benefits of flexible working for staff - To find out more, visit: Flexible working.

To discover more about what makes UCLH a great place to work, visit: Why Choose UCLH?

Person specification

Requirements

Essential criteria

• Educated to master's level
• Postgraduate Qualification in communications and engagement
• Experience and understanding of national and regional healthcare policy
• Understanding of research methodology

Ensure the risk of infection to self, colleagues, patients, relatives and visitors is minimised by:

Essential criteria

• Being familiar with, and adhering to Trust policies and guidance on infection prevention and control.
• Completing all required training and education (both via e-learning and face to face) on infection prevention and control.
• Including infection prevention and control as an integral part of your continuous personal/professional development and included in your annual appraisal
• Taking personal responsibility so far as is reasonably practicable, in helping ensure that effective prevention and control of health care associated infections is embedded into everyday practice and applied consistently.

At UCLH, we have a real 'One Team' ethos, and our values - safety, kindness, teamwork and improving, are central to the way we work. This is supported by our staff, who voted us as the #1 NHS Acute Trust to work for in the whole of England.

At UCLH we take equality of opportunity seriously and are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer, with a culture that creates a real sense of belonging and trust. It is our fundamental aim, to recruit, retain and promote a diverse mix of people who are representative of our local communities. Applications are encouraged from candidates of all backgrounds, cultures, and perspectives to support our world class research, innovation and creativity.

UCLH recognises the benefits of flexible working for staff and has a dedicated policy which allows staff to apply for flexible working right from the beginning of employment. For more information please go to: https://www.uclh.nhs.uk/work-with-us/why-choose-uclh/flexible-working.

We offer our permanent staff an interest free season ticket loan for travel, all our staff have access to free independent and confidential support, large retail discounts, a staff discount platform, cycle to work scheme and on-site accommodation to name a few.

Additionally, UCLH Arts and Heritage's staff wellbeing programme, Creative Comfort, offers a variety of ways to engage with the arts as a member of UCLH staff. You can try out the weekly choir, weekly art club and join the Culture Club for exclusive access to free and discounted tickets for opera, exhibitions, theatre and more.

We recognise, reward and thank colleagues by nominating them for our annual Celebrating Excellence Awards, which are funded by UCLH Charity.

We are also members of www.mytrustbenefits.co.uk/ which offers discounts on high street retail stores, offers on travel deals, and also to take advantage of cash back schemes.

This vacancy may close before the current listed closing date. You are advised not to delay submitting your completed application.

Please note that all correspondence regarding your application will be via email. The emails will be sent to you via TRAC.jobs and not via NHS Jobs, we encourage you to check your inbox regularly.

Please note that if you are at present in a training position on the 2016 new junior doctor's contract and are applying for a Trust doctor role your salary will not be pay protected.

You will be placed on the appropriate point of the Trust Doctor pay scale based on your previous experience.

Please note that if you have not heard from us within 3 weeks of the closing date of the advert to assume that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion.

The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

For further support on submitting an application please refer to the NLPSS Applicant Toolkit: https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Documents to download

• Job Description (PDF, 568.3KB)
• Functional Requirements (PDF, 262.3KB)
• UCLH Values (PDF, 860.9KB)