Career journeys
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Learning from Experience: Resilience Career Profiles
Gaining insights from the career journeys of others is invaluable when exploring your own path in resilience. This section showcases a variety of real-world career profiles, highlighting the diverse routes into and across the UK’s resilience sector.
Explore different roles, find inspiration for your own journey, and discover the key skills and experiences that shape impactful resilience work.
Over the next six months, we’ll continue collaborating with the resilience community to expand these profiles, ensuring they reflect the full range of careers in resilience—including those who may not yet see themselves represented.
If you are interested in contributing, please contact us.
The following profiles demonstrate the career progression of individuals currently working in the UK’s resilience community:
The personas below show the real-life examples of the progression journey of some key figures from within the UK resilience community. They are intended for illustrative purposes only:
Resilience Forum Manager
Qualifications held by those in similar positions:
- Undergraduate degree
- Qualification from aligned profession
- Civil contingency- related CPD courses
Role
Supports partners to deliver responsibilities to prepare for, respond to and facilitate recovery from emergencies.
What are the best things about working in resilience?
“The variety: no day is the same, and no year is the same. I also speak to local people in the aftermath of an incident and see that the measures we put in place and actions we took made a difference. We have saved homes from being flooded and people from being hurt, it’s nice to be able to see that you have had a positive impact.”
What are the key skills for working in resilience?
“Key transferable skills are team and partnership working, and the ability to communicate clearly and quickly through various mediums. But, there is sector-specific knowledge that people need to pick up quickly on how agencies work together in preparedness, response and recovery, because no matter what the risk or emergency is, we need to follow the same structures to work collaboratively.”
Career highlights
“There has been almost a 180-degree shift in our partnership ethos since I started. Partners didn’t initially see the benefit of the joint approach, but now meetings are rarely missed by key organisations. Now we describe them as ‘family meetings’, the collegiate nature of what we have built is amazing.”
Accountancy Degree
1996Volunteer with Citizens Advice Bureau
Chartered Accountant, specialising in tax
2001Accountancy Degree
2001Performance Improvement Consultant
2004Multi-agency Resilience Workstream Coordinator
2009Resilience Forum Manager
2019
Resilience and Contingencies Manager – City Council
Role
- Leads a team in the City Council’s Resilience and Contingencies Unit
- Oversees all emergency-related activities, ensuring they address the full spectrum of potential impacts on communities and critical functions
What are the best things about working in resilience?
“There is a huge variety of things we do, from event planning for things like the Commonwealth Games and our Christmas markets, through to helping people when they need us most, like during the recent flooding.”
What are the key skills for working in resilience?
“Getting buy-in and resources from senior leaders can be hard when you are planning for things that ‘might happen’. Sometimes, they just want assurance that essential measures are in place rather than understanding risks and arrangements in any detail. It can take careful and persistent advocacy to get them on side.”
Career highlights
“I really enjoy contributing to a National Steering Group, identifying and sharing good practice across the resilience sector. I was also recognised for my contribution during a particularly complex incident response. It was tough but incredibly fulfilling to collaborate with many capable individuals dedicated to helping those affected.”
Police Officer, progressing to Senior Investigating Officer
1990Emergency Planning Officer (Police)
2013Resilience and Contingencies Manager, City Council
2019
County Council Senior Emergency Planning Officer
Role
- Develops plans and arrangements, builds internal and external relationships, and provides training and exercises
- Provides guidance to silver commanders during emergency responses
- Primary contact for other agencies seeking assistance
What are the best things about working in resilience?
“I spend quite a lot of time in meetings, and while that might sound dull, some can be fascinating! For example, I’ve been supporting the response to several illegal waste fires that have been burning for weeks. I’ve learned about the combustion process, potential pollutants, monitoring techniques, legal issues, and the challenges of recovering the cost of the response when the landowner simply disappears.”
What are the key skills for working in resilience?
“I would say understanding risks, where they come from and how they might play out in an emergency is crucial. My local knowledge of my area has been key. It’s also essential to recognise how different people and organisations perceive risks, as this influences their priorities and actions.”
Career highlights
“I came into resilience during Brexit planning. It was challenging but provided valuable insights into the potential long-term economic impacts faced by communities and businesses. It forced me to think about effects over timeframes that I hadn’t previously considered. This positioned me well to evaluate the economic impacts of the pandemic on local communities and support recovery.”
Placement year in resilience
2017Emergency Planning Officer
2018Senior Emergency Planning Officer
2022
Senior Emergency Preparedness Manager – UK Health Security Agency
Role
- Works at a regional level across several Local Resilience Forum areas
- Plans, controls, and responds to health threats from infectious diseases and environmental hazards
What are the best things about working in resilience?
“Once you get into Resilience, a whole world opens up and you can make your career as wide or as focused as you want.”
What are the key skills for working in resilience?
“Recently, alongside colleagues, we established a forum for sharing best practices in training and exercising. We have successfully organised both in-person and virtual meetings and workshops, which have been very well received by participants.”
Career highlights
“Recently, alongside colleagues, we established a forum for sharing best practices in training and exercising. We have successfully organised both in-person and virtual meetings and workshops, which have been very well received by participants.”
Sociology Degree Admin role Police Training Role Police Resilience Officer Police
2009Council Emergency Planner – seconded to Public Health Team for COVID-19 Response
2019Senior Emergency Preparedness Manager, UKHSA
2021
Resilience planning Lead – Ministry of Justice (MOJ)
Role
- Led MOJ’s planning for a national power outage, among other issues
- Authored MOJ’s exercise playbook, which guides MOJ’s directorates and arms-length bodies on the exercise’s purpose, process, and how to assess their response Capabilities
What are the best things about working in resilience?
“Working in resilience is not mundane, I’ve worked in many jobs where you know exactly what to expect each day. In resilience there is always something interesting. Plan something for the afternoon and there is a good chance you will be called to deal with something else by lunchtime. I’m currently working on risks associated with space weather, hazards that can be caused by the same process as the northern lights – there aren’t many jobs where you get to deal with amazing phenomena like that.”
What are the key skills for working in resilience?
“I was told I tend to catastrophise things, so this is clearly the job for me! Lateral thinking is really important. You also have to be highly organised, able to meet deadlines, but be flexible at the same time. Having a good knowledge of government and what other departments do is so important, we can’t solve problems at this scale without working together.”
Career highlights
“I’d say bringing together all the National Exercising work and now implementing all the follow-up improvements.”
Job Centre, Department for Work and Pensions
2007Customer Service Manager Passport Office, Home Office
2015Operations Manager HM Courts & Tribunal Service, MOJ
2019Resilience Planning Lead, MOJ
2021
Head of Counter Terrorism Exercising – Home Office
Role
- Delivers enhanced protective security to candidates and elected members during election year
- Develops policy to enhance the support we offer to victims of terrorism
- supports the emergency services to prepare for and develop the skills and capabilities they need relating to terror
What are the best things about working in resilience?
“Sadly, attacks are inevitable. My passion lies in ensuring that we are as prepared as possible for the worst. Working in a crisis energises me – it often brings out the best in people. On a slow day, policy work can stall due to people pulling in different directions. However, during a crisis, I have found that people are willing to act quickly and together for the greater good.”
What are the key skills for working in resilience?
“Thinking outside the box and paying attention to detail are critical. Realising that the next step in a standard operating procedure may not lead to a successful outcome. Collaboration is also essential – we cannot address risks and crises alone and we must support those working around us.”
Career highlights
“My teams have made a difference in response to some of the most significant major emergencies. I’ve supported the police in the aftermath of the Manchester Arena Attack and victims after the Fishmonger’s Hall Attack. I love that I have been in a position to help. When I take on new projects I go out and see the operational side, riding with the specialist ambulance crew or visiting a support charity, to see how they work. It is a privilege to learn what they do, and it means I do my job better.”
Counter Fraud Policy, Cabinet Office
2012Homeland Security Group Operational Resilience Lead, Home Office
2016Crisis Response Team and Prevent/Counter Extremism Policy Lead, DHSC
2018Head of the Victims of Terrorism Unit and National CT Exercise team
2019Head of the Enhanced Election Protective Security Team
2024
Director, Project Delivery and Major Events – Department for Culture, Media and Sport
Role
- Head of profession for project delivery
- Responsible for planning and delivery of a range of major events
What training have you found useful?
The Police Strategic Command Course, not just the course content but the networking opportunities as well.
What are the best things about working in resilience?
“For me, it combines the two core aspects of my job – project planning and delivery and the chance then to operationalise it in the event or in the crisis and see the impact.”
What are the key skills for working in resilience?
“I would say the ability to remain calm and level-headed under significant pressure – to transfer that calmness and confidence to ministers during responses, while operating credibly with operational partners, is crucial. Looking to the future, I think that the more experience you have as a senior official dealing with risks and incidents, the better positioned you are to work collaboratively at pace and think beyond your organisation’s borders when crises occur, if you are in a Director General or Permanent Secretary role.”
Career highlights
“During the formative early part of my career, my role following the 7/7 London bombings gave me a great insight to joint working. Since then, I have progressed to become the event Gold Lead for King Charles III’s Coronation, a planned major event. It has been a hugely rewarding journey.”
Civil Service Fast Stream Entry
2003Counter-Terrorism Unit, Home Office
2004Head of Armed Policing, Protective Service and Mass Fatalities, Home Office
2011ACO, Lancashire Constabulary
2017Head of RVIP+MP Security Unit, Home Office
2019Director, Project Delivery and Major Events, Department for Culture, Media and Sport
2022
Head of National Resilience and Security Unit – Welsh Government
Role
- Oversees and co-ordinates risk assessment for Wales
- Oversees resilience policy and legislation as well as resilience forum liaison
- Ensures communication with relevant UK government programmes
What are the best things about working in resilience?
“That we cover so much, the work is so varied. It is both the challenge and the thing I love about resilience. A day can turn quickly from a normal pace to a rapidly moving incident.”
What are the key skills for working in resilience?
“You need to be aware of issues that are brewing, keeping an eye on geo-political and socio-economic changes. Identifying and solving problems before they become obvious to others. And you need to be organised. Curiosity is essential in problem-solving, you need to ask questions, and avoid assumptions. Despite there often being pressure to make decisions and act quickly you have to remain level-headed. Be confident to decide when to ‘wait and see,’ seek more information, or take decisive action.”
Career highlights
“In 2020, coal waste slid into a river in the Rhondda Valley from a disused tip. I was tasked with leading the Taskforce to address public safety concerns. Within six months, we developed a work package for short-term preparedness, reviewed legislation, recommended reforms, commenced trialling new technologies to monitor tips, and considered long-term climate change risks. This experience demonstrated the impact of collaborative efforts and led me to my current role.”
Barrister, International and Environmental Law
2002Seconded to Welsh Government
2012Lead Policy advisor
2014Head of Coal Tip Safety
2020Head of National Resilience and Security Unit Welsh Government
2023
Director Strategy, Performance Delivery and Resilience Directorate – Scottish Government
Role
- Oversight and leadership of directorate
- Leads teams to shape and co-ordinate work on strategy, performance, delivery and resilience across the Scottish Government
What are the best things about working in resilience?
“No two days are the same. We are constantly presented with new challenges to overcome. What I particularly love is working with my team, who are always ready to tackle those challenges.”
What are the key skills for working in resilience?
“I use my leadership, influencing and communication skills a great deal to bring people together. I also encourage others to step back and see the bigger picture rather than just the next step, so we can make considered decisions rather than reactive ones.”
Career highlights
“Six months into my current role I was supporting transition for a new Permanent Secretary, a new monarch and then a new First Minister. As well as providing support to Operation Unicorn following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth and the subsequent coronation of King Charles, to name but a few.”