Job responsibilities
As the Emergency Preparedness Manager, you will be expected to:
- Strategically develop, manage and provide an expert and high-quality specialist Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response and business continuity advice function for the Regional Centre.
- Lead in the development of guidance for UKHSA health Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response strategies for the Regional Centre and to contribute nationally as appropriate, in compliance with UKHSAs status as a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act.
- Where appropriate lead and manage the Emergency Preparedness Administrator(s) in the team.
- Ensure the Region's resilience by providing strategic direction in the development and coordination of the organisations emergency preparedness and planning arrangements.
- Ensure the Regional Centre business continuity plans are in place and tested regularly.
- Actively contribute to and sustain the formulation of regional policies and strategies, contingency guidance and plans, through liaison with the emergency services, the military, Other Government Departments (OGDs), Local Authorities (LA's), other responsible agencies e.g. public utilities, voluntary agencies, industry and commercial organisations.
- Manage the development and maintenance of all emergency plans, working with colleagues to ensure that there is a consistent and coordinated system of response.
- Ensure and strategically develop as necessary risk specific plans for the Region e.g. nuclear power station, Control of major accident hazards sites and others as listed in regional and local risk assessments.
- Ensure and manage robust response facilities and resilient secure communications in the Region which requires active participation in managing the response to incidents and emergencies.
- Ensure that plans and response systems are tested and exercised and to contribute and when appropriate design such exercises. Assess the strategic importance and ensure UKHSA involvement in regional and local multi-agency exercises.
- Liaise with Local Resilience Fora to ensure that UKHSA involvement in regional and local multi-agency exercises can be met within existing capacity.
- Ensure all emergency preparedness activities in their area of responsibility are audited in a way consistent with UKHSAs status as a Category 1 responder with respect to the CCA.
- Co-ordinate and lead when appropriate, internal response support arrangements during major incidents and business continuity disruptions particularly at a local level.
- Support the Region in its contribution to the Local Resilience Fora and Local Health Resilience Partnerships and to represent UKHSA at these fora which may require taking forward of specific areas of work and participation in sub-groups as necessary, taking part in local risk assessment discussions.
- Maintain an upward briefing and co-ordination system, ensuring the provision of strategic, tactical and operational support to a UKHSA response at which the Region is involved.
- Lead, co-ordinate and design as necessary the training of staff emergency preparedness and business continuity.
- Lead the local/regional review of major incidents and UKHSA involvement in exercises. Assist in design, development and co-ordination of constructive debriefs for major incidents, dissemination of lessons identified and recommendations for future best practice.
- Participation in the relevant on-call rota, where required
- Contribute to the preparedness for and response to major incidents and emergencies, as defined in the UKHSA Concept of Operations, as required.
- Expected to provide mutual aid support to other Emergency Preparedness Managers within the region and under exceptional circumstances, in other regions.
- Work with other Emergency Preparedness Managers, Emergency Preparedness Officers and Senior Emergency Preparedness Managers as part of a national EPM network.
For a full list of the main duties and responsibilities of the role, please refer to the attached Job Description.
Selection Process Details
This vacancy will be assessed using a competency-based framework which will assess your Qualifications, knowledge and experience and/or skills and capabilities outlined in the essential criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the below listed 7 essential criteria which have been selected from the job description, and this will be in the form of a:
- Application form (Employer/ Activity history section on the application)
- 1500 word Statement of Suitability
This should outline how your skills, experience, and knowledge, provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
Please do not exceed 1500 words. We will not consider any words over and above this number.
The application form and Statement of Suitability will be marked together.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage. If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.
Stage 2: Interview
You will be invited to a face to face interview. In exceptional circumstances, we may be able to offer a remote interview.
Knowledge, experience, skills and abilities will be tested at interview.
There will be a 10 minute presentation as part of the interview.
Interviews will be held week commencing 16th December 2024. Please note, these dates are subject to change.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Location
This role is being offered as office based at our offices in Harlow, Mildenhall or Cambridge. There will be a 24/7 'on call' requirement for this position. Please note hybrid working is not available for this role.
Eligibility Criteria
Open to all external applicants (anyone) from outside the Civil Service (including by definition internal applicants).
Security Clearance Level Requirement
Successful candidates must pass a disclosure and barring security check.
Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is Basic Personnel Security Standard.
