Job summary
- Main area
- emergency planning
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 8a
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Part time - 27 hours per week
- Job ref
- 150-GM2390-COR
- Employer
- Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Brighton General Hospital
- Town
- Brighton
- Salary
- £55,690 - £62,682 per annum pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 08/02/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Emergency Planning Lead
NHS AfC: Band 8a
Job overview
The post holder will be responsible for leading the delivery of the Trust’s Emergency Preparedness Resilience and Response (EPRR) agenda, ensuring that Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust (SCFT) fulfils its legal obligations and responsibilities under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004, NHS England EPRR Framework 2022, Business Continuity Standard ISO 22301, the Health and Social Care Act 2012 and other government planning requirements.
The post holder has responsibility Trust wide to ensure the development and delivery of the organisation’s emergency planning and resilience function and improve standards of emergency preparedness across the organisation.
The post holder will lead the management, coordination, development and delivery of service business continuity plans and incident response plans via the Trust Resilience Group and will oversee the delivery of the EPRR training and exercise programme for the Trust.
PN: Due to recent changes in UK immigration and visa rules, this role may not be eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants who do not currently have the right to work in the UK may not be considered. Candidates requiring sponsorship should review the eligibility criteria on the gov.uk website before applying to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship for this role.
Skilled Worker visa: going rates for eligible occupation codes - GOV.UK
Health and Care Worker visa: If you’ll need to meet different salary requirements - GOV.UK
Main duties of the job
a) Be responsible for ensuring relevant EPRR policies are in place and maintained.
b) Maintain the Trust risk register by analysing and interpreting data to understand the threats to and vulnerabilities of its critical services.
c) Maintain emergency plans to support reducing, controlling and mitigate the effects of incidents that may impact upon the trust.
d) Deliver the Trust Business Continuity Management System, with a particular focus on supporting teams to review their Business Impact Analysis’ (BIA) and Business Continuity Plans (BCP).
e) Ensure the delivery of training sessions in line with the Trusts Training Needs Analysis to variety of SCFT staff, including the On Call team, Trust Executives and incident support staff, in relation to Emergency and Business Continuity Planning.
f) Ensure the development and delivery of Table-top, Live-play and Communications Exercises to staff across the Trust, and multi-agency partners, to ensure the effectiveness of Trust plans and procedures. Attend multi-agency Exercises across the NHS Sussex system and SRF.
g) Prepare reports for internal and external use to provide updates on Emergency Planning work-streams. This includes compliance reports for Training and Exercising and Business Continuity.
Working for our organisation
We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex, with 6,000 staff serving 1.3 million people. We deliver essential care to adults and children, helping them manage their health, avoid hospital admissions, and reduce hospital stays.
Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community. We offer opportunities across medical, clinical, support, and corporate services.
Why work for us?
• Positive 2024 NHS Staff Survey results, highlighting compassionate leadership and wellbeing
• Varied environments: community hospitals, patients’ homes, and bases across Sussex
• Flexible working options: part-time, flexi-time, annualised hours, and flexi-retirement
• Excellent training, development, and research opportunities
• Accredited Living Wage Employer, we ensure fair pay for all our staff
• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove, and Brighton
• Active EMBRACE, Disability & Wellbeing, LGBTQIA+, and Religion & Belief networks
• Level 3 Disability Confident Leader and Veteran Aware Trust
Our values—Compassionate Care, Working Together, Achieving Ambitions, Delivering Excellence—guide everything we do.
We embrace diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds, particularly from ethnically diverse, disabled, and LGBTQIA+ individuals. We aim to create an inclusive environment and support reasonable adjustments during recruitment.
This post may close early if sufficient applications are received.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
a) Be responsible for the line management of the Emergency Planning team, ensuring the team meet all Team objectives in relation to EPRR.
b) Provide leadership and professional support to the Emergency Planning Team.
c) The post holder will work closely with the Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Chief Operating Officer (Accountable Emergency Officer) and provide specialist knowledge on matters relating to the emergency planning and business continuity within the Trust, ensuring that the Trust is kept informed of related national and regional strategic issues.
d) Undertake EPRR risk assessments in conjunction with the National and Community Risk Register and assessing the risks facing the Trust with regards to EPRR, developing and maintaining controls assurance for these risks and ensuring they are documented on the Trust Risk Register; and reporting regularly to the Resilience Group.
e) Lead the development of Business Continuity and Incident Response Plans to minimise and where necessary address risks and hazards identified across the Trust and within the surrounding geographical area.
f) Lead the development and preparation of training materials to contribute to organisational resilience by delivery of an ongoing training and exercise programme, ensuring that robust processes are in place which meet the needs of staff, and raising EPRR profile and awareness.
g) Reviewing the response to major incidents and disruptions to Trust services, assessing the adequacy of plans and making recommendations for improvement.
h) To ensure the appropriateness and maintenance of the Trusts emergency equipment at the designated Incident Coordination Centre.
i) Ensure all interested parties are updated, warned and informed in relation to resilience plans for the Trust
j) Ensure national guidance which will influence emergency and business continuity planning is incorporated into the emergency planning process.
k) Engaging with internal and external stakeholders including, but not restricted to, NHS England, ICBs, UK Health Security Agency, other Health Providers, Emergency Services, Local Authorities; promoting partnerships and co-operative working.
Person specification
Other
Essential criteria
- Ability to drive
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Professional Management Qualification equivalent to Masters level or equivalent
- Post graduate diploma or equivalent in Health Emergency Planning
Experience
Essential criteria
- Minimum of 5 years management experience at a senior level
- Minimum of 3 years’ experience in Emergency Planning, Business Continuity
- Minimum 3 years’ experience in Emergency Planning in Public Services
- Minimum of 3 years experience in multi agency and partnership working with other NHS Trusts, Local Authority and Social Services
- Proven record of planning, delivery and participation in Emergency Planning/Major Incident/Business Continuity exercises
- Proven record of planning, delivery of training in Emergency Planning and Major Incident/ Business Continuity response
Skills and Knowledge
Essential criteria
- In depth understanding of the Civil Contingencies Act (2004), NHS England Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) Framework 2022, The NHS England Core Standards for Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response, The Health and Social Care Act 2012 and other government planning requirements.
- Excellent communication skills both written and verbal, able to communicate complex information to staff at all levels
- Ability to give clear instruction and communicate concisely and accurately in written or verbal form
- Ability to communicate with and establish sound working relationships with multi-agency partners to share and develop plans
- Experience of Policy and Procedure and Plan development and implementation
- Excellent time management and prioritisation skills
- Ability to work with minimal supervision
- Ability to manage complex and diverse issues simultaneously
- Ability to prepare and provide clear and concise reports
- Ability to continually analyse risks and threats that may affect the Trust and to take appropriate action including advising the Director Team
- Ability to review and analyse the Trust’s emergency response plans to ensure compliance with current policy and legislation and preparedness to respond to major incidences and other events which affect the Trust
- Ability to prepare and provide regular reports and provide preparedness assurance to the Trust Board
- Excellent IT skills in Word, Excel and use of Internet
- Knowledge and familiarity of technical communication systems including mobile and mobile PC working
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence others
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Rebecca Allsopp
- Job title
- Emergency Planning Lead
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07741329464
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