Communications officer
At a glance
- Band
- Band 5
- Contract
- Fixed-term
- Pattern
- Part-time
- Hours / week
- 22.5
- Posted
- 01/09/2026
- Closes
- 15/09/2026
Sponsorship verdict
This contract type is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
NHS Trusts cannot issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for part-time, bank, locum, zero-hours, job-share or short fixed-term (under 12 months) contracts under current Home Office rules. This applies even when the wider Trust holds a Skilled Worker licence.
Role summary
This is a fixed-term Communications Officer role covering maternity leave until September 2027, working 22.5 hours per week. The successful candidate will develop and deliver integrated communications campaigns, create content for internal and external audiences, and organise the Trust's annual awards event. The role requires experience with intranets, websites, social media, and filming/video editing skills. It operates on a hybrid basis from West Park Hospital in Darlington, with occasional travel to other Trust sites.
Essential criteria
- Educated to degree standard
Desirable criteria
- Professional qualification in communications or marketing and/or membership of a relevant professional body
- Experience of a communications (public relations) or marketing role Communications planning and evaluation
- Supporting communications campaigns
- Media relations
- Experience of using intranets, websites and social media as a communications tool
- Experience of producing patient and carer information
- Experience of working within NHS or other public sector organisation
- Up to date knowledge of current communication channels (eg social media) and how to use them effectively
- Excellent writing and editing skills, including the ability to tailor content and format to different audience needs.
- Demonstrable skills in building and maintaining positive working relationships with a range of stakeholders
- Ability to work without direct supervision and prioritise own workload
- Proven organisational skills
- IT skills including content management systems, spreadsheets and databases
- Personal attributes
- Able to work in accordance with the staff compact and Trust values and behaviours
- Committed to continual quality and service improvement
- Committed to promoting a positive image of people with mental health conditions and/or learning disabilities Committed to promoting a positive image of the Trust
- Self aware and committed to continual personal development
- Able to demonstrate a high level of creativity and find innovative solutions to problems.
- Able to demonstrate flexibility and ability to adapt to changing environments and work priorities
- Ability to travel independently in accordance with Trust policies and service need
- Educated to degree standard
- Professional qualification in communications or marketing and/or membership of a relevant professional body
- Experience of a communications (public relations) or marketing role Communications planning and evaluation
- Supporting communications campaigns
- Media relations
- Experience of using intranets, websites and social media as a communications tool
- Experience of producing patient and carer information
- Experience of working within NHS or other public sector organisation
- Up to date knowledge of current communication channels (eg social media) and how to use them effectively
- Excellent writing and editing skills, including the ability to tailor content and format to different audience needs.
- Demonstrable skills in building and maintaining positive working relationships with a range of stakeholders
- Ability to work without direct supervision and prioritise own workload
- Proven organisational skills
- IT skills including content management systems, spreadsheets and databases
- Personal attributes
- Able to work in accordance with the staff compact and Trust values and behaviours
- Committed to continual quality and service improvement
- Committed to promoting a positive image of people with mental health conditions and/or learning disabilities Committed to promoting a positive image of the Trust
- Self aware and committed to continual personal development
- Able to demonstrate a high level of creativity and find innovative solutions to problems.
- Able to demonstrate flexibility and ability to adapt to changing environments and work priorities
- Ability to travel independently in accordance with Trust policies and service need
Useful to know
Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 5 at £29,970 – £36,483 a year, across England.
This advert: £32,073 – £39,043 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.
Posted 6d ago · Closes in 9d
Plenty of time to prepare a strong application.
Full advert · preview
Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Communications officer
The closing date is 15 September 2026
Job summary
We are looking for a skilled, creative and organised communications officer to join our team on fixed term contract until September 2027 to cover maternity leave. The working hours are 22.5 hours per week.
Our team works on a hybrid basis, with a mix of home and office working from our base in West Park Hospital in Darlington. There will also be times when the role requires you to travel to our other sites across the trust patch.
As a team, we are committed to continued professional development. This role includes membership to CIPR and access to their learning resources.
You must have the Right to Work in the UK in order to be successfully appointed to this role. Please note, this role does not meet the required eligibility criteria for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa and therefore the Trust is unable to offer sponsorship for this particular role.
Main duties of the job
The communications officer will play a vital role in developing and delivering integrated communications campaigns, creating content for both internal and external audiences.
They will be able to spot a great story and bring them to life for our different audiences.
They will also be a key member of the working group for the Trust's annual awards, organisi
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