Chief Resilience Officer

Suffolk Jobs Direct; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 72,000 - 82,000; Part time

Job summary

A local council in the UK seeks an exceptional Chief Resilience Officer to lead the Suffolk Resilience Forum. This role involves strategic leadership in emergency management, overseeing partnerships and implementing innovative solutions to enhance community resilience. Candidates must have significant experience in engaging with political leaders and strong analytical skills. The position offers a hybrid working environment with a salary between £72,329 and £81,708 per annum. Join us to make a difference in emergency preparedness and response.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in emergency management and resilience with strategic leadership.
• Proven experience in engaging with senior and political leaders.
• Ability to build trust with decision-makers across sectors.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy briefings and communications with political leaders.
• Drive collaboration embedding resilience across systems.
• Oversee partnerships, budgets, and Local Resilience Strategy delivery.

Skills

Emergency management experience

Leadership and partnership skills

Communication and negotiation skills

Analytical and problem-solving skills

Change management expertise

Job description

• Suffolk County Council Suffolk Resilience Forum
• Location: Endeavour House Ipswich IP1 2BX - Hybrid working
• Salary: 72329 - 81708 per annum (pro rata if part time)
• Hours: 37 hours per week flexible working options available
• Contract: Fixed Term or Secondment until 31 March 2028

We are looking for an exceptional leader to become Chief Resilience Officer (CRO) for the Suffolk Resilience Forum (SRF). This is a unique opportunity to shape the resilience of our county working with senior leaders, political decision‑makers and system partners to strengthen Suffolk’s ability to prepare, respond to and recover from emergencies.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

• Lead strategy briefings and communications with political leaders and senior partners.
• Drive collaboration and innovation embedding resilience across Suffolk’s systems and communities.
• Oversee the SRF team, partnerships, budgets and delivery of the Local Resilience Strategy.
• Champion inclusion and strengthen community resilience through strategic engagement.
• Play an active role in Suffolk’s emergency response including the on‑call rota.

You will need

• Proven extensive experience in emergency management and resilience with visible strategic leadership.
• Strong leadership and partnership skills with proven experience in engaging with senior and political leaders locally and nationally to drive public sector change.
• Excellent communication, influencing and negotiation skills able to persuade and build trust with decision-makers, partners and communities across all sectors and levels.
• Partnership and collaborative working skills, proactively building networks, motivating others and securing support to achieve outcomes.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills able to assess complex situations and deliver effective solutions.
• Change management expertise turning strategy into practical, well‑organised outcomes.
• Commitment to Suffolk County Council’s WE ASPIRE values.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (Word).

If you believe you can succeed in this role apply. Even if you don’t meet all requirements still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

The Suffolk Resilience Forum is hosted by Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service and brings together local partners to strengthen the county’s resilience. The CRO leads workstreams across community resilience, climate adaptation, business continuity and communications supported by the SRF Partnership Manager.

All SRF roles are part of the on‑call rota supporting major incidents and the county’s Tactical and Strategic Coordination functions. Partnership work is focused on Working on Wednesday (WoW) days usually at Police Headquarters with the team working on Tuesdays at Endeavour House. The team typically works 23 days a week in the office across Endeavour House, Landmark House, Police Headquarters and other sites 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 under‑represented in the organisation as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Please contact Jon Lacey, Executive Director of Fire and Public Safety, for a casual conversation. You can reach them by emailing…

If you want to apply for a secondment read the secondment policy first. Make sure you get permission from your current manager before submitting your application.

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (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).

• Can you provide an example of a time when you provided visible and strategic leadership across a complex system? What was the outcome?
• Describe a situation where you had to communicate complex information to a wide range of stakeholders. How did you ensure your message was understood and acted upon?
• Describe your experience leading or supporting emergency preparedness, response or recovery. What was your role and what impact did you have?

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.

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.

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 at…

If you’re invited to the next stage you’ll have another chance to request adjustments. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages.

Closing date: 18 December 2025.

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.