Job vacancy: Communications Manager - INTERNAL, Public Health Wales NHS Trust, Cardiff

Job summary

Main area: Communications
Grade: Band 7
Contract: 11 months (Fixed term for 11 months until 31 March 2027 due to secondment cover)
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: 028-AC041-0326

Employer: Public Health Wales NHS Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: 2 Capital Quarter
Town: Cardiff
Salary: £48,527 - £55,532 Per annum
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 22/03/2026 23:59

Communications Manager - INTERNAL

Band 7

Welcome to Public Health Wales, the national public health organisation for Wales

Our vision is Working to achieve a healthier future for Wales

To find out more visit Public Health Wales and watch this video about our Strategic Plan

Working together, with trust and respect, to make a difference

Applicants are invited to apply in Welsh, any application submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application made in English. To support our all Wales service, we particularly welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

Important Note for vacancies offered on a fixed-term or secondment basis.
Individuals who hold permanent (substantive) employment within the NHS may only be appointed via secondment. Approval for a secondment must be obtained from your current line manager prior to submitting an application.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Communications Manager is responsible for supporting the development and delivery of public health communications strategies, plans and campaigns in Public Health Wales.

The Communications Manager will:

Partnership Communications

· Strengthen the partnership between Public Health Wales and its stakeholders by supporting and promoting open and proactive communications between them

Marketing Communications

· Create, write and edit content for Public Health Wales materials, including social media, to be seen by stakeholders and the public

· Support sustained engagement with local government, the third sector, the public and other stakeholders in relation to public health

· Develop, deliver and evaluate communications campaigns in line with Government Communications Service methods

Media relations

· Implement media relations programmes by:

· Developing plans in relation to high-profile, complex, contentious and/or challenging issues

· Drafting press releases, statements and features

· Interpreting specialist clinical information into easy-to-understand health messages for the public; and promoting them

· Liaising with journalists to promote feature and news ideas

· Liaising with journalists to set up pictures

· Liaising with journalists to set up interviews

· Advising and supporting staff in drafting press releases and media responses on all types of issues including those which are complex, contentious and/or challenging

· Advising and supporting staff on the delivery of health advice through the media

· Working in partnership with communications officers of partner organisations who have different, and sometimes contradictory, perspectives

· Liaising with journalists, pressure groups and the public on issues which may be distressing, emotional, unwelcome and/or stressful as well as complex, contentious and/or challenging

o Receive media enquiries on behalf of Public Health Wales and advise on, develop and manage responses on behalf of the organisations including lines to take on complex, contentious and/or challenging issues

o Develop and manage a media monitoring system which reports on the media profile of Public Health Wales and the messages reported

Websites

· Liaise with staff in Public Health Wales and its web team to create, write and edit the content of its internet sites

Social media

· Promote and use social media to promote engagement with public health issues

Standards for Health Services

· Implement processes and systems in line with action plans to achieve the Standards for Health Services which relate to communication and citizen engagement

· Collect evidence to demonstrate that Public Health Wales meets the Standards for Health Services which relate to communication and citizen engagement

Other

· Analyse the communication implications of policy proposals and provide advice on managing the implications

· Provide input and advice to policy development

· Attend, report to and contribute to discussions at meetings of the Public Health Wales Communications Team

· Deputise for the Senior Manager (Campaigns and Planning) at meetings and in other communications work in their absence

· Provide an on-call, out-of-hours media response service in rota with other members of the Communications Team

Knowledge, Training and Experience

· Knowledge of communications, campaign planning and delivery, public relations, journalism, social marketing and marketing/communication techniques, approaches and procedures in a public health environment

· Knowledge of public sector organisations and the external political environment

· Able to provide training and to impart knowledge to build communications and public health capacity in the public sector workforce and community

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

· Analyse and interpret complex internal communication issues, circumstances and perspectives; and advise on, and plan, solutions

· Analyse and interpret complex stakeholder communication issues, circumstances and perspectives; and advise on, and plan, solutions

· Evaluate the implications of the Standards for Health Services which relate to communication and citizen engagement for Public Health Wales and advise on a response

· Analyse the communication implications of policy proposals (from within Public Health Wales and stakeholders) and provide advice on managing the implications

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

You will be able to find a full Job description and Person Specification attached within the supporting documents or please click "Apply now" to view on Trac.

Person specification

Other

Essential criteria

• Ability to travel to locations across Wales when required

Qualifications and Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Honours Degree • MSc or equivalent experience and training in Public Relations or Journalism • Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of: - NHS systems and structures - The role and functions of public health organisations in Wales • In depth workings of the written, broadcast and social media • Comprehensive working of other communication media including audio visual

Desirable criteria

• Membership of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations • Postgraduate qualification in Public Relations • Public health issues and structures • Welsh public sector • Welsh media • Welsh government and political structures

Experience

Essential criteria

• Media relations • Planning and implementing campaigns

Desirable criteria

• Work in marketing • Employment in a public health or health service environment • Work in a complex environment with many stakeholders • Social marketing experience

Skills and Attributes

Essential criteria

• Excellent written, oral and aural communication skills, including use of spelling and grammar • Excellent skills for working with and influencing all types of media • Excellent and well developed influencing and negotiation skills • Ability to assimilate complex information from multiple sources and to apply personal knowledge to develop creative solutions to complex and challenging problems • Ability to deliver information, sometimes highly complex, using a variety of presentation tools to a range of different audiences, some of whom may be challenging, at all levels in the organisation in a manner that can be understood by staff at all levels • Ability to convey complex information in a way which is non-confrontational, shows empathy, tact, sensitivity and understanding to a variety of very different perspectives • Ability to work across organisational boundaries and within different environment • Ability to build confidence quickly from staff and senior managers in different agencies • Ability to inspire confidence in others including senior managers and clinicians · Ability to meet tight and rigid deadlines · Ability to work on multiple tasks · Ability to stay calm in a crisis · Ability to think quickly and clearly when faced with unexpected and complex challenges requiring an immediate response · Ability to respond rationally to emotional, highly charged and unwelcome situations · Ability to work on own initiative · Commitment to continuing professional development

Desirable criteria

• Welsh language speaking and writing skills are desirable

Public Health Wales, reserves the right to close this vacancy early. We therefore encourage early applications.

Priority is given to staff awaiting redeployment. We therefore reserve the right to withdraw this advert at any stage.

If you have a disability and have any particular requirements to enable you to participate in the application process, please contact [email protected]

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR APPLICANTS: Applications for our roles are carefully reviewed and shortlisted based on specific criteria, which varies from job to job.

Using a generic application or automated AI application services, such as Lazy Apply or AI Apply, does not usually provide enough personal evidence of your skills and experience relevant to the role. This can make it difficult for us to assess your suitability and will reduce your chances of being shortlisted.

To ensure your application is given full consideration, we recommend submitting a tailored application that directly addresses the criteria listed in the Person Specification section of the advert, providing clear evidence and examples to demonstrate how you meet each requirement.

Visa Sponsorship Eligibility

If you require sponsorship under the Skilled Worker or Health and Care Visa routes, please ensure you self‑assess your eligibility for sponsorship for this role before applying.
Check the Skilled Worker visa guidance or Health and Care visa guidance for details on job eligibility, salary, English language, and sponsorship requirements.

If you are successful and short listed for interview you will be contacted by email using the address with which you registered. Please ensure you check your email account regularly.

We are committed to fair, transparent recruitment and believe in equality of opportunity in our workplace and will not tolerate discrimination on grounds of age, disability, gender identity, religion or belief, race or nationality, marriage or civil partnership status, sex, sexual orientation, working pattern, caring responsibilities, trade union activity or political beliefs – or on any other grounds. We welcome applications from individuals seeking flexible working arrangements.

The salary scale shown is for a full-time member of staff, with the amount being adjusted pro rata for those working less than 37.5 hours per week.

In general, anyone joining our Trust who has not previously worked in the NHS will, by default, start on the first point of the advertised pay band. Pay progression will then be determined by annual Performance and Development Reviews in accordance with the NHS Wales Pay Progression Policy. An application for Incremental Credit may be considered, but can only be awarded based on evidenced, reckonable service and/or equivalent, relevant experience.