UK Health Security Agency
Senior Emergency Preparedness Manager
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Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, London or Salisbury
Job Summary
The post holder will manage the delivery of a comprehensive Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) portfolio within the National Response Centre (NRC), UKHSA’s Public Health Emergency Operations Centre. They will lead teams to ensure that the NRC operates effectively, efficiently and in line with UKHSA’s Incident Response Plan, statutory requirements and emergency management principles. They will provide operational leadership across the incident management cycle, including situational awareness, preparedness, response, recovery and organisational learning.
The post holder will own a portfolio area and lead complex projects and workstreams, develop policies and processes, and strengthen organisational preparedness and response capability. They will act as a senior NRC representative, working with stakeholders across UKHSA, government departments, NHS organisations, resilience partners and other agencies; advise senior leaders; support decision-making; coordinate activity during incidents and emergencies; and fulfil an out-of-hours on-call role to support the NRC’s 24/7 response function. Working autonomously in a pressured environment, they will balance strategic priorities with delivery, lead dispersed teams, collaborate across organisational boundaries, and support continuous improvement and professional development.
Working for your organisation
We pride ourselves as being an employer of choice, where Everyone Matters promoting equality of opportunity to actively encourage applications from everyone, including groups currently underrepresented in our workforce.
UKHSA ethos is to be an inclusive organisation for all our staff and stakeholders. To create, nurture and sustain an inclusive culture, where differences drive innovative solutions to meet the needs of our workforce and wider communities. We do this through celebrating and protecting differences by removing barriers and promoting equity and equality of opportunity for all.
Please visit our careers site for more information https://gov.uk/ukhsa/careers
Job Description
The post holder will manage NRC incident coordination activity for national incidents, including day-to-day operations, resources, processes, governance, escalation and 24/7 response arrangements within their remit. They will provide senior tactical Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response advice, support coordination and decision-making, manage staff and functions, and contribute to workforce planning, recruitment, training, wellbeing and development.
They will lead or contribute to governance, compliance, risk, assurance, business planning, finance, strategic workstreams and projects; produce business cases and option appraisals; embed learning, innovation and health equity; manage workload and cover; maintain professional development; and undertake reasonable duties in response to changing organisational needs.
The Key Responsibilities Will Include:
- Leading the NRC’s incident coordination function for UKHSA national incidents, managing day-to-day operations, resources, processes and governance, and escalating issues as required.
- Providing senior tactical EPRR advice across UKHSA and government, supporting coordination, escalation and decision-making during incidents and emergencies.
- Participating in out-of-hours on-call or seven-day working where required to support the NRC’s 24/7 response function and protect public health.
- Acting as a visible, positive leader, role-modelling professional standards, managing staff and functions, and supporting flexibility, wellbeing and development.
- Supporting the management of NRC resources, workforce planning and operational capacity with HR, Business Operations and corporate colleagues on recruitment, training, development, updates and change programmes.
- Leading or contributing to NRC governance, compliance, risk reporting, assurance, statutory and mandatory training, and appraisal returns.
- Supporting business planning and monitoring with the NRC Senior Management Team, identifying delivery risks and contributing to assurance processes.
- Leading or contributing to agreed strategic workstreams, projects and topic areas, working with regional and national teams and representing the Directorate as required.
- Producing business cases and option appraisals with information, costings, analysis and risks to support decision-making.
- Supporting change and continuous improvement by identifying lessons, embedding learning, promoting innovation and strengthening ways of working.
- Organising own workload, meeting deadlines, providing cover as directed and supporting team resilience.
- Demonstrating commitment to understanding and improving health equity.
- Maintaining professional development by agreeing performance and development needs with the line manager, completing mandatory training and undertaking relevant development pathways.
- Where required, holding financial authority within limits, monitoring and reporting on finance, and supporting NRC budgeting, resourcing, planning and business management.
- Undertaking other reasonable duties as directed and responding to changing team, Directorate and organisational needs, recognising that the job description and person specification may be reviewed over time.
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Person specification
Essential Criteria
- Substantial experience in Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR), including complex preparedness, response and incident management environments.
- Ability to work effectively in fast-paced and uncertain environments, using sound judgement to assess issues, solve problems, prioritise competing demands, delegate appropriately and identify practical solutions.
- Highly developed written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to analyse data, produce reports and presentations, engage confidently with internal and external forums, represent the organisation with senior stakeholders, and build trusted relationships to support collaboration and delivery.
- Proven leadership experience across incident management and coordination, operational delivery, projects, organisational change, improvement activity or business development, with evidence of strengthening services, capability or organisational resilience
- Strong IT skills, including Microsoft Office and the ability to use digital tools to improve efficiency and ways of working.
- An understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
Desirable criteria
- Experience working in the public sector or other large organisations.
- A deep understanding of the wider health, government or civil contingencies context in the UK
Please note that for roles where specific qualifications or registrations are required, successful applicants will be asked to provide appropriate evidence. Employment cannot commence until satisfactory documentation has been received and verified.
Alongside your salary of £56,185, UK Health Security Agency contributes £16,276 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).
Learning and development tailored to your role
An environment with flexible working options
A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
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Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
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 abilities outlined in the essential criteria.
Stage 1: Application & Sift
You will be required to complete an application form. You will be assessed on the listed 7 essential criteria, and this will be in the form of:
- an application form (‘Employer/ Activity history’ section on the application)
- a 1000 word supporting statement.
This should outline how you consider your skills, experience and knowledge provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria.
You will receive a joint score for your application form and statement. (The application form is the kind of information you would put into your C.V –please be advised you will not be able to upload your CV. Please complete the application form in as much detail as possible). Please do not email us your CV.
Healthjobs UK has a word limit of 1500, but your supporting statement must be no more than 1000 words. We will not consider any words over 1000 words.
Longlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will longlist into 3 piles of:
- Meets all essential criteria
- Meets some essential criteria
- Meets no essential criteria
Only those meeting all essential criteria will be taken through to shortlisting.
Shortlisting: In the event of a large number of applications we will shortlist on:
- Substantial experience in Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR), including complex preparedness, response and incident management environments.
Desirable criteria may be used in the event of a large number of applications / large amount of successful candidates.
If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to interview and assessment.
Feedback will not be provided at this stage.
Stage 2: Interview
You will be invited to a remote interview via MS Teams.
Knowledge, experience, skills and abilities will be tested at interview.
You will be asked to prepare a 5 minute presentation that uses an example of an incident you have been involved in to demonstrate your approach to leadership and building effective working relationships.
Interview dates are to be confirmed.
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 hybrid working based at any of our Core HQ’s in Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool or London (Canary Wharf) or Scientific Campus in Porton Down, Salisbury.
We offer great flexible working opportunities at UKHSA and operate using a hybrid working model where business needs allow. This provides us with greater flexibility about how and where we work, to get the best from our workforce. As a hybrid worker, you will be expected to spend a minimum of 60% of your contractual working hours (approximately 3 days a week pro rata, averaged over a
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