- Suffolk County Council
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Address: Endeavour House, Ipswich IP1 2BX, Riverside, Lowestoft NR33 0EQ, or West Suffolk House, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk IP33 3YU, hybrid and community-based working
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Salary: £34,434 per annum (pro rata for part time) plus standby allowance of £180 per month
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Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available
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Contract: Permanent, 2 posts
As a modern, flexible and effective organisation, at Suffolk County Council we want to make a positive difference for the environment, the communities we serve and the people who work with us.
When you join us as an Emergency Planning Officer, you’ll be encouraged to bring your own ideas, learn from others and help shape services that support Suffolk when it matters most.
Reimagine the possibilities.
Your role and responsibilities
As an Emergency Planning Officer, you'll help Suffolk’s councils prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies and major disruption. Working within the Suffolk JEPU (Joint Emergency Planning Unit), you will support emergency planning, training and exercises, and work alongside partners from local government, emergency services, health, utilities and the voluntary sector.
Your work could include reviewing emergency plans, helping to design and deliver training, supporting resilience projects, advising colleagues on preparedness, and contributing to business continuity work that helps councils maintain essential services during disruption. During incidents, you may provide advice and practical support to senior officers and elected members (Councillors) as part of the wider response and recovery effort.
It is a varied role, and no two days are likely to look the same. You'll build specialist knowledge in emergency management while contributing to work that helps keep Suffolk’s communities and essential services prepared.
What you will need
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We are looking for someone with experience or knowledge of emergency planning, business continuity, risk management, crisis management or a related area. You will need to communicate clearly, build trust and work well with a wide range of colleagues, partners and stakeholders.
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You'll be organised, able to manage competing priorities and comfortable working both on your own and as part of a team. Experience of supporting projects, training events, exercises or briefings would be helpful, as would an understanding of local government and emergency preparedness arrangements.
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Above all, we are interested in someone who is motivated to learn, willing to get involved and committed to supporting Suffolk’s resilience. If you have transferable skills and think you could grow into this role, we encourage you to apply.
You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile, which you can find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert.
If you believe you can succeed in this role, please apply. Even if you do not meet every requirement, we would still welcome the opportunity to consider your application.
The team
The Suffolk Joint Emergency Planning Unit provides emergency planning and business continuity support to all of Suffolk’s local authorities. We help councils prepare for emergencies, strengthen local resilience and maintain essential services during disruption.
We are a small, supportive and collaborative team with a shared focus on protecting communities and supporting partners before, during and after emergencies. The role offers the chance to work across Suffolk, build strong relationships with a wide range of organisations and contribute to resilience work that has a clear local impact.
We support flexible and hybrid working, while recognising that some activities are best delivered face to face with colleagues and partners. Working in JEPU gives you the opportunity to be involved in important emergency planning and resilience activity across Suffolk.
Empowering Everyone
We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.
For more information
Please contact Courtney Walsh (he/him) for a casual conversation. You can contact him by calling 07581 035 737 or emailing [email protected]
How to apply
Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word).
Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.
Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word).
1. Describe a situation where you provided advice or guidance on policies, procedures, or regulations
to colleagues or senior managers. What approach did you take?
2. Give an example of when you had to deliver training, a briefing, or a presentation to a varied audience.
How did you ensure your message was understood?
3. Describe a situation where you had to work independently with limited supervision while managing a
complex workload. How did you stay organised and meet deadlines?
Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details).
Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.
For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page.
Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AI to understand what’s acceptable.
Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team by either emailing [email protected] or calling 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages.
Closing date: 11.30 pm, 13 August 2026.
Interview date: 24 August 2026 at Endeavour House in Ipswich.
Promoted as JOTW (Job of the Week) on Suffolk Jobs Direct.
This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid #IND1
As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.
In return, you’ll enjoy:
- up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
- membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
- performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
- training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
- a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
- diverse and active staff networks
- flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day
Plus lots more!
If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).
