A n 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. In this role, you will support the delivery of the Trust’s Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) programme, helping to ensure compliance with the NHSE 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 assist in coordinating training and exercising programmes, supporting incident response, and contributing to debriefs and assurance processes.
The successful candidate 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.
Under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (CCA), University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UHSX) is designated as a Category 1 responder, with defined responsibilities for emergency preparedness, response and recovery. As such, the Trust is required to 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 NHSE 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 that 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.
At UHSussex, diversity is our strength, and we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness and experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, and can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We’re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) and a Veteran Aware Trust.
We treat our patients and staff with the same compassion and empathy we expect for ourselves. We’re here for them when they need us, and we go above and beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our Wellbeing Programme for staff which is extensive and designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.
Please note that if you currently work for another NHS Trust or UHSussex and you are applying to accept this position as a secondment opportunity, before applying you must seek agreement and authorisation from your current Trust/Manager. Secondments can’t be agreed without this approval. If you are unable to gain approval, you should refrain from applying unless you wish to take this role as a fixed term position
We look forward to receiving your application and the start of your journey with UHSussex.
Candidate Information Pack: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/resources/candidate-information-pack/
Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.
If you do not meet the sponsorship requirements, and you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.
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).
For further information, please see the Job Description and Person Specification
