Patient and Public Engagement and Communications Manager (PPIE and PEDRI)

Purpose of the post

The post holder will have key responsibility for delivery of the Public Engagement Strategies for Health Data Research UK (HDR UK) and for the Public Engagement in Data Research Initiative (PEDRI). Reporting to the Head of Public Involvement and Engagement, this is a pivotal role that is integral to raising awareness of opportunities for the public to be involved in our work and in demonstrating how we work to ensure transparency, trustworthiness and real-world benefits in data driven research. You will be based in the PPIE (Patient and Public Involvement and Engagement) team, and you will work very closely with and the Communications team and collaborate with colleagues across HDR UK and the wider data for research and statistics sector to scale up the delivery of our successful patient, public and practitioner engagement and communications activity.

This is an exciting time to be joining HDR UK and PEDRI as they embark on delivering their strategies which you will help shape and deliver. The post holder will support the PEDRI coordinating unit and lead their engagement and communications activities. We are seeking an outstanding and experienced individual with a proven track record of leading public engagement and science communication targeted at a diverse range of audiences.

The successful candidate will share HDR UK’s values, have strong collaboration and influencing skills, excellent communications skills, be comfortable with supporting multiple projects at pace in a complex organisation and sector. The successful candidate will also demonstrate a clear willingness and passion to support organisations within PEDRI to trial, develop and deliver innovative approaches to engagement and communication.

Main responsibilities

Lead delivery of HDR UK PPIE and PEDRI strategy for engaging and communicating with patients, the public and practitioners drawing on the experience of relevant communications staff for advice and support as needed.
Build and maintain high-level internal and external relationships with patients and public representatives, key leaders, policy makers, researchers and public engagement and communications leads across PEDRI and the data research and statistics sector.
Support external advocacy and ensure we leverage all opportunities to influence policy.
Influence our stakeholders to embed best practices in public engagement and communications.
Working with partners to horizon scan for opportunities to share successes that help raise the profile of the HDR UK and PEDRI work i.e. through media campaigns, festivals, public deliberations, conferences, journals, and other written or audio visual materials.
Develop methods and innovative approaches, making use of digital platforms and face to face activities.
Ensure diversity of perspectives by expanding our reach and work with community partners to grow involvement of currently underrepresented and underserved groups in data science.
Report on people’s experience of their involvement with HDR UK and PEDRI, driving up positive responses through developing communications that are consistent with our brand and values.
Plan, deliver, manage risks, and carry out monitoring, evaluation and learning for projects and activities using established project management and evaluation principles and methods.
Lead on the commissioning and management of external suppliers to support delivery of projects and activities to target and budget.
Organise high-quality events to engage with a wide range of audiences, managing event logistics, evaluating effectiveness, providing follow-up communications, and ensuring event outputs, impacts and learnings are disseminated widely.
Work with colleagues in the communications team to develop and implement high-quality channels and content for communication and collaboration.
Ensure that communications are shaped by input from patients and the public to ensure communications are user-oriented, engaging, and accessible.
Act as an internal and external ambassador for patient, public, and practitioner engagement and communications.

Knowledge, skills and experience

Experience

Educated to degree level or equivalent.
Experience of managing stakeholders including use of Customer Relationship Management Systems.
Experience of creating and delivering successful public engagement and communications strategies, plans, activities, and outputs (e.g. news stories, case studies, blogs, podcasts).
Considerable experience of leading successful media and communication campaigns aimed at the public.
Experience of leading events aimed at the public (e.g. science festivals, community events, workshops).
Experience of producing high-quality content for online and offline channels.
Demonstrable evidence of managing website content.
Strong supplier management experience; delivering high quality outputs such events, projects, assets, or resources.
Demonstrable experience building buy-in across broad and diverse stakeholders to help create and co-deliver shared goals.
Demonstrable success in delivering complex programmes with multiple components and many collaborating organisations in a fast-paced environment.
Demonstrable success in running several projects at once to similar timeframes with conflicting priorities.
Excellent planning, organisation and time-management and project management skills with a proven track record of delivering challenging projects on target.
Demonstrable experience of planning, running, and evaluating activities.
Experience of organizing, managing, and facilitating successful events.
Experience of facilitating meetings and workshops and delivering impactful presentations.

Skills

Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively and confidently with different groups of stakeholders and people at all levels.
Excellent attention to detail with the ability to produce high quality materials.
Ability to process complex scientific information, present high quality content and explain concepts without technical jargon.
Evidence of ability to manage complex and multiple areas of work, with a flexible and adaptable approach.
Strong analytic skills with the ability to frame problems and solutions in a logical manner.
Solutions and delivery focused with an innovative approach and strong experience of taking initiative.
Excellent relationship building and networking skills to build collaborative partnerships.
Excellent people and interpersonal skills as well as stakeholder engagement / account management including ability to effectively network, negotiate and influence and coach a wide range of stakeholders, including patients and the public, senior leaders and colleagues.
Expertise of working with diverse groups and the ability to handle sensitive issues positively.
Ability to prioritise a wide range of demands and requirements, showing resilience and adaptability.
Proactive and supportive approach to engagement with colleagues to support problem solving with ability to determine when issues need to be escalated.
Ability to work as part of a team as well as autonomously making decisions without supervision.

Desirable

Experience managing large public engagement exercises or research (e.g. public deliberations).
Experience working in research and academia.
Knowledge of the public sensitivities of using data for research.
Experience of multidisciplinary team working.
Expertise in patient and public involvement.
Expertise in leading engagement and communications for multi-stakeholder initiatives.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

We politely request no contact from recruitment agencies or media sales. We do not accept speculative CVs from recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.