Head of Pensions Stakeholder Engagement and Communications
| Posting date: | 07 November 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £91,342.00 to £105,337.00 per year |
| Additional salary information: | £91342.00 - £105337.00 a year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 19 November 2025 |
| Location: | Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE15 8NY |
| Company: | NHS Jobs |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | G9914-25-0268 |
Summary
Stakeholder Relationship Management Providing senior leadership in developing and managing strategic, high-impact relationships across the health and care system, including the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS Trusts, NHS employers, and the public. Act as a senior representative of the organisation, engaging directly with high-value or politically sensitive stakeholders to foster collaboration and drive alignment with strategic priorities. Lead inclusive and transparent engagement strategies, navigating complex stakeholder environments to enable and support transformational programmes and strategic objectives. Act as the primary point of contact between the NHS Pensions member services, wider operational teams and external stakeholders. Support the Director of NHS Pensions in maintaining a strong commissioning relationship with DHSC. Coordinate messaging, policy communication, and engagement with NHS Employers and other partners. Lead efforts for urgent communications and dispute resolution to manage sensitive stakeholder issues, particularly during high profile and sensitive discussions, to parliamentary level. Lead the development of data-driven engagement strategies, using stakeholder segmentation to tailor communications to improve service outcomes. Ensure communications are consistent, accurate, and aligned with organisational values. Engage in two-way communication and encourage dialogue and listen to members and stakeholder feedback. Identify and mitigate reputational risks by taking proactive steps to maintain trust and credibility. Lead the development of strategic narratives and crisis communication plans to safeguard the reputation of NHS Pensions during periods of scrutiny and improvements. Serve as a senior spokesperson for NHS Pensions alongside the Director of Pensions, representing the service in national media, DHSC meetings, parliamentary briefings, and public forumsLeadership and Team Management Develop and lead the execution of a comprehensive stakeholder engagement and communications strategy aligned with the organisations goals. Work closely and effectively with other leads to align stakeholder engagement during appropriate initiatives. Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, offering expert counsel on reputational risk, media strategy, and stakeholder impact. Provide inspirational leadership in a highly complex and politically sensitive environment, fostering resilience and adaptability across multidisciplinary Pensions teams. Champion the organisations and NHS Pensions mission, vision, and values across internal and external communications. Lead and develop the NHS Pensions stakeholder engagement and communications team with clear direction and performance expectations. Foster a culture of collaboration and professionalism. Recruit, train, and develop new and existing staff, fostering a culture of high performance, creativity, and continuous improvement. Equip staff with the skills and tools to engage effectively with NHS Trusts and other stakeholder groups. Champion talent development and succession planning to future-proof the communications and stakeholder engagement function to meet the longer term requirements of NHS Pensions in line with the current pensions strategy and in preparation for service transformation. As a senior leader within the NHSBSA, the post holder will be expected to have a tailored personal development plan, that will include deputising for the Director of Pensions when necessary, in order to support succession within the organisation. Provide strategic leadership to a multi-disciplinary communications and engagement team, setting clear objectives, KPIs and performance standards to drive high-quality, sustainable delivery across a complex and evolving portfolio. Maximise team capability through inclusive workforce planning, targeted professional development and coaching, ensuring the function is future-ready, resilient, and aligned to strategic priorities. Collaborate with Change, Technical Excellence, and Data Service teams to embed communications expertise into transformation programmes and operational delivery, enabling effective stakeholder engagement and the thoughtful evolution of services across the NHS Pensions landscape Deputise for the Pensions Director and other leadership roles, attending relevant leadership and board meetings where requiredCommunication and Insight Develop and lead the Pension organisations communications and marketing strategy to support overall NHSBSA objectives, branding, and stakeholder engagement. Use data, and all other relevant measures, to gather and share insight to inform and help shape the service and policy development. Advise senior leadership on communications, brand positioning, and reputation management. Set performance goals and KPIs for the communications and marketing functions, aligned with Pensions organisational priorities. Deliver webinars, briefings, and forums for stakeholders. Monitor stakeholder satisfaction and use feedback for improvements. Oversee strategic financial planning for stakeholder engagement and communications, ensuring alignment with NHSBSAs value and efficiency principles. Oversee resource allocation and budget management, ensuring effective use of funds and staff.Operational Support and Reporting Partner with operational leads to Ensure stakeholder insight is actively reflected in service delivery, driving continuous improvement and user centred outcomes. Provide strategic support in issue resolution, escalating risks and concerns appropriately to maintain service integrity and stakeholder confidence. Contribute to management and governance reporting, delivering clear, data-driven insights that inform executive decision-making and performance monitoring. Collaborate with the Change team to build awareness of future changes and service enhancements, ensuring communications and engagement activity supports readiness for digital transformation. Evaluate the impact and return on investment of engagement initiatives and campaigns, applying financial and performance metrics to inform future resource planning and prioritisation.Governance and Representation Represent NHS Pensions on national forums and working groups. Ensure engagement aligns with policies and values. Comply with NHSBSA governance and protocols.