Powered by Water, Driven by Purpose
South West Water keeps the South West flowing with safe, reliable drinking water and wastewater services across some of the UK's most stunning landscapes.
We're proud to be part of Pennon Group, a leader in the UK water sector, working towards a greener future. Our goals? As well as lowering our carbon footprint, we're working with partners to plant 300,000 trees, restore peatlands and supporting farmers and landowners to improve water quality and wildlife.
Whether you're starting out or seeking a new challenge, our scale and ambition create opportunities for you to shape your own career.
Ready to make a splash? Join our team today.
Are you passionate about building resilience, leading change, and shaping how an organisation prepares for and responds to major incidents? We're looking for an exceptional Emergency Planning Officer to join our Operations team and help safeguard the continuity of our essential services.
About the role
As our Emergency Planning Officer, you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring the organisation is fully prepared to respond to emergencies and business disruptions. You will lead the development of incident and crisis response plans, provide expert direction to senior leaders, and help shape a culture of preparedness across the business.
This is a highly influential role, requiring a blend of strategic thinking, specialist knowledge, and the ability to work collaboratively across a complex organisation. You'll also directly influence industry best practice, working with regulatory bodies and external partners to strengthen wider sector resilience.
What You'll Be Doing:
* Developing, owning, and maintaining a comprehensive suite of incident and crisis response plans.
* Identifying emerging risks through horizon scanning and developing mitigation strategies.
* Leading the design and delivery of emergency planning training, exercises, and briefings.
* Advising senior leaders and teams across the business on emergency planning, business continuity, and incident management.
* Ensuring company plans align with the Corporate and National Risk Registers.
* Working closely with the Central Incident Response Team to ensure effective readiness.
* Managing the Training and Exercise Programme under the Security and Emergency Measures Direction (SEMD 2022).
* Embedding learning from exercises, national events, and incidents into policy and practice.
* Representing the company at industry forums such as Water UK NIM and SEPN.
* Acting as the business owner for the Service & Support Centre business continuity plans.
* Deputising for the Emergency Planning Manager as required.
What we are looking for:
We're looking for someone who brings expertise, credibility, and a proactive approach to emergency planning. You will be confident engaging with both internal stakeholders and external partners, and able to translate complex risk and resilience concepts into practical, actionable plans.
Essential Skills & Experience
* Experience in emergency planning or strategic planning within a complex organisation.
* Experience participating in emergency responses and working within command structures.
* Proven experience delivering training and exercises.
* Strong communication skills, with the ability to present confidently to diverse audiences.
* Analytical mindset, excellent problem-solving skills, and strong attention to detail.
* Ability to work independently, prioritise multiple tasks, and meet deadlines.
Desirable
* Degree-level qualification or equivalent senior-level experience.
* Professional qualification in Emergency Planning or Business Continuity.
* Knowledge of relevant regulatory frameworks.
What's in it for you:
We know our people drive our success - so we're committed to offering an excellent range of benefits, including:
1. Generous holiday allowance + bank holidays
2. Discretionary bonus
3. Competitive contributory pension
4. Share-save scheme
5. Health benefits & wellbeing support programmes
6. Group discounts
7. Cycle to Work scheme
8. Financial support services
9. Development and training opportunities
... and much more!
Closing Date: 15th April 2026
We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible.
Please note that the successful candidate will be subject to a mandatory DBS check as part of the onboarding process.
Be yourself, we like it that way. Together, we will build a culture of belonging, where inclusion is instinctive. Diversity is our strength and a reflection of our communities. We care, we value everyone, we celebrate uniqueness.
Our core values, which are essential to our success, are:
Be Rock Solid - Build trust and be trusted. Be the one we all look to and can depend on.
Be You - We want you to bring your best everyday. Be yourself and make your mark in your individual way.
Be the Future - Embrace change. Drive Progress. Own the challenge.
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