Emergency Planning Support Assistant

An opportunity is available for the position of an Emergency Planning Support Assistant based at Castle Donington.

Reporting to the Emergency Planning Manager, the post-holder will be responsible for providing support to the Emergency Planning Function and Control Centres. 

Depending on experience, you may initially be appointed at a lower salary until all relevant courses and training are complete.

As part of our hybrid working approach this role offers a mix of office and home working. Hybrid working can only be considered once your initial training is complete and subject to business need.

You will need English and Maths GCSE Grade C/Level 4 or above OR Functional Skills Level 2 or above to apply. Evidence of your qualifications will be required prior to appointment.
About UsWe’re National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED), the owner and operator behind the electricity distribution systems for the Midlands, the Southwest of England and South Wales. Serving communities of more than 8 million people, our expert teams deliver heat, light and power for homes and businesses.

National Grid employs over 29,000 people worldwide. We are building an inclusive workplace, a place to actively celebrate the cultures, personalities and preferences of our colleagues – who in turn help to build the success of our business and reflect the diversity of the communities we serve. Our vision is to be at the heart of a clean, fair and affordable energy future and we are doing this in a fast-moving industry with an increasing focus on tackling climate change, exploring new energy sources that are renewable, low carbon, and improve efficiency to meet demand.

The teams in Control are focused on ensuring the network is secure, contingencies are in place and lost supplies are restored as quickly as possible, minimising customer minutes lost and customer interruptions.

Based within our two Operational Centres, our Control Centres are the heartbeat of our operations, monitoring the system in real time, minimising risk of danger and managing security and faults. Control Centre teams also liaise with the National Grid Group and the Government to manage national network demand and monitor the potential for incidents or emergencies.
Main Responsibilities
Provide support to the Emergency Planning function and Control Centres as required, including assisting during company and / or system emergencies. 
Provide information to other parts of the NGED business in relation to preparation, managing or investigating network events, such as severe weather or other high impact occurrences. 
Monitor weather updates and ensure information is communicated within the business.
Book and coordinate emergency or unplanned subsistence or resource within the Control Centre. 
Assist and support with the coordination of resources for a NEWSAC event, including supplies and accommodation.  This is the strategic coordination of DNO resources during an emergency event, including the movement of NGED staff.
Assist with the provision of emergency aid functions.
Communicate with stakeholders and customers to arrange meetings and events.
Coordinate and arrange service and payment for external suppliers.
Produce accurate records and minutes of meetings.
Arrange meetings and briefings as required or requested.
Ensure replenishment and management of emergency stock and supplies at Control Centres and Disaster Recovery sites, and other locations required for emergency and continuity measures. 

The Ideal Candidate
An understanding of electricity business and Emergency Planning function within it. 
The candidate should be able to prioritise their own work-load and demonstrate that they are flexible and accepting of changes to plans at short notice. 
There is a need for good written and verbal communication skills.  It will also be necessary to be conversant with Microsoft Office, producing documents and presentations. 
The role is based Pegasus but there may be a need to travel between Control Centres and other locations from time to time, so a full driving licence is required.

This is a full time position for 37 hours per week within normal company working hours, Mon - Fri.

There will be a requirement and expectation that the post-holder will be flexible at times in terms of hours worked and there may be a need to work outside of the normal business hours during emergency events.   

As the post you are applying for attracts a National Security Vetting clearance there are further eligibility requirements. To meet national security vetting requirements you will normally need to have been resident in the UK for at least 5 years for Security Clearance (SC) prior to the date of application. You may still be considered if, for example:

you have been serving overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of HM Government
you were studying abroad
you were living overseas with parents

If you have any further queries relating to National Security Vetting, please email nged.recruitment@nationalgrid.co.uk
About The CompanyJoining the UK’s leading electricity distribution business means plenty of career opportunities and well-deserved recognition. We reward hard work and encourage ambition. So, as well as a competitive salary, you will also benefit from:

26 days paid leave plus 8 bank holidays, up to 28 days with continuous service
Competitive contributory pension scheme (we double match your contributions up to a maximum of 12%)
Annual Share Save plan
Contributory private healthcare scheme for you and your family
Support via our Employee Assistance Programme, including musculoskeletal and physiotherapy services
Free on-site parking at all our main sites

Things you need to know

As an equal opportunities employer who is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, we celebrate individual difference and are actively bringing in more employees from diverse backgrounds to build on our inclusive culture. We anonymise all applications in our recruitment system so we can eliminate unconscious bias and be a workplace that reflects the community we serve. Hiring managers only have access to necessary information at interview stage. If you require additional support to complete your online application, please email nged.recruitment@nationalgrid.co.uk

Recruitment correspondence is usually sent by email, please check your email account including spam/junk folders regularly after the closing date.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early should sufficient numbers of suitable applications be received, so it would be best to apply as soon as you can.