Senior officials will be increasingly required to demonstrate an ability to anticipate, prepare for and recover from crises under new standards launched by the UK Resilience Academy.
The UK Resilience Academy, which is part of the Cabinet Office, has published the new National Occupational Standards for Resilience and Emergencies, which introduce a dedicated focus on strategic resilience leadership.
The non-statutory standards, an update on the previous National Occupational Standards for Civil Contingencies, were developed by The Workforce Development Trust on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
Covering the financial and economic dimensions of resilience, long-term strategic planning, and leadership within UK institutions, the standards set expectations for senior leaders in addressing and responding to systemic and chronic risks.
They also outline the leadership competencies to be incorporated into recruitment and assessment frameworks and success profiles for senior roles. There are also plans in motion to scrap success profiles.
The UK-wide standards aim to strengthen resilience leadership across the UK, supporting leaders from the public, private and voluntary sectors to develop competencies to address emerging domestic and global threats.
New elements in the guidance include requiring senior officials to: use strategic foresight to enhance long-term organisational and societal resilience; lead the identification and management of systemic and chronic risks; direct the financial and economic dimensions of resilience; and work strategically to plan and prepare for incidents and emergencies.
Ministerial departments, government agencies and the devolved administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland “will explore adoption pathways…within their leadership talent management frameworks, with wider adoption encouraged across organisations operating within the UK's resilience system”, a press release from the UK Resilience Academy and Workforce Development Trust said.
Commenting on the new standards, Roger Hargreaves, COBR director at the Cabinet Office, said: “Senior leaders are increasingly being asked to navigate complex and fast-moving challenges, often with significant consequences for communities and critical services.
“These standards provide a practical framework for developing the leadership capabilities required to plan ahead, make informed decisions under pressure and coordinate effective responses across organisational boundaries.
“Strong resilience depends on strong leadership. By embedding preparedness, exercising and partnership working into day-to-day leadership practice, we can build more resilient organisations and a safer, better-prepared society.”
The standards have also been welcomed by the National Emergencies Trust, the nationwide disaster charity.
John Barradell, chair of the NET, said the standards recognise that “effective emergency preparedness depends on strong leadership and partnership working across sectors”.
“Senior leaders play a crucial role in bringing together organisations, communities and volunteers before, during and after a crisis,” he added. “These standards help define the capabilities needed to lead that collective effort effectively.
“By strengthening leadership across the resilience system, we can improve our ability to support communities, protect the most vulnerable and recover more quickly from future emergencies.”