Head of Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response


Company:	NHS Jobs
Salary:	£66,582 to £77,368 a year
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Southampton, SO16 6YD
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	18 Sept 2026
Closing date:	4 Oct 2026

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Summary

In this role, your key responsibilities will include: Setting the strategic direction for EPRR across UHS, assessing emerging threats and critical service dependencies, and establishing a prioritised programme that supports patient safety, organisational resilience and the Trusts strategic objectives. Establishing clear expectations for preparedness across divisions and corporate services, constructively challenging gaps in capability and providing executive and Board assurance processes with a clear assessment of readiness, outstanding risks and decisions required. Advising executive and senior clinical and operational leaders on complex resilience issues and significant incidents, interpreting incomplete or conflicting information and explaining the implications of decisions for patient care, service continuity and recovery. Influencing joint planning with NHS leaders and resilience partners, ensuring UHS requirements inform wider arrangements and leading improvements where exercises or incidents reveal weaknesses that cross organisational boundaries. You will need to demonstrate: Significant senior leadership experience in emergency preparedness, resilience, incident response or business continuity within a complex, service-critical organisation, with education to masters level or equivalent senior specialist experience and continued professional development. Framework and Core Standards, supported by experience of applying these requirements to organisational governance, risk management and assurance. The judgement and credibility to advise senior decision-makers, negotiate competing priorities and secure action beyond your direct management authority, including when circumstances are uncertain, time-critical or subject to professional challenge. A record of developing people, leading organisational change and building effective multi-agency partnerships, supported by practical experience of planning, business continuity, exercising and translating incident learning into sustained improvement. You must be able to travel to UHS services across Hampshire and attend meetings and activities with partner organisations.

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