Network Response & Resilience Officer

We are currently looking for a Network Response & Resilience Officer to join our team. We are seeking an experienced and resilient professional to join Highway & Drainage Services as our Network Response & Resilience Officer. This is a permanent, full-time post within the Environment & Regeneration Directorate, working 37 hours per week.

This is a key operational role with responsibility for the Council’s preparedness for, response to and recovery from severe weather emergencies. You will lead the planning, development, coordination and delivery of severe weather response arrangements, using independent professional judgement during high-risk and time-critical incidents. You will act as the Council’s lead specialist officer for severe weather preparedness and response, advise senior managers and elected members, coordinate multi-service activity and work closely with emergency services, Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Government, utility companies, transport providers and other resilience partners.

Your main responsibilities will include:

• Leading the development, review and assurance of the Council’s Severe Weather and Adverse Conditions Plans.
• Acting as a lead officer during severe weather incidents, coordinating multi-service responses, prioritising resources and escalating incidents in line with agreed thresholds.
• Coordinating seasonal readiness activities, including winter service and flood preparedness, and providing technical input to the Winter Maintenance Plan and precautionary salting route maps.
• Coordinating operational activity such as gritting, snow clearance, emergency road closures, drainage clearance, sandbag and temporary barrier deployment, and emergency tree and debris clearance.
• Managing the Council’s borough-specific flood and winter weather forecasting service and using forecasting information to support operational planning.
• Supporting Tactical Coordinating Group meetings, providing updates to Strategic Coordinating Groups where required, and contributing to debriefs, action plans and lessons-learned reports.
• Working with the Council’s Civil Protection and Preparedness and Communications teams to strengthen resilience, maintain clear public safety messaging and support service continuity.

About you: We want to hear from people who have:

• Experience in emergency planning or resilience, highways, infrastructure or flood risk management, or operational incident response within a local authority or partner agency.
• Experience of multi-agency working in a pressured operational environment and of supporting incident coordination, response planning or emergency exercises.
• A sound understanding of severe weather hazards and incident management frameworks during multi-agency incidents.
• Knowledge of local geography, infrastructure and weather-related risks, together with relevant legislation, guidance and health and safety requirements.
• The ability to remain calm, authoritative and resilient under sustained pressure, manage competing time-sensitive priorities and advise or challenge senior colleagues and partner agencies confidently.
• Strong organisational, problem-solving, written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to prepare reports, policies, briefings and training for a wide range of audiences.

You must be educated to degree level or equivalent and have an HNC or significant experience in delivering public sector and emergency planning response. You must also have experience within an operational frontline service environment. Professional emergency management training and an IOSH Managing Safely qualification, or equivalent, would be advantageous. You will need to work flexibly, including participation in out-of-hours and standby rotas during severe weather events.

About us: We believe in rewarding and recognising our colleagues’ efforts and achievements. We also believe that there’s life at work and life outside of work. We want everyone to be healthy and happy and have the financial resources and support they need.

Choose to work for us and you’ll be rewarded with a range of attractive benefits and support to help you live your best life:

• Hybrid working (in some roles) and flexible working schemes to improve your work life balance.
• Benefit from a competitive employee package with a remarkable 22.4% employer pension contribution.
• Enjoy a holiday entitlement of 25 days, increasing to 32 days after 5 years’ service (not forgetting the additional 8 bank holidays too).
• Access discounted gym membership with Celtic Leisure.
• Utilise the cycle to work scheme with up to 40% off bikes and cycling equipment.
• Purchase a new car through Tusker salary sacrifice scheme.
• Enjoy exclusive discounts at local and national retailers with the Smart Spend app through our staff wellbeing group.

Your workstyle in this role will be a frontline/community based worker and will be confirmed in line with the operational and out-of-hours requirements of the role.

DBS requirements: This post is not subject to a basic DBS disclosure.

Welsh Language Requirements: Welsh Language skills are not required.

Additional Information: Applications may be submitted in Welsh; applications submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates who have a disability and armed forces veterans. In support of employees of Tata Steel who are at risk of redundancy, or have been made redundant in 2024, Neath Port Talbot Council is offering a guaranteed interview for jobs across the Council. Please note that applicants must meet all the essential criteria, as shown in the person specification, to qualify for a guaranteed interview. If you are or going to be affected by the job losses at Tata Steel then we would welcome an application from you. Just make it known on your application form that you are currently at risk of redundancy or you have been made redundant.

At Team NPT, we all work together to serve the people, communities and businesses of Neath Port Talbot. We are committed to providing training opportunities and the professional development of all our employees. We look forward to welcoming you to Team NPT.