Senior Communications and Engagement Manager

Senior Communications and Engagement Manager
NHS AfC: Band 7
Main area Communications Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week Job ref 282-OD1540

Employer The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site The Royal Marsden Hospital - Chelsea Town Chelsea Salary £58,133 - £65,261 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 21/06/2026 23:59

Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced communications professional to join The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust as a Senior Communications and Engagement Manager.

This role will lead the development and delivery of communications and engagement activity for the Trust’s Chelsea Development Programme, a high-profile and complex transformation initiative.

At The Royal Marsden, our vision is to deliver world‑leading research, diagnosis, treatment, and care while improving outcomes for everyone affected by cancer locally, nationally, and internationally. To achieve this and create a hospital fit for the future, we are proposing to expand capacity in Chelsea which will allow us to support world‑leading research and offer state‑of‑the‑art technologies that better serve both patients and staff.

The postholder will provide expert advice to senior leaders and ensure that staff, patients, partners and local communities are effectively informed, engaged and involved throughout the programme.

Main duties of the job
The Senior Communications and Engagement Manager will:

Lead the development, delivery and evaluation of a comprehensive communications and engagement strategy for the Chelsea Development Programme

Provide expert advice and guidance on complex, sensitive and potentially contentious communications issues

Plan and deliver internal communications activity, including staff engagement initiatives and senior leadership events

Support staff through organisational change by developing targeted engagement approaches

Produce and oversee high‑quality communications outputs, including briefings, FAQs, presentations and digital content

Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders

Manage reputational risk and escape issues appropriately to senior communications colleagues

Use data, insight and evaluation methods to measure impact and improve communications activity

Working for our organisation
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world‑leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals – one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey – as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on‑going achievements.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification

Person specification
Education & Qualifications

Relevant degree in communications or equivalent experience, highly specialist knowledge of strategic communications and engagement, underpinned by postgraduate‑level study or equivalent experiential learning

Other professional qualifications e.g. CIPR or IoIC

Evidence of continued professional development in strategic communications

Experience

Significant experience delivering communications and engagement strategies and plans for complex programmes/change environments within a complex organisation (NHS/healthcare or similarly high‑profile setting)

Demonstrable experience of designing and delivering internal communications and staff engagement plans that effectively engage and inform staff working in non‑desk based environments

Experience of handling reputation/issues management, including sensitive/contentious matters and advising senior leaders of the appropriate action to take, working autonomously

Experience of working in a dynamic, high‑profile organisation that is a leader in its field with a strong brand

Understanding of the NHS/healthcare

Skills/Abilities/Knowledge

Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, including copywriting, editing, briefing and presenting complex information clearly and effectively to a range of audiences

Highly specialist knowledge in communications and engagement strategies and approaches - ability to distil complex and sensitive information into accessible communications for varied audiences

Strong stakeholder management skills with ability to command confidence of the Executive Team, senior managers, senior Charity Leadership Team and clinical staff

Demonstrable experience of working with and managing external agencies and partners, ensuring delivery to agreed objectives, quality standards and timescales

Expert knowledge of communications methodologies within complex, high‑profile transformation programmes (e.g., service change, estates redevelopment, organisational change) with strong planning and organisational skills

Exceptional team player - demonstrating strong leadership and team management skills, able to offer guidance and support and train others in specialist communication techniques as required

Digital communications and engagement capability, including using digital channels to enable participation and mitigate digital exclusion

Otherr Requirements

Ability to flexibly work across Trust sites in line with service requirements

Demonstrates a proactive, solution‑focused approach to problem solving

Ability to work effectively under pressure, managing competing priorities and adapting to changing circumstances

Demonstrates the ability to contribute to wider Directorate and organisational objectives, supporting cross‑functional initiatives where required

The Royal Marsden values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority groups. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are working to create a workplace that enables all staff to reach their full potential. We are committed to this because we know that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even greater positive impact for the people we serve.

Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. We advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. Please ensure your information is accurate to avoid errors with processing your application

All applicants will be contacted by email to the address supplied on your application. Applicants are advised to check their email accounts regularly and to ensure that email filters are set to allow our emails.

Flu Vaccination – What We Expect of our Staff

At The Royal Marsden we have an immune‑compromised patient population who we must protect as much as we can against the flu virus. Each year, seasonal flu affects thousands of people in the UK. Occurring mainly in winter, it is an infectious respiratory disease capable of producing symptoms ranging from those similar to a common cold, through to very severe or even fatal disease.

The wellbeing of our staff and patients is of the utmost importance to us, and it is the expectation of The Royal Marsden that all patient‑facing staff have an annual flu vaccination, provided free of charge by the Trust.

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