Healthcare Communications Leader

Judging criteria:

The judges will be focusing on the following areas when scoring your entry. Write your entries accordingly.

• Evidence of leadership qualities including managing vision and purpose (10)
• Evidence of talent development/management (10)
• Evidence of entrepreneurial development (10)
• Understanding of the importance of diversity and inclusion in the workplace (10)
• Quality of direct report/other report (10)
• Quality of third-party/stakeholder references (10)
• Evidence of achievements in career to date (10)
• Evidence of key achievements through communications programmes and initiatives in 2020 (10)
• Evidence of commitment to best practice and determination to enhance industry reputation (10)
• Evidence of how the entrant has made a demonstrable difference to his or her company, to his or her clients, to improved patient outcomes and ultimately to the reputation of the industry (10)
• Quality of the candidate’s thought piece (10)
• Quality of the presentation (30)
  • Clarity and succinctness – clear, precise coverage of key points to back-up the submission, without embellishment
  • Ability to bring passion and commitment to life during the presentation
  • Quality of responses during Q&A Session.

This award is open to professionals working in any UK, European or international communications role and is aimed at recognising the outstanding leaders working within healthcare communications today. Candidates will have already made an exceptional impact in their career to date and will be making a significant contribution to the organisations they currently represent. Through their inspiration and thought leadership, they will also be contributing to the industry overall.

Entrants may be working in-house within industry, for a PR, medical education/communications or digital consultancy, or for a charity or patient advocacy group. They will be ambitious, creative individuals in the mid stages of their lifetime career – working at director, business unit leader, managing director level or above. They will already have significant team leadership responsibilities and will have demonstrated originality of thought and approach, breaking new ground and/or changing established thinking. They will aspire to lead and make a difference as healthcare communications continues to develop and change, with a view to becoming an industry expert of the future.

During their career candidates will have demonstrated:

• Exceptional (general or specialist) business skills
• A commitment to the advancement of healthcare communications to their company(ies) and the industry
• A proven track record of success in the delivery and leadership of healthcare communications programmes that facilitate improvements in health outcomes and patient care
• Themselves to be a passionate team player/leader demonstrating high levels of collaboration and success, including leading by example, transferring knowledge and developing/motivating others in an atmosphere of openness, trust and inclusion
• The ability to identify and develop the different skills of individuals within a team and deploy them in the best interests of the team and the project
• That they have the drive and ability to lead change, innovate, generate new ideas and opportunities and be keen to embrace what’s next
• That they have established themselves as an effective ambassador for the industry and their organisation through work undertaken with colleagues and stakeholders
• That they have made a demonstrable difference to their company and the industry.

To demonstrate original thinking candidates should write a thought piece of no more than 1,000 words setting out what they see as the critical issues facing the healthcare communications industry over the next 12 months.

All entries must be written by candidates themselves who, by signing their entry, certify that all information provided is fair and, above all, accurate. Candidates should be careful when making claims that they do not overstate their involvement in any programme or activity; if necessary, outlining where their responsibilities lay in the development or implementation of any initiatives versus that of others.

Shortlisted entrants will be invited to present to an independent judging panel on Thursday 20 May 2021 via Zoom. They will be required to give a short presentation on their entry and will then be asked questions by the judges relating to their career to date. The organisers will be unable to send invitations before Friday 7 May, therefore it is advisable for entrants to hold the date open.