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Job summary

Main area
Communications
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 7
Contract
Fixed term: 12 months (Start in July 2026)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
326-7897502-AW
Employer
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
East Surrey Hospital
Town
Redhill
Salary
£49,387 - £56,515 per annum plus high cost allowance
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
23/04/2026 23:59
Interview date
11/05/2026
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust logo

Senior Communications Manager

NHS AfC: Band 7

 

 

Job overview

We’re looking for an exceptional Senior Communications Manager to take a leading role in the planning and management of communications activities for one of the busiest acute trusts in the South east.
 
This is an excellent opportunity for someone who already has management experience in a busy in-house communications team. Leading day-to-day activities of the SASH communications team, the successful candidate will need to be adept at identifying strategic and operational priorities and leading a wide-range of internal and external campaigns - from Staff Survey to service changes and the Trust's Green Plan. 
 
We’re looking for someone with solid judgement skills, who can use their extensive communications knowledge to capitalise upon timely opportunities, resolve reputational issues, and manage shifting priorities independently. Strong experience handling sensitive, complex reactive media issues and developing proactive media relations and stakeholder communications plans is therefore a must. 
 
This role is being advertised a 12 month fixed term appointment, and all applicants must have existing NHS communications experience. 

Main duties of the job

They will be experienced in, and comfortable with, influencing senior decision-making and providing strategic communications advice on incidents as well as high profile and sensitive issues. The Senior Communications Manager will also take a proactive approach to working with clinical services and healthcare system partners to identify and manage opportunities to showcase the work of SASH externally. They also play a leading role in delivering important medical information or advice to patients - such as through the Trust's Patient Information Group.
 
The Senior Communications Manager is a highly operational role and will line manage a Communications Officer - supporting their delivery and professional development, to ensure that the team continues to deliver a high-quality communications service for the Trust.
 
The successful candidate will be required to work on site from East Surrey Hospital for a proportion of the week, as part of hybrid working arrangements for the service and in line with the Trust’s working principles and business need. They will also be required to participate in the communications on-call rota which is evenly split among team members – usually a one in four rota. In line with NHS Agenda for Change guidance, this duty will come with a salary uplift. These arrangements are subject to change according to business need.

Working for our organisation

We are a leading local employer with a diverse workforce of approximately 6,000 staff, dedicated to providing healthcare services to a growing population of around 780,000 individuals.

Our Trust provides both emergency and planned healthcare across East Surrey, North-East West Sussex, and South Croydon – covering towns like Crawley, Horsham, Reigate, and Redhill. Our main hospital, East Surrey in Redhill, offers a full range of acute and specialist services and is also the closest trauma unit to Gatwick Airport. We also provide outpatient, diagnostic, and planned care services at sites including The Earlswood Centre, Caterham Dene Hospital, Oxted Health Centre, Crawley Hospital, and Horsham Hospital.

We are proud to be an inclusive employer, and we work hard to create an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. At our Trust, we strive to be the best place to work and receive care. We are dedicated to supporting you in your current role while helping you grow and develop your career. As part of our team, you will have access to excellent training opportunities, flexible working, dedicated support networks, and a strong emphasis on health and wellbeing to ensure a thriving and positive work environment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

**Please refer to job description, person specification and trust values, for outline of skills, knowledge and experience required.**

Person specification

Criteria

Essential criteria
  • Evidence of a good standard of written English appropriate to the role
  • A complete and accurate application
  • Suitability for role evidenced in supporting statement
  • Evidence of essential experience for role
  • Meet the essential education/qualifications required for the role
  • Hold the necessary mandatory professional/clinical registration
  • Evidence of the Trust values and behaviours
  • Evidence of any other essential criteria outlined in the person specification
Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyAge positiveArmed Forces Covenant (Silver Award)Mindful employer. Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerCare quality commission - OutstandingHSJ Acute or Specialist Trust of the yearStep into health

Applicant requirements

This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Asha Brophy
Job title
Head of Communications
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01737768511

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