Emergency Planning Officer

Do you want to make a difference? From severe weather and flooding to major incidents and community recovery, no two days as an Emergency Planning Officer are the same. Join East Sussex County Council's Emergency Planning Team and help shape the plans, partnerships, and response structures that keep our communities safe during emergencies and major incidents.

Emergency Planning Officers at East Sussex County Council are responsible for ensuring that the Authority and partners are able to fulfil their duties under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. The team are responsible for writing, reviewing and exercising emergency plans for East Sussex County Council and our local authority partners, and ensuring that staff across the organisations are trained appropriately to enact them. The team are the subject matter experts on resilience within East Sussex, providing advice and guidance on preparation, mitigation, response and recovery.

We are looking for candidates who:

• Can take initiative to solve complex problems and develop solutions
• Can work collaboratively as a member of a team, and develop professional relationships across teams and services
• Can communicate clearly and concisely, adapting messages and style to suit different audiences
• Can remain calm under pressure

Please download the job description and person specification for more information.

When writing your supporting statement be sure to address how you meet all the criteria in the person specification drawing on any relevant work/life experience, education or personal interests.

For guidance on how to write an application see our how to apply page and our statement on the use of AI. Interviews will take place in person at County Hall, Lewes on 24 and 26 August 2026. If you are unavailable on these dates, let us know and we may be able to schedule an alternative date to interview you.

Candidates who meet certain criteria are given priority when we shortlist. See our priority status page for details.

Emergency Planning Officers have a unique role, operating at the heart of ESCC and of the partnerships we work within. For a truly interdisciplinary, partnership-focused position where you can make a real difference to communities when they need it most, look no further than this exciting role within the Emergency Planning team.

We offer a diverse range of benefits to help and support you during your employment. More information can be found on our benefits page.

For an informal discussion about this opportunity contact Charley Pettitt, Emergency Planning Team Manager at [email protected] to request a MS teams call or phone call. For a team that supports you, choose East Sussex.

Additional Information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.

If you require sponsorship to work in the UK please let the hiring manager know this in your application so we can check eligibility for sponsorship for the role. For further information please go to Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

If you require any reasonable adjustments, due to disability, to enable you to participate fully in the process please contact the hiring manager on the contact details above.