Emergency Planning Officer
The closing date is 21 July 2026. An exciting opportunity has arisen at University Hospitals Sussex for a motivated and proactive individual to join the team as an Emergency Planning Officer (EPO) on a fixed term/seconded for 12 months basis.
As a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act, UHSX plays a vital role in multi‑agency emergency preparedness and response. This role supports the delivery of the Trust’s Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) programme, ensuring compliance with the NHS England EPRR Framework, and contributing to the development, review and implementation of emergency and business continuity plans.
Working closely with senior leaders, clinical and operational teams, and external partners, you will coordinate training and exercising programmes, support incident response, and contribute to debriefs and assurance processes.
Successful candidates will have experience or a strong interest in EPRR, with the ability to support planning and incident management activities at operational and, where appropriate, tactical levels. Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to work collaboratively in a fast‑paced environment are essential.
If you are passionate about strengthening NHS resilience and want to develop your career in emergency planning, this is a fantastic opportunity to make a meaningful contribution at UHSX.
Apply now to help support a more resilient future at UHSX.
Main duties of the job
Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (CCA), UHSX is a Category 1 responder and must maintain robust arrangements for Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR), including effective business continuity, and plans for critical and major incidents. The Trust must also demonstrate compliance with the core standards set out in the NHS England EPRR Framework (2022).
As an Emergency Planning Officer, you will support the delivery of the Trust’s EPRR programme, contributing to the development, maintenance and assurance of emergency and business continuity plans. You will play an active role in promoting and embedding a culture of EPRR across UHSX, ensuring preparedness and resilience are understood and owned across all areas of the organisation.
You will also support the development of organisational capability and capacity within EPRR, helping to deliver the Trust’s EPRR work programme through training, exercising and continuous improvement activities.
The EPRR Service works collaboratively with partner organisations across the health and resilience system. In this role you will contribute to multi‑agency forums, supporting system‑wide resilience, sharing best practice and participating in peer review and joint working initiatives.
Job responsibilities
This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, so we are unable to provide sponsorship. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK.
- Establish and develop effective communication networks with key internal and external stakeholders, including hospital directors, divisional and corporate teams, Category 1 responders and EPRR colleagues across Sussex ICB, to support coordinated and partnership‑based approaches to resilience.
- Communicate highly complex and multi‑stranded EPRR information in a clear and engaging way, using strong influencing and interpersonal skills to secure stakeholder engagement and promote organisational buy‑in to EPRR priorities.
- Develop, manage and maintain effective working relationships with Emergency Preparedness leads across partner agencies, contributing to multi‑agency planning, information sharing and system‑wide resilience.
- Provide specialist EPRR advice to the Trust, supporting the analysis of complex issues and the appraisal of a range of options where guidance may be limited or where professional opinion differs.
- Support the delivery and ongoing development of the Trust’s Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) agenda, ensuring the organisation meets its statutory duties under the Civil Contingencies Act (2004). Contribute to the development, implementation and continuous improvement of robust systems and processes to ensure the Trust remains compliant with the NHS England EPRR Framework and Core Standards (2022).
Person Specification
Experience/Qualifications
- Educated to degree level
- Evidence of academic development
- Proven experience of delivering training and communicating key messages
- Experience of working within a healthcare setting
- Must have a good understanding of emergency planning legislation CCA 2004, NHS England Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response Framework 2015
- Must have an understanding of the principles and practice of risk management, investigation and mitigation
- Teaching Qualification (level 3)
- Diploma in Health Emergency Planning
- CBRN/HazMat trainer
- Proven ability to implement change and introduce interventions to improve the overall effectiveness
Skills
- Detailed knowledge of EPRR legislation, including the Civil Contingencies Act 2004
- Working within and with multidisciplinary teams and multi‑agency environments
- Supporting the delivery of projects across an organisation
- Experience of managing risks and reporting
- Proven experience of writing reports to a high level
- Experience of developing and reviewing emergency and business continuity plans and procedures in line with local and national guidance
- Experience of EPRR working within the NHS or Public Sector
- Experience of performing risk assessments
- Experience of carrying out Business Impact Analysis
- Experience of designing, delivering and evaluating tests or exercises of emergency and business continuity plans
- Experience of responding to incidents/actual emergencies, incidents, business continuity incidents, adverse weather etc.
- Ability to analyse complex issues where material may be conflicting and drawn from multiple sources
- Demonstrated capability to act upon incomplete information, using experience or critical thinking to make inferences and decision making
- Ability to present complex information to a variety of people with different levels of understanding of the topic
- Development and ongoing management of EPRR related plans and policies
- Ability to prioritise and organise large volume of work with frequently changing priorities and work systematically towards deadlines
- Ability to establish and maintain good working relationships with people from a wide variety of personal and professional backgrounds
- Ability to communicate in a professional manner confidently and effectively both verbally and in written format
- Ability to problem solve and has attention to detail
- Commitment to and focused on quality, promotes high standards in all they do
- Consistently looks to improve what they do, looks for successful tried and tested ways of working, and seeks out innovation
- Actively develops themselves with evidence of continued professional development
- Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
- Ability to draft briefing papers and correspondence for senior management level
- Ability to communicate confidently with people at all levels of seniority
- Ability to diffuse challenging situations
- Ability to make a connection between their work and the benefit to patients and the public
- Ability to persuade and influence decision making
- Ability to think ahead to anticipate, identify and address any risks or problems before they occur
Freedom to Act
- Ability to work autonomously and challenge where there is non‑compliance to policies & procedures
- Works autonomously with access to advice from the Head or Deputy Head of EPRR when they are available but also deputises for the Deputy Head of EPRR in their absence
- Is able to make decisions without referring to the Head or Deputy Head of EPRR
Equality Diversity & Inclusion
- Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role)
- Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.
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