Job summary
- Main area
- Communications
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 391-RFL-8283439
- Employer
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
- Town
- Hampstead,
- Salary
- £38,488 - £46,852 Per annum inclusive of HCAS
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 04/10/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Band 5 Communications officer
NHS AfC: Band 5
Our trust has over 17,000 staff serving 2 million patients every year. It comprises Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital and more than 30 services in the community. This larger scale organisation provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to continue our pioneering work, particularly in finding ways to deliver even better care to our patients.
Our mission is to deliver world class care and expertise in our clinical services, underpinned by world class teaching and research and we will continue to measure our progress against our five governing objectives: excellent outcomes, excellent patient and staff experience, excellent value for taxpayers’ money, being safe and meeting our external duties, and building a strong organisation.
Everyone is welcome at Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. We're proud of our diversity and we continue to undertake new initiatives to advance equality for LGBT+, BME, gender equality, staff carers and people with disabilities and lived experiences to promote good relations and understanding between our staff.
Artificial intelligence (AI) is a set of technology that can perform various tasks that typically required human intelligence. Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role. We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, it’s important that examples and responses genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey. Further guidance can be found in the NLPSS Applicant Toolkit https://royalfree.pagetiger.com/cuuomnr/1.
Click here to view our video Welcome to the Royal Free
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is committed to ensuring that its recruitment processes are carried out with integrity, transparency, and fairness for all applicants. To help maintain these standards, we ask candidates to provide accurate and truthful information throughout the recruitment process.
If incorrect or misleading information is identified, this may affect the progression of an application, any employment offer, or continued employment. As part of our due diligence, the company may verify the information provided by applicants and take appropriate action where necessary.
We do not charge applicants any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including applications, interviews, sponsorship arrangements, pre-employment checks, or employment offers. All vacancies are advertised through TRAC/NHS Jobs and candidates are assessed solely on their skills, qualifications, experience, and suitability for the role. If you are asked to make a payment in connection with an NHS job opportunity, please treat this as suspicious and contact the organisation directly using the details published on our official career's website
Applicants can refer to the Fraud Act 2006 for further information: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/35/contents
Job overview
As a communications officer, you will play an important role in helping us connect, engage and inspire more than 18,000 colleagues across the Royal Free London.
Working closely with the senior internal communications manager and internal communications manager, you will help deliver a responsive, inclusive and effective internal communications and engagement service. You will support colleagues to stay informed, involved and connected to the organisation’s priorities, principles and achievements.
You will help ensure colleagues across our health units, hospitals and satellite sites can access clear, timely and relevant information. You will consider the different needs, working environments and levels of digital access among our diverse internal audiences.
You will coordinate and deliver internal communications campaigns, projects, publications and day-to-day content. This will involve managing competing priorities, responding to changing requirements and producing accurate, high-quality work, often to tight deadlines. You will receive guidance and support from experienced communications colleagues while being trusted to manage agreed pieces of work.
Main duties of the job
You will build positive relationships with colleagues and stakeholders across the organisation.
You will help them clarify what they want to achieve, understand their audiences and choose suitable messages, channels, formats and timings. You will handle sensitive or complex information with care and seek advice or escalate issues when appropriate.
You will apply communications best practice and develop your knowledge of internal communications and engagement. Using audience insight, channel analytics, colleague feedback and other available information, you will help plan activity, assess its effectiveness and identify opportunities for improvement.
You will contribute ideas, identify potential stories and create content that celebrates colleagues’ achievements, supports organisational priorities and strengthens connections across the Royal Free London. You will bring creativity, curiosity and attention to detail, as well as a willingness to learn and develop.
You will also support the external media team when required. This may include gathering information, identifying potential stories, supporting filming, coordinating responses and liaising with colleagues. You will help ensure information is accurate, timely and appropriately approved, promptly escalating sensitive, complex or potentially reputational issues to senior communications colleagues.
Working for our organisation
The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s biggest and most innovative trusts. Across three main hospitals, our dedicated army of staff care for over 1.6million patients, treat more than 200,000 in A&E, deliver over 8,000 babies and carry out more than 17million tests.
Our size, scale and influence offer you unrivalled career opportunities and a forward-thinking approach to working that works around your lifestyle. From flexible hours and generous benefits, to next level training, we make it easier to take your career to the top
For more information please follow link https://www.royalfreelondonjobs.co.uk/
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description document which will provide a more detailed description of role and main responsibilities.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Relevant degree or equivalent experience
Desirable criteria
- Evidence of continuous professional development in communications/PR
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience creating, editing and publishing clear, engaging content for a range of audiences and communication channels.
- Experience supporting the delivery of communications projects, campaigns, events or other coordinated activities within agreed timescales.
- Experience building effective working relationships with stakeholders and adapting communications approaches to meet their needs.
Desirable criteria
- Experience working in a communications, public relations, marketing, journalism or stakeholder engagement environment.
- Experience working within the NHS, wider public sector, or another large and complex organisation.
- Experience supporting media activity such as filming or interview requests.
Skills
Essential criteria
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information into clear, accessible content.
- Strong organisational and workload management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands and meet deadlines.
- Ability to build positive stakeholder relationships and work collaboratively with colleagues at all levels.
Desirable criteria
- Ability to use digital communications tools such as content management systems, email marketing platforms and social media management software.
- Skills in multimedia content creation, including photography, video editing, graphic design or basic design software.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of communications principles and best practice, including audience-focused content creation and channel selection.
- Knowledge of accessibility, inclusion and equality considerations in communications.
- Knowledge of how audience insight, feedback and performance information can be used to improve communications activity.
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of digital communications, content design principles and communications evaluation methods.
Applicant requirements
The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Application numbers
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Connell McHugh
- Job title
- Senior internal communications manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
List jobs with Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust in Administrative Services or all sectors







