Emergency Planning & Business Continuity Officer

Harrow Council; Greater London; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 62,000; Full time

Job summary

Harrow Council is seeking an Emergency Planning and Business Continuity Officer to strengthen resilience across the borough, aligning with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. You will lead planning, coordinate response teams, and provide expert advice to staff and partners, ensuring robust preparedness for emergencies.

This role, working closely with the Deputy Head of Resilience, will drive cross‑agency collaboration, oversee incident exercises, and maintain current crisis management

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of emergency planning, business continuity and the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
• Experience leading or contributing to the development of emergency or resilience plans.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure.
• The confidence to make timely decisions during incidents with limited information.
• Proven ability to build effective relationships with colleagues, senior leaders and external partners.
• Clear and persuasive communication skills, both verbal and written.
• A proactive, self-motivated approach with the ability to use their own initiative.
• Experience delivering training, presentations or briefings to a range of audiences.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to evaluate incidents and identify learning.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and participate in an on‑call rota as required.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate the Emergency Response Team during incidents and activate borough procedures.
• Lead on key workstreams, manage specialist projects and build relationships with partners.
• Provide professional advice on emergency planning and crisis management.
• Develop, test and maintain plans to ensure robust preparedness and response.
• Support senior leaders with timely, well-judged decisions under pressure.

Skills

Emergency planning

Business continuity

Civil Contingencies Act 2004

Stakeholder engagement

Incident management

Training delivery

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Job description

Overview

The London Borough of Harrow is seeking a highly motivated and resilient Emergency Planning and Business Continuity Officer to support the council’s preparedness, response and recovery arrangements in line with the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and the Resilience Standards for London. This is an exciting and meaningful role at the heart of community safety, where you will contribute directly to protecting residents, staff and essential services during emergencies and major disruptions.

Working closely with the Deputy Head of Resilience, you will lead on key workstreams, manage specialist projects, and build strong working relationships across the organisation and with external partners, including emergency services, voluntary agencies and regional resilience forums. You will provide professional advice on emergency planning, contribute to the development and testing of plans, and help ensure the council maintains effective, up‑to‑date arrangements for crisis management.

During an emergency, you may be required to coordinate the council’s immediate response, including managing the Emergency Response Team, activating borough procedures and supporting senior leaders to make time‑sensitive decisions. The role involves both proactive planning and reactive incident support, requiring excellent judgement, communication skills and the ability to work under pressure. This is a key opportunity to make a positive impact on Harrow’s safety, resilience and community wellbeing.

About You

The successful candidate will have:-

• Strong knowledge of emergency planning, business continuity and the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.
• Experience leading or contributing to the development of emergency or resilience plans.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple priorities under pressure.
• The confidence to make timely decisions during incidents with limited information.
• Proven ability to build effective relationships with colleagues, senior leaders and external partners.
• Clear and persuasive communication skills, both verbal and written.
• A proactive, self‑motivated approach with the ability to use their own initiative.
• Experience delivering training, presentations or briefings to a range of audiences.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to evaluate incidents and identify learning.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends and participate in an on‑call rota as required.

Related Documents

For more information, please refer to the Role Profile/ Selection Criteria