Head of News

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Job summary

A rare opportunity for a highly experienced news journalist and communicator to join a leading NHS Trust at a senior level.

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) is looking for a Head of News to join its dynamic, ambitious and friendly communications team.

Working across Addenbrooke's Hospital, the Rosie, and plans for two new hospitals - Cambridge Children's and Cambridge Cancer - you will take responsibility for the news output of CUH, including live broadcasts, hosting media visits, reacting to media enquiries, and sourcing, delivering and placing stories to support the overall strategy of the Trust.

You will develop a pipeline of stories around health care, our staff and patients, innovation and life sciences; working hand-in-hand with partners on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and the wider ecosystem to ensure we are communicating through the media in an open, transparent and professional manner.

In return, you will play an important role in a fast-moving and hugely exciting health and life-science campus with regional, national and international significance, as well as joining a highly regarded communications team where new ideas, learning and enthusiasm are warmly welcomed.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Main duties of the job

The Head of News leads on all media relations and creative story telling for CUH, bringing editorial expertise and high-quality production skills to the role, alongside management and mentoring/training experience.

Develop and implement media strategies to align with organisational objectives.

Work with Head of External Affairs and Director of Communications to manage reputational issues and lead on media strategies around reputation.

Create, commission and produce a pipeline of compelling stories that embodies the Trust's core values and strategic goals.

Use audience insight to identify the most effective ways to create bespoke content to reach priority CUH audiences, including via digital channels.

Lead on the production of high-quality news video and written content and oversee the news output across all channels.

Lead the response on the ground to major news stories involving the Trust. Work closely with executive directors in designing responses and providing on-screen interviews, including briefings and media training.

Manage and mentor other members of the CUH communications team to improve production skills and provide media training to CUH staff.

About us

Our Trust

Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 11000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people - patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing 'outstanding' care to our patients and rated 'Good' overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH's values - Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent - are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.

CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people's age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

This vacancy will close at midnight on the 12th June 2023.

Interviews are due to be held on 21st June 2023.

Benefits to you

We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse, day nurseries and access to a great transport system with easy access to airports and rail travel.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Job description
Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.

This vacancy will close at midnight on the 12th June 2023.

Interviews are due to be held on 21st June 2023.

Benefits to you

We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse, day nurseries and access to a great transport system with easy access to airports and rail travel.

Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases alternative working hours will be considered.

We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to Masters level or equivalent relevant experience.
• Evidence of continuous professional development.
• Post-graduate qualifications in journalism or equivalent relevant experience gained in a high profile media organisation.

Desirable

• Post-graduate qualifications in public relations, marketing or a relevant area of communications management.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of working in the media as a journalist and/or in the management of journalists through a busy, high profile press office.
• Experience of working on high profile and complex issues in the media, including stories that involve complex legal cases taken to the courts.
• Significant experience of building effective networks across media organisations and in large organisations with matrix internal stakeholder relationships.
• Demonstrable experience of creating original content for broadcast and publication in high profile media outlets.
• Proven ability to analyse audience insight data and use media reach to design communications strategies.

Desirable

• Experience of delivering a media relations service in a large organisation.
• Experience of working in the media in the area of medicine, science or health as a correspondent, reporter of media officer.
• Experience of working in TV news.

Knowledge

Essential

• Demonstrable knowledge of the media and how journalists work on national and local stories.
• Understanding of the law in relation to journalism, copyright, defamation and publishing.
• Knowledge of the key correspondents leading the development of health journalism in the UK.
• Insight into changing trends in journalism and how to adapt to those.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the NHS and the Government's priorities in the health sector.

Skills

Essential

• Story-telling expertise at the highest level, including within TV news.
• A high degree of political awareness, tact and discretion.
• Ability to negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues.
• Excellent skills at partnership working and developing relationships with a number of key bodies and individuals.
• Excellent communication skills both written and oral.
• Strong negotiating skills.
• Problem solver, with excellent analytical skills.
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills.

Desirable

• Development of digital content for the news agenda.
• Use of editing packages.

Additional Requirements

Essential

• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.

Person Specification
Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to Masters level or equivalent relevant experience.
• Evidence of continuous professional development.
• Post-graduate qualifications in journalism or equivalent relevant experience gained in a high profile media organisation.

Desirable

• Post-graduate qualifications in public relations, marketing or a relevant area of communications management.

Experience

Essential

• Significant experience of working in the media as a journalist and/or in the management of journalists through a busy, high profile press office.
• Experience of working on high profile and complex issues in the media, including stories that involve complex legal cases taken to the courts.
• Significant experience of building effective networks across media organisations and in large organisations with matrix internal stakeholder relationships.
• Demonstrable experience of creating original content for broadcast and publication in high profile media outlets.
• Proven ability to analyse audience insight data and use media reach to design communications strategies.

Desirable

• Experience of delivering a media relations service in a large organisation.
• Experience of working in the media in the area of medicine, science or health as a correspondent, reporter of media officer.
• Experience of working in TV news.

Knowledge

Essential

• Demonstrable knowledge of the media and how journalists work on national and local stories.
• Understanding of the law in relation to journalism, copyright, defamation and publishing.
• Knowledge of the key correspondents leading the development of health journalism in the UK.
• Insight into changing trends in journalism and how to adapt to those.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the NHS and the Government's priorities in the health sector.

Skills

Essential

• Story-telling expertise at the highest level, including within TV news.
• A high degree of political awareness, tact and discretion.
• Ability to negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues.
• Excellent skills at partnership working and developing relationships with a number of key bodies and individuals.
• Excellent communication skills both written and oral.
• Strong negotiating skills.
• Problem solver, with excellent analytical skills.
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills.

Desirable

• Development of digital content for the news agenda.
• Use of editing packages.

Additional Requirements

Essential

• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.

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.
Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. .

Additional information
Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. .

Employer details

Employer name

Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Address

Addenbrooke's Hospital - Corporate

Hills Road

Cambridge

CB2 0QQ

Employer's website