About the job

Job summary

There is currently an on-call requirement for this post but these arrangements are subject to review

The Emergency Preparedness Manager (EPM) provides the UKHSA Region with expert advice and support for health emergency preparedness and resilience working in conjunction with the Senior EPM.

Assisting in ensuring governance and audit of all regional and UKHSA Region emergency plans and may be required to attend Local Resilience Fora and their sub-groups. Work with the Senior EPM to implement recommendations from lessons identified from response to incidents both major and other less significant incidents and expected to deliver training in EPRR issues to different professional groups within and outside UKHSA.

The EPM will work with other EPMs and the Senior EPM in the region and in consistency with other regions to ensure, in line with the CCA principles of Integrated Emergency Management, that responsibilities for emergency planning, resilience and response are discharged effectively within the area of responsibility.   The postholder works with a high degree of autonomy and will ensure there are robust arrangements in place to enable UK Health Security Agency to make an effective and timely response to any incident that could impact on public health and continuity of critical services, in conjunction with partner agencies and stakeholders.

Location

UKHSA 10 South Colonnade, Canary Wharf E14 4PU

With regular travel within the geographical area of responsibility and travel elsewhere/nationally as maybe required by the post.

The current UKHSA policy is 60% office attendance (3 days out of 5) in line with the most recent UK Govt. directive on office attendance for Civil Servants.

*Please be aware that this role can only be worked from within the UK and not overseas. Relocation expenses are not available.* 

Job description

Your main responsibilities will include:

1. Strategically develop, manage and provide an expert and high-quality specialist EPRR and business continuity advice function for the Centre.
2. Lead in the development of guidance for UKHSA EPRR strategies for London region and to contribute nationally as appropriate, in compliance with UKHSAs status as a Category 1 responder under the Civil Contingencies Act.
3. Where appropriate lead and manage the Emergency Preparedness Officer(s) and administration support in the team.
4. Ensure London region’s resilience by providing strategic direction in the development and coordination of the organisations emergency preparedness and planning arrangements.
5. Ensure London Region’s business continuity plans are in place and tested regularly.
6. 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), LAs, other responsible agencies e.g. public utilities, voluntary agencies, industry and commercial organisations.
7. Manage the development and maintenance of all emergency plans, working with colleagues to ensure that there is a consistent and coordinated system of response.
8. Ensure and strategically develop as necessary risk specific plans for the region e.g. nuclear power station, COMAH sites and others as listed in regional and local risk assessments.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Liaise with London Resilience Forum and Borough Resilience Forums to ensure that UKHSA involvement in regional and local multi-agency exercises can be met within existing capacity.
12. 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.
13. Co-ordinate and lead when appropriate, internal response support arrangements during major incidents and business continuity disruptions particularly at a local level.
14. Support the centre 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.
15. 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.
16. Lead, co-ordinate and design as necessary the training of regional staff emergency preparedness and business continuity.
17. 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.
18. Participation in the relevant on-call rota, where required
19. Contribute to the preparedness for and response to major incidents and emergencies, as defined in the UKHSA Concept of Operations, as required.
20. Expected to provide mutual aid support to other EPMs within the region and under exceptional circumstances, in other regions.
21. Work with other resilience professionals as part of a national EPM network.

The duties/responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present and is not intended to be exhaustive. The Job holder is expected to accept reasonable alterations and additional tasks of a similar level that may be necessary.

Person specification

It is important through your application and Statement of Suitability of 750 / 1500 words that you give evidence and examples of proven experience of each of the essential criteria (for full details of all essential criteria please refer to the attached job description):

Essential

• Degree, NVQ level 4 or equivalent level vocational expertise in an emergency planning discipline
• Educated to degree level in relevant subject or equivalent level qualification or significant experience of working at a similar level in the specialist area
• Knowledge of emergency and resilience planning methodologies
• Significant experience of successfully operating in a politically sensitive environment
• Evidence of continued professional development
• Demonstrated experience of co-ordinating projects in complex and challenging environments
• Experience of managing risks and reporting
• Experience of drafting briefing papers and correspondence at SMT level
• Consistently thinks about how their work can help and support clinicians and frontline staff deliver better outcomes for patients
• Values diversity and difference, operates with integrity and openness
• Works well with others, is positive and helpful, listens, involves, respects and learns from the contribution of others
• Consistently looks to improve what they do, looks for successful tried and tested ways of working, and also seeks out innovation
• Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to senior stakeholders and a broad range of stakeholders as required
• Experience of setting up and implementing internal processes and procedures
• Demonstrated capability to plan over short, medium and long-term timeframes and adjust plans and resources requirements accordingly

Desirable

• Post-graduate degree in Management Studies or equivalent
• Experience of monitoring budgets and business planning processes
• Understanding of the public sector
• Demonstrated experience in a Healthcare environment
• Comprehensive knowledge of project principles, techniques and tools, such as Prince 2 Foundation and Microsoft Project
• Knowledge of Financial Systems e.g. monitoring budget management, processing invoices and procurement

Please see attached job description for full essential criteria – please refer to this FULL list to write your statement of suitability.

Benefits

Working for the UKHSA

At the United Kingdom Health Security Agency (UKHSA) our mission is to provide health security for the nation by protecting from infectious disease and external hazards.  We are a trusted source of advice to government and to the public, focusing on reducing inequalities in the way different communities experience and are impacted by infectious disease, environmental hazards, and other threats to health.

Our mission is challenging, innovative and in the spotlight. We will work to ensure our people have the diverse skills, experiences and backgrounds we need to thrive, that our employees are representative of the communities we serve and feel valued and enabled to play their part in delivering our work.

Creating our working culture is an ongoing process which we are developing by listening and learning together, hearing and acting upon diverse voices and opinions to develop a common sense of identity and effective ways of working.

For more information on the UKHSA please visit: UK Health Security Agency - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Benefits

• 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 average employer contribution of 27%
• Range of health and wellbeing support

Any move to UKHSA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at Childcare Choices , 30 Hours Free Childcare, Tax-Free Childcare and More , Help with Costs , GOV.UK

Things you need to know

Selection process details

STAGE 1 - APPLICATION & SIFT: 

You will be required to complete an application form. This will be assessed in line with the full list of essential criteria as detailed in the attached job description – please do provide evidence of how you meet this. Your Statement of Suitability should outline your skills, experience, and achievements, providing evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential criteria (outlined in the person specification section).

You will also be asked to provide information within the ‘Employer/ Activity history’ section of the application form. This is equivalent to the information you would provide on a CV, setting out your career history.

If you are successful at this stage, you will progress to an interview.

STAGE 2 – INTERVIEW 

This competition will involve an interview in person at Canary Wharf. 

As part of the process, candidates will be invited to interview which will involve an in-depth discussion of your previous experience and professional competence in relation to the criteria set out in the Person Specification.  Candidates will also be asked to participate in a session where they will be required to prepare and deliver a 5-minute presentation to the panel.  This will be followed by a question-and-answer segment.  The presentation will be designed to assess each candidate’s experience in line with the requirements of the role.  Full details will be provided prior to the interview.

A competency-based framework will be used to assess at interview.        

For further information on the selection process, please refer to the attached Candidate Pack.

Expected Timeline:

Advert close: 23:55hrs on 4th February 2024 – unfortunately, late applications will not be considered. Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Interviews: w/c TBC

Please note these dates could be subject to change.  

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.  People working with government assets must complete Basic Personnel Security Standard checks.

For posts on UKHSA Civil Service terms and conditions, new entrants to the Civil Service are expected to start on the minimum of the pay band. For existing Civil Servants and roles advertised across government, the rules of transfer apply, i.e., level transfers move on current salary or the pay range minimum, transfers on promotion move to new pay range minimum or receive a 10% increase. Either case is determined by whichever is the highest. 

Please Note

This role is to be appointed under Civil Service Terms & Conditions. Full details on the T&C’s are found https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Are you already a civil servant, or employed by a Civil Service Commission accredited public body? Please state home department on your application form.

Do you meet the nationality requirements for this post? https://www.ukhsa.reed.com/

Complaint process:

The law requires that selection for appointment to the Civil Service is on merit on the basis of fair and open competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles, and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact UKHSA Public Accountability Unit via email: Complaints1@ukhsa.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Visit the Civil Service Commission website. 

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.