Job description
Job title: Communications Officer
Salary: Band 3
Accountable to: Head of Communications
Contract: Full time
Location: 151 Buckingham Palace Road London, SW1W 9SZ
Introduction to the HTA
The Human Tissue Authority (HTA) is the national independent regulator for
organisations that remove, store and use tissue for research, medical treatment,
post-mortem examination, teaching and display in public. We also give approval for
organ and bone marrow donations from living people. With the interests of the public
and those we regulate at the centre of our work, we aim to maintain confidence by
ensuring that human tissue is used safely and ethically, with proper consent.
Job purpose
The Communications Officer works in the Communications Team and with staff in
other directorates to successfully deliver a wide range of communications activities
and projects aimed at external and internal stakeholders. This post holder will
support our work with the media and stakeholders to create a broad understanding
of the aims, policies and work of the HTA. The post holder will also be relied upon to
produce clear and accessible copy for a range of different audiences.
This is a diverse role which requires creativity, organisation, first class oral and
written communications skills, and project experience.
Key tasks and responsibilities
Media
The HTA has a small but important media presence, which we manage carefully and
is central to our communications strategy. The post holder will act as the main link
between the HTA and the media. They will maintain a list of journalist and press
officer contacts, answer media enquiries, manage and develop reactive and
proactive news releases and statements, develop media plans/strategies and lines to
take, and oversee the weekly ‘news digest’. The post holder will also be expected to
brief staff about areas of interest for the media and advise about reputation
management and potentially sensitive media. They will also be required to be on ‘out
of hours’ press duty alongside the Head of Communications.
Reports and publications
The HTA is relied upon and valued for the clear information that it produces for its
public and professional audiences. The post holder will have responsibility for the
HTA’s visual identity, including making sure that internal and external material is in
‘HTA style’, is written in ‘plain English’ and that templates are adhered to. The HTA
works with both the scientific and health community and as such, the post holder will
need to translate technical and often complex information into clear and accessible
copy. The post holder will also lead the development of key publications like the
annual review and the bi-monthly e-newsletter. The website is a key channel of
communication for the HTA and the post holder will play an important role in
providing engaging and accessible copy for the website.
Social media
Working alongside the Website and Communications Officer, the post holder will
help develop the HTA’s digital channels and ensure they are used as an integrated
communications tool. We have a small but influential following on Facebook and
Twitter and plan to continue to use new media to reach new audiences.
Stakeholders
Working within the Communications Team, the post holder will support the
development and management of tailored campaigns and materials for key HTA
stakeholder groups, including patient and public representatives, licensed
establishments, the transplant community, parliamentarians and key opinion formers.
They will also support the maintenance of the HTA’s stakeholder contact map and
list, and produce briefings on specific issues for meetings and events.
Horizon-scanning and forward planning
The HTA prides itself on being flexible and reacting appropriately as government
policy or health and science changes. The post holder will play a vital role in
providing the organisation with intelligence from the media and stakeholders about
up-coming work, policy changes etc. They will also maintain the communications
forward planner.
Events and meetings
The post holder will support key events like the annual review event, and meetings
like the Stakeholder Group meeting.
Planning and evaluation
The post holder will contribute to the communications business plan and strategy,
and provide up to date metrics and information about their area of work for our
monthly and quarterly evaluation. This will include monitoring, recording, collating
and analysing media/social media activity.
Other work (as necessary)
Alongside the rest of the Communications Team, the post holder will:
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Provide high quality advice and guidance to staff in other directorates and
occasionally Authority Members about different aspects of communications
Support internal communications
Respond to and record queries from stakeholders, including members of the
public
Support mapping and relationship management programmes with public and
professional stakeholders and key opinion leaders.
Support the development and implementation of communications strategies and
plans, and contribute to the overall strategic direction of the organisation.
Manage other projects in the Communications Team as required by the Head of
Communications and support all work of the Communications Team
Person specification
General
Outstanding organisational and problem solving skills
Essential
Ability to analyse complex information from a range of sources
Essential
An understanding of the role of the HTA or health regulation more
generally
Good computer literacy and familiarity with MS Outlook, Excel and
Word
Desirable
Essential
Communications
Excellent written, verbal and editorial skills
Essential
Experience of writing different media, for different audiences
Experience of developing brand messages and identity guidelines
Knowledge and understanding of communication evaluation
techniques
Experience of writing content for e-newsletters and reports in clear,
jargon-free language.
Experience of working with journalists and writing press releases
and statements
Experience of supporting events
Experience of online communications including social media
Experience of communicating orally with staff, members of the
public and professionals
Experience of dealing with media locally, regionally and nationally
Essential
Desirable
Desirable
Desirable
Essential
Desirable
Desirable
Essential
Desirable
Personal attributes
Ability to work as part of a small tightly knit team and organisation
Essential
Excellent interpersonal skills with a customer service approach
Essential
Highly self-motivated and able to work to strict deadlines
Meticulous attention to detail
Ability to maintain composure whilst dealing with various pressing
tasks simultaneously
Essential
Essential
Essential
Self-motivated and ability to work on own initiative
Flexibility to attend meetings or work outside normal working hours
when necessary
Essential
Essential
Competencies
Gaining Awareness & Understanding
Level 2
Creating Effective Solutions
Level 2
Understanding Others
Level 2
Facilitating Teamwork
Level 2
Building Relationships
Level 2
Inspiring Confidence
Level 2
Compelling Communication
Level 2
Achieving Results
Level 2
Concern for Quality
Level 2