School Communications Manager

Job description

The School Communications Manager is a new role within the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) following a reshaping of Professional Services (PS). The role is based within the School of Mental Health & Psychological Sciences (MHaPS) and will work across the School with key stakeholders to provide high-level communications support to best promote the School to internal and external audiences.

The role is responsible for developing and delivering the School’s communication strategy in order to deliver on the School strategy, with the role holder acting as a key interface between the School, Faculty, wider University and external audiences.

The role would suite someone who is proactive, has excellent communications skills and is able to engage with a range of audiences on complex topics.

The role will provide individuals with experience of managing communications across a large and complex School and would suite someone interested in pursuing a career in communications.

The role holder will report into the Head of School Operations, with a dotted reporting line through to the IoPPN Head of Communications.

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract  

This is a full-time post – 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities

Internal  

•        Provide high-level communications support to the Head of School, Head of School Operations, Heads of Department, and wider School Executive.  

•        Develop and deliver the internal School communications strategy via appropriate fora (newsletters, campaigns, events, SharePoint, internal webpages) in collaboration with the Faculty Press and Communications Team. 

•        Manage and monitor the School and Department’s intranet pages. 

•        Ensure effective two-way dissemination of University and Faculty-wide messaging on areas of strategic importance, acting as a key triage role between staff and Faculty.  

•        Support the development of a strong School identity to promote sense of belonging and deliver on School strategy. 

•        Communications, change and project management support for School and Faculty initiatives.  

External  

• Act as a key interface between the Departments/School/Faculty on identifying, drafting, and promoting research, staff/School successes, campaigns and content via media, social media, blogs, videos, and other content in collaboration with the Faculty Press and Communications Team.  
• Ensure effective reputation management support is in place through integrating into day-to-day activities and advising the School on appropriate responses, escalating as required.  
• Lead on School events from conception to review, managing relevant budgets and providing advice and guidance on event best practice.  
• Manage and monitor the School and Department’s external facing webpages, social media (Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn) and other online fora and content to best promote the work of the School to external audiences.  

General Duties 

• Implement and produce content in-line with King’s brand and creative services framework in all communications activities.
• Keep up to date with relevant training, policies, and processes.
• Support and minute relevant School committees as required.
• Identify, implement, and continuously review data and processes to ensure delivery of responsibilities.
• Establish strong working relationships across the School, Faculty, IoPPN Communications Team, Corporate Communications and external partners.
• Work autonomously and collaboratively across the School and IoPPN Communications team, delegating and allocating work effectively and setting standards for administrative procedures and processes within the School.
• Actively contribute to relevant School and Faculty committees, meetings and networks as required.
• Facilitate an inclusive culture and ethos working across the IoPPN community. 
• Undertake at least one safety role (e.g., fire marshal, DSE assessor, safety representative) as required, following all the relevant training.
• Spend up to 15% of time contributing to cross Faculty / University initiatives and professional development (in discussion with line manager).

This job description reflects the core activities of the post. There may be changes in the emphasis of duties and it is expected that the post holder recognises this, adopting a flexible approach to work and willingness to participate in training.  Day-to-day activities and responsibilities will be determined by the School priorities and needs and will inform specific objectives and tasks to be undertaken by post holders.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

1.      Significant knowledge and skills experience in a relevant post, demonstrating development through progressively more demanding work/roles, and the acquisition of appropriate professional or specialist knowledge. 

2.      Experience of developing and delivering a communications strategy, applying a broad range of communications methods across traditional and social media, events, web, design and print. 

3.      Highly proficient IT skills (including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, social media and web design) and experience of utilizing advanced digital technology in day-to-day work.   

4.      Solutions focused self-starter with experience of identifying communications opportunities and devising and delivering projects with multiple stakeholders, adhering to timelines, and ensuring they are delivered against. 

5.      Proven strong communication and interpersonal skills in order to receive, understand and relay specialist or professional ideas or information to various groups. 

6.      Effective at working independently, and as part of a team, able to take own initiative & decisions with a proactive approach to complex problem solving. 

7.      Excellent task management skills and ability to work under pressure in a busy environment with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail.  

8.      Committed to principles of culture, equality, diversity and inclusion and experience of driving cultural change. 

Desirable criteria

Experience communicating scientific content.  

An understanding of mental health sector and ability to work with individuals with lived experience. 

Keen interest in higher education and an awareness of current challenges in the sector. 

Candidates are strongly encouraged to specifically address the essential criteria outlined in the Person Specification in their covering letter. 

Further information

The School of Mental Health & Psychological Sciences encompasses the four departments of Psychology; Social Genetic & Developmental Psychiatry; Health Services & Population Research; and Biostatistics & Health Informatics. It includes more than 100 Principal Investigators, with research programmes spanning a range of areas from childhood to old age, from basic research through treatment development and implementation, and on to healthcare and society. It is home to many of the basic and evaluative sciences (e.g. psychology, health economics, statistics, informatics) that underpin research at the faculty; and expertise (psychology, service research and improvement science) that improves the impact of scientific breakthroughs at KCL and King’s Health Partners. It is also home to King’s first BSc Psychology Programme that launched in 2015 and continues to have a thriving cohort.