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Job summary
The New Hospital Programme is more than building hospitals, it's a once in a generation opportunity to shape the future of healthcare in England. We're delivering over 40 new hospitals that will be modern, sustainable and built around the needs of patients and staff. We're looking for people who care about purpose, who thrive in complex environments and who want to help deliver change at scale for future generations.
Main duties of the job
Join the New Hospital Programme as a senior leader shaping how one of the most significant transformation programmes in the NHS communicates, collaborates and engages.
You will lead a unified communications and engagement function, driving both strategic planning and fast-paced reactive activity. Working across government, the NHS, partner Trusts and contractors, you'll ensure clarity, consistency and impact in how NHP communicates with staff, stakeholders and the public.
Key responsibilities include:
- Leading comms function bringing together professionals across the programme
- Developing and delivering a programme-wide comms and engagement plan
- Promoting NHP through media, events, conferences and digital channels
- Overseeing major announcements and programme events
- Driving collaboration across Trusts, contractors and system partners
- Leading internal engagement to support a positive programme culture
- Working with DHSC and NHSE to align messaging across the wider system
- Managing and developing the comms and engagement team
- Ensuring high-quality, consistent internal and external messaging
- Managing risks, issues and the full communications budge
About us
NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.
Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms -- enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.
In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.
If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR).This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in our offices.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
We cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies.
Details
- Date posted: 07 July 2026
- Pay scheme: Agenda for change
- Band: Band 9
- Salary: £112,782 to £129,783 a year per annum (exclusive of London Weighting)
- Contract: Permanent
- Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
- Reference number: 990-NHP-EC2737-E
- Job locations: Any NHSE Office base, Nationally, SE1 8UG, United Kingdom
Job responsibilities
You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
For more information on the NHP programme
Due to ongoing organisational change and developments, aspects of this role may be subject to change.
By applying for this position, you acknowledge and understand that NHS England is currently undergoing a consultation process to finalise its structure, which may impact this role.
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- Inclusive leader who sets high standards, motivates, collaborates, and promotes personal, organisational and cultural development in-line with NHP values.
- Resilient leader comfortable working with a significant level of ambiguity in a complex and high-pressure change environment.
- Significant influencing skills to gain acceptance and implementation of NHP strategic priorities, including the ability to articulate complex and/ or controversial arguments in a compelling manner on major public platforms.
- Ability to analyse complex problems and translate strategy into delivery - developing and implementing plans and processes across multiple teams.
Knowledge
Essential
- Extensive strategic communications and engagement management experience.
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level in a relevant area of academic practice, or equivalent experience.
Desirable
- Additional management qualification or specialist qualification at post graduate level, or equivalent experience.
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Applying for this NHS job
This advert is for Deputy Director of Communications and Engagement with NHS England in Leeds, North East and Yorkshire, England. It is listed as a Band 9 Administrative and IT role. The advertised salary is £112,782 to £129,783 a year. The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 21 Jul 2026.
Before you apply, compare the job description with the person specification and mirror the employer's essential criteria in your supporting information. Use the vacancy title, employer, location, salary, contract type, closing date and posted date (07 Jul 2026) to decide whether this role fits your current NHS job search. If the employer can close applications early, prepare the application before the stated deadline rather than waiting for the final day.
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