Role Description – Executive Director (Membership, Marketing and Communications)

POST: Executive Director (Membership, Marketing and Communications)
GRADE: 8
DEPARTMENT: Membership, Marketing and Communications
RESPONSIBLE FOR: Membership Services, Marketing, Engagement, Regional services, Communications, Publications, Public Affairs, Policy
RESPONSIBLE TO: Chief Executive

JOB SUMMARY

The Executive Director (Membership, Marketing and Communications) is one of four Executive Directors who, with the Chief Executive, provide collective corporate leadership to the management of the College. The post-holder will be a full member of the College’s executive team taking an overview of all activities within the College, working closely with the President, Officers, Trustees and Council members.

As part of the leadership team, the post-holder will have specific responsibility for ensuring the College develops and maintains a high profile, and is fully engaged with, a growing membership, along with policy makers, the media and many stakeholders nationally and internationally.

The post-holder is responsible for the effective management of all staff in the directorate, and ensuring that the directorate meets challenging objectives on an annual basis

SPECIFIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Corporate

To lead a portfolio of services and, from time to time, cross-college themes and projects on behalf of the Executive Management Team
To act as a role model demonstrating the College values and corporate behaviours by encouraging a proactive approach to achieving the delivery of quality outcomes and desired results to support a “One College” culture focussed on delivery and growth
To lead and inspire managers and employees through personal example to deliver the College’s vision, values and priorities
To build mutual confidence, respect and trust with Council and Board Members
To promote and embed a strong performance culture through the setting and monitoring of performance targets
To ensure that all managers across the portfolio of services managed are provided with appropriate challenge and support to enable them to provide effective team leadership to their areas and enable the delivery of high performing teams
To give strategic leadership creating a culture of effective, efficient services that are focussed on reducing corporate overheads and creating value-for-money as well as meeting the needs of internal and external clients
To establish, motivate and inspire high performing teams working collaboratively across the College to plan and allocate resources effectively, anticipating demand, responding to changing priorities and achieving agreed results
To identify, mitigate and manage risks
To represent the College by acting as an ambassador and champion for the professional body and its charitable aims
To be an effective and engaged member of the College’s Executive Director Team.

Membership

To develop and implement a membership engagement strategy, ensuring that the College is valued by its membership nationally and internationally as relevant, beneficial, supportive, accessible and welcoming, and that it continues to grow its membership in the UK and internationally
To ensure the College has at all times an accurate, up-to-date database of its membership
To develop a strategy for membership subscriptions recognising a competitive market and other areas of fee-based income
To ensure the College clearly understands the needs of its membership and tailors its offer accordingly, promoting high levels of satisfaction
To ensure that the links between membership and other activities in the College, including exams and learning, are strong and effective
To ensure strong, consistent and clear communication with members in formats that are accessible and timely
To ensure that appropriate digital systems are in place to maximise the potential for member engagement.

Regional

To develop and implement a clear strategy for the regionalisation of College activities supported by effective regional networks
To promote the College as a UK and Ireland-wide organisation, supporting a strong presence in the English regions and the devolved nations
To support and manage regional boards, and devise events tailored to the interests of members in different parts of the country
Through activity in regions and devolved nations, to increase the College’s reach and grow its membership
To support a thriving Manchester office.

Marketing, brand and events

To ensure that the College understands its key markets and audiences, and is able to engage them effectively
To ensure the College presents a strong, consistent and appealing brand
To ensure that the College develops and offers products, services and information that meet the needs of its key audiences in a personable and accessible way
As part of the wider ‘digital first’ strategy, to develop digital systems to improve and ensure the flow of information with Members and Fellows, staff and other stakeholders, and specifically to ensure a strong social media presence
To ensure the College has an appealing, informative, interactive and easily accessible website
To promote and provide professional support to inclusive and welcoming events and ceremonies, both digital and face-to-face, ensuring they run smoothly and receive positive feedback.

Communications

To develop and oversee the implementation of RCS communications strategy and plan, and ensure alignment with the overall College strategy
To play a major role in shaping the College’s public profile amongst key stakeholders across the healthcare environment, patients and the public, maintaining and developing first class links with the media
To maintain a proactive media (including social media) programme to ensure that College policies and views are effectively promoted, and to react promptly and effectively to breaking news stories or other external events
To advise and support the President, Council Members and senior staff on media matters and strategic communications issues, including practical assistance and training as required to produce speeches, briefing notes, presentations and preparation for interviews when necessary
To ensure the College maintains a clear, relevant and cost-effective approach to publishing, ensuring high standards and consistent branding in everything it publishes.

Policy and Public Affairs

To ensure the College maintains a high profile with policy makers in all matters related to surgery, and has independent opinions on professional matters that are actively solicited
With the Chief Executive, to act as adviser to the President and Council across the full range of political and policy issues relevant to surgery
To liaise with ministerial offices, senior officials and advisers in government departments, devolved governments, and health-related Arm’s Length Bodies, opposition offices and parliamentary bodies in arranging presidential meetings with ministers, shadow ministers, Chairs, CEOs, Medical Directors and other key individuals
To ensure the President and other Council members are well-briefed and accompanied to major political and policy meetings and events, and to coordinate subsequent internal and external communications
To develop partnerships with think tanks and charities to produce timely reports which support the College’s strategic professional and communications aims
To support the work of the Patient Liaison Group and ensure that patient information on the website is kept up to date.

Financial Management and Business Planning

Contribute to the overall College business planning process and provide specific content relating to all appropriate areas of activity
To work with the Executive team to provide oversight of the successful delivery of College’s cost improvement plan
Ensure that strong professional management and effective operating systems are in place in order that targets are met
Ensure that departments/teams are working effectively to meet clear objectives and are continually striving to improve their performance
Communicate the college/leadership agenda to staff as appropriate
Working closely with the Director of Finance, oversee preparation of the directorate’s annual budget
Monitor the monthly management accounts, ensuring resources are managed prudently and in line with budget.

This job description will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and may include other duties and responsibilities as may be determined. It is not intended to be rigid or inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works.

The Royal College of Surgeons of England is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

All College employees are responsible for records held, created or used as part of their work for the College including patient/client, corporate and administrative records whether paper-based or electronic, which also includes emails. Records should be managed and stored appropriately and should in all cases comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation. Employees should have read and understood the College’s Data Protection Policy and Records Management Policy and should follow all agreed records management and data protection procedures, seeking advice where necessary.