NHS Highland Looking for Head of Communications and Engagement at Argyll, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand Full Time

Are you looking for a real challenge and an opportunity to shape corporate communication for NHS Highland and the people is serves?

NHS Highland is one of the fourteen territorial boards of NHS Scotland and employs around 10,000 people, making it one of the largest employers in the region. We provide health and social care services to our resident population of over 320,000 covering urban, remote and rural locations from Kintyre in the south-west to Caithness in the north-east, an area of some 32,500 square kilometres.

Listening to our communities, staff and the people who use our services is key to NHS Highland, where we are committed to incorporating lived experience into service improvements. Unique amongst health boards, we currently operate two different integration models, with integration with Highland Council under review. And in common with other public sector bodies, we need to show that our services provide value for money and can be delivered sustainably in the longer term You will need to build strong and positive working relationships with key stakeholders both nationally and locally to enhance understanding of the work of NHS Highland as well as raise awareness of the issues and challenges it faces.

Leading a small group of experienced professionals, you will be responsible for prioritising and assigning workload, setting targets and developing plans to support the organisation’s overall strategy and direction. In addition to managing the day to day demands of a busy press office, regular internal communications, the corporate website and social media, emergency communications, and the online engagement hub, you will be required to oversee campaigns and upskill colleagues in best practice. Crucially, you will provide a horizon scanning role, acting as NHS Highland’s eyes and ears and highlighting opportunities.

This is challenging and varied role, incorporating both operational skills and strategic leadership, and providing the opportunity to be involved in a huge range of services across the Highlands and Argyll and Bute.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Gareth Adkins, Director of People & Culture on

Assessment centre will be held on 9th April 2025

NHS Scotland is committed to encouraging equality and diversity among our workforce and eliminating unlawful discrimination. The aim is for our workforce to be truly representative and for each employee to feel respected and able to give their best. To this end, NHS Scotland welcomes applications from all sections of society.

Additional Information For Candidates

• You should apply for this post by completing the application process on Jobtrain.
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NHS Highland is geographically the largest of the 14 regional boards of NHS Scotland, covering an area of 12,500 square miles, across Highland and Argyll & Bute.

As a board we strive to ensure the environment is conducive to nurturing a positive culture, supported and delivered through

NHS Scotland is reducing their full time working week from 37.5 to 37 hours per week from 1 April 2024 but with no change in pay. This reduction will also be applied pro rata for part time staff. This advert and any subsequent offer/contract of employment therefore reflects the new working hours. However, as not all service areas will be able to adopt the 37 hour working week immediately from 1 April 2024, you may be required to work up to an additional 30 minutes per week for a temporary period for which you would be paid until the service you are working in changes rosters or working patterns to accommodate the new reduced working week. If you have any questions or concerns please contact the Recruiting Board.