Senior Media and PR OfficerNHS

Job summary

This vacancy is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship. Please do not apply unless you have another means of establishing a right to work, or you are already employed by the NHS and would transfer to the pay point above the base of Band 6.

It takes all types of people to save and improve lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT), you'll play a vital role in helping us recruit donors, share inspiring stories and protect our reputation through impactful communications. As a Senior Media and PR Officer, youll deliver proactive and reactive media relations, secure high-profile coverage, and develop engaging content that encourages blood, plasma and organ donation. Working with colleagues, donors, patients and external stakeholders, youll help tell stories that make a difference while supporting national campaigns and responding to media enquiries in a fast-paced environment. This is an opportunity to combine creativity, expertise and purpose, using communications to help ensure patients receive the donations they need.

Main duties of the job

• To support the Communications team to deliver high quality, evaluated communications to recruit new donors and showcase the work of NHSBT.
• To deliver proactive communications handling national and local announcements, ethnic minority focussed media and consumer media coverage.
• And reactive media handling call handling / rebuttal and media monitoring.
• To work with colleagues across the organisation to source stories and information and with colleagues across the communications mix including marketing, public affairs and internal communications - to deliver joined up and effective communications plans.
• To build influential relationships with key stakeholders both internally and externally.
• To use free media and no cost/low-cost PR to recruit new donors and identify new trends and channels to reach our target audiences.

Job description

What we offer:

• Hybrid working arrangements – because NHSBT works nationally, we’re able to offer hybrid working options that give you more flexibility to balance work with life.
• Flexible working options – we promote flexible working where the role allows. We’re happy to discuss what flexibility might look like for you.
• Generous annual leave - 27 days annual leave (pro rata for part-time) plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 29 days after 5 years’ service and to 33 days after 10 years.
• Inclusive pension scheme - the NHS Pension Scheme is a defined benefit scheme (not dependent on investment returns). Further details and outline of benefits can be found at: http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/information-about-nhs-pensions‎
• Supportive learning culture - we’ve fostered a culture of continuous learning where colleagues are well-led, engaged, and encouraged to grow. We support you in reaching your full potential, both in your current role and future career. Our Thrive program embodies our commitment to learning and development, offering a wide range of activities to support your personal and professional growth. It’s open to everyone at NHSBT, ensuring you have the resources to succeed and shine in your role.
• Health and wellbeing support – we offer confidential services including occupational health, employee assistance programme, and wellbeing resources. Our support is available to all colleagues and we endeavour to provide tailored workplace adjustments where possible.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we welcome applications from disabled candidates. We will talk with you to explore any adjustments that may help you during the recruitment process.

You can find more information about accessibility, our culture, and how we support applicants on the NHSBT Careers website:

• Read about our application process
• Learn more about our culture at NHSBT

To learn more, please see the job description and person specification. These can be accessed via the link below, or by clicking ‘Apply’ if you are viewing this advert on another site.

The assessment process for this role will include: a single interview.

Interviews are anticipated to be held on21st October via Teams– subject to confirmation.

About us

It takes all types of people to deliver the kind of service that saves and improves lives. At NHS Blood and Transplant, you'll join a team of more than 6,000 people who are making a genuine difference to communities, families, friends, relatives and more across the UK. We play a unique and special role in the NHS by helping people do something extraordinary- donate blood, blood products, organs, tissues, or stem cells to save someone in need.

Our three core values are what set us apart. They guide and inspire everything we do. By being caring, expertly meeting the needs of our patients and our people, and accepting nothing less than the best quality, we can do extraordinary work and help our people to do something extraordinary in their career, too. Three small words, one big difference - Caring, Expert and Quality. Together we'll save and improve more lives than ever.

You will join us on our journey to create an inclusive workplace and aim to reflect the diverse communities we work with, and we positively encourage applications from all sectors of the community.