Public Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement Manager

The purpose of this role is to oversee the delivery and ongoing development of the Trust's public affairs and stakeholder engagement plan, using a range of communication channels in support of short and long term aims.

This includes maintaining the organisation's Trust and Reputation dashboard and stakeholder mapping across the area including by borough(s) and programmes/projects, working with senior colleagues to ensure these are relevant, maintained and intelligence is shared with colleagues.

The post holder will work effectively with external stakeholders, ensuring effective and proactive delivery of communications and stakeholder engagement activities to support key objectives.

This includes partner organisations, particularly the Maudsley Charity, IoPPN and King's College London, local authority officers and elected members (councillors), service users and carers community groups, local residents and residents' associations, other NHS bodies (e.g. NHSE, NHS trusts, Integrated Care Systems), and others including architects, developers and advisors; charitable trusts/foundations and individual donors; third sector; housing providers.

The post holder will deploy strong interpersonal skills in presentations, meetings, informal and formal settings.

As well as building and maintaining effective stakeholder relationships, you will have good written communications skills to produce content and reports for various audiences.

The post holder will support the delivering of communications and engagement events in support of the Trust's capital projects and commercial partnerships.

This includes writing newsletters and reports, organising and hosting events, and preparing and delivering briefings.

The post holder will be responsible for:

• Delivering public affairs, communications and engagement activity which builds relationships, enhances the Trust's reputation and is in line with overall communications and engagement strategy.
• Taking responsibility for ensuring stakeholder relationships are maintained and proactively developed.
• Producing regular stakeholder briefings working with other departments in the Trust and partners to co-ordinate content ensuring absolute accuracy.
• Devising and delivering stakeholder engagement plans and strategies for key projects and/or audiences as directed.
• Driving understanding and positive perception of capital projects with external stakeholders, staff and patients through effective engagement work.
• Establishing and maintaining effective co-operative working relationships with stakeholder groups, including attending meetings and presenting and discussing reports.
• Developing, writing and managing new and existing stakeholder engagement products including newsletters and events (digital and face-to-face).
• Devising and delivering proactive campaigns that will improve community engagement and understanding/awareness of the Trust's mental healthcare services for local people.
• Leading on key events and visits, including high profile stakeholders, working alongside partners.
• Managing enquiries from stakeholders including councillors, council executives, MPs, commissioners, public, residents associations, ensuring timely and accurate responses.
• Overseeing the implementation of the Trust's Stakeholder and Community Engagement plan.
• Producing briefings/papers updating colleagues with the Associate Director of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement.
• Proactively working with partners to ensure communications are consistent and timely.
• Producing and/or assisting in the preparation of reports; and briefings including for partners, regulatory and advisory bodies in respect of updating them on complex issues.
• Establishing and maintaining effective co-operative working relationships with all stakeholder groups, internally and externally, at all levels.
• Ensuring that communications are correctly tailored for the appropriate target audiences.
• Managing contracts with external suppliers ensuring value for money and working within the framework of the organisation.
• Advocating on behalf of the department on the importance of good practice in communications.
• Maintaining the Trust's Trust and Reputation dashboard, with latest annual data and providing data analysis of key metrics.
• Undertaking market research projects as necessary to explore, benchmark and measure levels of trust and the Trust's reputation amongst its communities and stakeholders.
• Horizon scanning the political landscape for opportunities for the Trust to raise its profile externally, including regional and national initiatives and events, within and beyond the sector and producing monthly reports.
• Staying up to date with national policy, new health initiatives and partner organisations' strategies and plans and how these impact locally on the Trust.
• Producing and/or assisting in the preparation of reports and representing the Trust at meetings with internal and external stakeholders to deliver those reports and advise on public affairs.
• Preparing briefings for regulatory, advisory bodies or internal stakeholders in respect of updating them on complex issues on an ad hoc basis as requested by the Associate Director of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement.
• Managing and maintaining stakeholder distribution lists.

Person Specification

Training and Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or appropriate vocational experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional and personal development.
• Membership of CIPR or other appropriate professional body; and/or professional qualification or appropriate professional experience.

Experience

• Demonstrable experience of working in a Public Affairs management role.
• Writing copy for a wide range of outlets and target audiences.
• Managing stakeholder and public affairs projects including writing and production of communications materials.
• Successfully producing strategies and implementing communications and engagement programmes.
• Managing stakeholder and partner relationships and engagement, and representing organisations.
• NHS, public or third sector experience.
• Organising and managing events.

Knowledge and skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• In-depth knowledge and understanding of current engagement practice and theory.
• Ability to grasp complex issues and concepts.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise workload.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Understanding of brand management.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Public affairs and stakeholder relations campaign planning, development and implementation skills.
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships with people at all levels.
• Ability to remain calm under pressure.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a small team.
• Understanding of working in a partnership environment.
• Good understanding of national government and NHS (including policy), how it works, the issues it faces and how to communicate within it.
• Report writing skills.
• Knowledge and understanding of digital communications including public websites and intranets.
• Understanding of working in an NHS environment and with the public, partners and external statutory and voluntary organisations.
• Experience of communicating with diverse audiences including hard to reach groups.