Digital Communications and Marketing Officer for the Scottish Government

Flexible Location: Based throughout Scotland, NES is a remote friendly employer supporting office and hybrid working. We’re happy to talk about how you want to work.

Work Pattern: Fixed Term, until 31 March 2027, Time, 37 hours per week

As from 1/4/26, the Agenda for Change full-time working week will be reducing from 37 to 36 hours per week. Part time hours will be reduced pro-rata. However, there will be a corresponding increase in the hourly rate so that pay will not be affected

Fixed-term or Secondment** until 31 March 2027

• For NHS applicants, an NHS secondment will be offered in the first instance. For non-NHS applicants, a fixed-term or secondment would be considered.
  
  

You must have eligibility and entitlement to work in the UK which is required to be maintained throughout your period of employment.

Who We Are

NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is the national health board with statutory responsibilities to effect sustainable change through workforce development, education and training across the health and social care system in Scotland, while working at UK level with partner organisations.

NES Technology Service (NTS) has created a strategic programme for the transformation of digital based services to allow NES to become a leading digital organisation in Scottish Health, digital by default and fully aligned with the Scottish Government’s technology strategies.

Our Technology

We are in the business of providing safe, secure and innovative technology products and services that aim to improve outcomes across education, training, workforce, health and care in the public sector in Scotland. Using modern cloud-based technology we deliver sustainable products and services for the future.

The Opportunity

The Digital Front Door (DFD) programme is a Scottish Government-sponsored major transformation initiative to provide multi-channel digital access to data, information and Health and Social Care services for all people in Scotland.

To help us tell the story of the DFD programme, which NES is leading as technology delivery partner, NTS is seeking a highly skilled and motivated communications and marketing officer with graphic design skills for the communications and engagement workstream within DFD. This person will play a crucial role in the team, supporting the head of communications and the wider programme to deliver expert communications and marketing activity and resources at both a national and local level.

Do you want to expand your range of communications and marketing skills, focussing on digital communications and graphic design?

Do you want to play a key role in delivering high quality marketing and design solutions for both print and digital media?

Do you enjoy working at pace and being adaptive to an ever-changing environment?

Working within the communications workstream touches every aspect of the DFD programme so you will never be bored. You will be managing enquiries; generating and writing stories and case studies; creating engaging multimedia content for our digital channels and stakeholder meetings; running campaigns; publicising innovation; managing events and liaising daily with stakeholders from Scottish Government to health boards to local authorities.

NHS experience would be a benefit but is not essential. We need someone who can pick up projects quickly, has a creative approach to supporting successful communications campaigns, is familiar with good practice stakeholder engagement and is experienced in producing content and managing digital platforms.

This is a superb opportunity for a team player with a ‘can-do’ approach. If you are as comfortable putting together and executing a well-thought-out plan as you are responding to a fast-moving situation, we’d love to hear from you.

Does this sound like you?

What We Love To See

Communications and marketing business partners offer a broad range of skills and experience, if you can offer some or all of these, we’d love you to apply:

• A proven track record in communications/marketing
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Up-to-date knowledge of social media tools and real skill for generating engaging digital content
• The ability to produce accurate work to very tight deadlines.
• Experience of working on a range of different projects and teams
• Skills in marketing and communication asset production, managing external agencies and testing materials to check suitability and efficacy
• High level of graphic design skills, including image creation and manipulation, page layout, knowledge of colour theory, visual hierarchy and use of typography.
• Advanced knowledge of the Adobe Creative Cloud Applications including InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and After Effects
• Highly effective communication skills, knowing how to translate complex functional information and language into simple, clear messaging for a diverse range of internal, external and public stakeholders (both verbally and in writing)
• Demonstrate honesty, integrity, care and compassion when dealing with others, utilising tact and persuasion skills when necessary
• Ability to work on own initiative, to organise and prioritise own workloads, to meet strict deadlines
  
  

Benefits Which Matter

As a valued employee of NHS Scotland, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:

• Life-work balance - with opportunities for flexible working and hybrid working
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Annual incremental salary progression (up to the maximum of the salary band) plus annual NHS salary scale review
• Annual Leave - 27 Days increasing in line with service plus 8 days public holiday
• NHS discounts and more
  
  

Diversity and Inclusion

Developing a successful national service for Scotland is impossible without ensuring we consider the diverse needs, perspectives and backgrounds of everyone in Scotland in our work.

We are focused on hiring the very best talent available for NES, and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds and aim to ensure everyone is treated fairly, with respect and has a positive recruitment experience – regardless of the outcome.

It’s not essential to be in communications and marketing business partner role right now. You may be returning from a career break (e.g. maternity, paternity, caring for others) or returning after working in another field. Your experiences elsewhere can bring a fresh perspective to our work.

If you are considering applying and feel it would be helpful to discuss this initially, please contact Caroline Maddams, head of communications and engagement – Digital Front Door, Email: caroline.maddams@nhs.scot.

Next Steps

• NHS candidates will be considered firstly on a secondment basis, and so are strongly encouraged to discuss this with their current NHS employer at the earliest opportunity, ideally prior to application.
  
  

All applicants who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail.

In person OR online interviews (including a short presentation) will take place on TBC. The presentation topic will be sent to candidates selected for interview.

For further information please refer to the Job Information Pack below.

Unless otherwise stated the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.

• Please be advised that if you are successful in being offered the role following the recruitment process, you will be expected to attend the office prior to your start date to complete face-to-face pre-employment checks. If you require any adjustments to support this, please let us know.
• To work in the United Kingdom, there is a legal requirement for an individual to demonstrate that they have the relevant permission to work in the country. This permission is, without exception, granted by the UK Visa and Immigrations Service.
  
  

As part of the pre-employment checks for a preferred candidate, NHS Scotland Boards will check your entitlement to work in the UK. It can be evidenced through a number of routes including specific types of visa as well as EU settled and pre-settled status. To find out more about these routes of permission, please refer to the GOV.UK website here. 

For specific types of post, if you do not have the necessary eligibility to work in the UK, it might be possible (though not guaranteed) to secure sponsorship via a UK Skilled Worker/Health & Care Worker Visa. However, this is only possible if the employer is a licenced Sponsor, and if the post does not fall below the current minimum salary threshold or ‘going rate’. Further information on these criteria can be found here.

It is ESSENTIAL that you have checked that you either already have an appropriate right to work in the UK or that the post would be eligible to be sponsored BEFORE submitting your application form.

If you have any queries regarding the NHS Scotland National Recruitment Portal or the recruitment process, please don't hesitate to contact our recruitment partners, the East Region Recruitment Service, at: EoS.ERRS@nhs.scot