Marketing Communications Director: Ref, 099

Role Type

Marketing Communications Manager or Director or Head of Comms

Skills / Experience

Internal and external marketing communications

Availability

Negotiable

Contract Preference

Fractional

Salary / Rate Expectation

Negotiable. Can be a day rate or fixed amount per month

Profile

Senior marketing communications leader with extensive experience across the NHS, health tech, med-tech and social care. Trusted by executives and clinicians to turn complex outcomes into clear, compelling stories. Calm under pressure with a strong record in media, thought leadership, crisis communications and customer storytelling.

Experience

June 2021 – Present – Communications Director – healthcare software

Currently managing internal and external communications for a leading British healthcare technology company.

Own the communications strategy across NHS provider and ICS customers: exec positioning, product storytelling, customer evidence, and partner comms.
Media results at national and trade level: planned and placed high-impact stories (e.g., Forbes) and a steady drumbeat across BBC, ITV, HSJ and health tech trades; built a newsroom cadence that delivered hundreds of earned pieces tied to NHS priorities (elective recovery, virtual wards, prevention).
Thought leadership engine: scoped and ghost-wrote blogs, white papers and case studies with clinicians and CIOs (e.g., perioperative automation, population-health analytics), aligning narratives to the NHS Long Term Plan and ICS outcomes.
Customer story mining: created a pipeline of NHS trust and ICS case studies; packaged data, clinician quotes and patient outcomes for press, bids, sales decks and conference talks.
Issues & crisis communications lead: designed playbooks; coordinated rapid internal/external updates during sector-wide cyber/security events; briefed execs and account teams; managed FAQ lines for customers and partners.
Internal communications transformation: launched the company’s first intranet and a flagship newsletter to improve clarity, engagement and change adoption during product releases and organisational change.
Partner communications: coordinated joint statements, messaging and Q&A with ecosystem partners; aligned benefits narratives (scale, device footprint, international credibility).
Awards & reputation: implemented a targeted awards roadmap (customer-led entries; “best use of data”, innovation, and patient impact categories) to validate outcomes and support procurement.
Exec enablement: media-trained spokespeople; built briefing packs and reactive lines to take for ministers, NHSE teams, and regional media; prepared crisis and policy rebuttals.

June 2021 – Aug 2023 – Head of Communications

Developed internal and external communications strategies for seven technology companies.

Led internal and external communications across all companies, setting narrative, messaging and cadence for NHS and ICS audiences (health, tech, education, social care).
Generated 200+ earned pieces in the first year, including The Times, ITV, BBC and HSJ, plus sector trades across education and social care.
Built and executed an issues & crisis plan, proven during sector-wide challenges (e.g., Log4j, PrintNightmare) with rapid, consistent customer and partner updates.
Orchestrated senior stakeholder outreach, including engagement with government influencers (e.g., the Minister for Education) and exclusives/briefings with directors.
Implemented awards strategy (customer-led, outcomes-focused), including Best Use of Data – HTN Now (winner).
Produced thought leadership, blogs and case studies across healthcare, technology, education and social care, placed in HSJ, Children & Young People Now, techUK and Community Care.
Managed M&A and restructuring comms, delivering clear internal and external messaging to integrate acquisitions and protect customer confidence.

Nov 2012 – June 2021 – Self Employed – Marketing Agency

Founded an agency specialising in PR for healthcare, travel, food, and professional services brands.

115% sales uplift & 435% media growth for a well known honey brand via a global PR campaign; delivered a flagship event attended by the NZ Prime Minister.
Led strategic comms for a national rehabilitation provider: reached 11.3m with 100% positive sentiment targeting GPs, surgeons, patient groups, and industry bodies.
Provided media training for major brands in foods, coffee and hotel sectors.

April 2012 – March 2013 – Senior Communications Consultant – Government Agency, NZ

Led communications at the government agency charged with helping businesses to grow internationally.

Led international PR and events positioning NZ as a health tech innovation leader; averaged ~15 media hits/month
Coordinated 50 business networking and 25 media opportunities for tech & food companies
Speechwriting for the Minister of Economic Development and the CEO of NZTE.

2007 – 2012 – Senior Account Manager – Various Marketing and PR Agencies

Managed client accounts at several marketing and PR agencies.

Led a pharmacy-recruitment media campaign: 100+ independents responded.
Built an asthma awareness drive with human-interest stories and clinician interviews.
Conducted 500 CEO interviews to inform media/speechwriting.

For further information on this candidate please use reference number: 099

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