Summary:

The Crisis Support Team Leader (GB) plays a pivotal role within the Alert:24 team, part of the Crisis Management Division in WTW. This position leads the GB Operations Centre, managing a team of Security Risk Analysts to deliver high-quality crisis support and intelligence services. Key functions of the role include:

• Managing the GB Operations Centre and overseeing support to clients during security incidents or crises (such as kidnap for ransom, active assailant, and political evacuation) to help them resolve and recover from the event.
• Leading a dedicated and experienced team of Security Risk Analysts (SRA) who provide a range of risk insights for external and internal clients and also act as crisis support operators when a client has an issue or incident they need help with.
• Maintaining processes and managing information related to crisis support, ensuring procedures are fit for purpose and adhered to.

Unique to WTW is Alert:24, an in-house security risk and crisis management practice, which includes a 24-hour operations centre function, spread across three hubs – in the UK, US and Australia. We have extensive experience in assisting clients in mitigating the security risks they face whilst supporting them throughout the incident timeline.

The Role:

Team Context

The GB Crisis Support team is one of three teams using a “follow the sun” approach to provide global and uninterrupted support to our clients. As team leader, you will work closely with colleagues globally and will be responsible for ensuring quality and continuity of service. You will report to the Global Head of Crisis Support.
In addition to Crisis Support, the team also proactively support clients with analysis, alerting and report writing using a variety of open sources and purpose-made risk platforms to identify threats, based on client risk profiles. Working closely alongside the Head of Intelligence (HOI), responsible for the delivery of intelligence related tasks, the Team Leader will need to demonstrate wider situational awareness to ensure that the team are appropriately tasked and that their workload is managed efficiently.

Key Responsibilities

People Management and Leadership

• Management of a small team of specialist personnel working to tight deadlines in often pressurised situations. Close liaison and effective communication between the other Crisis Support hubs and with the Head of Intelligence will be essential to coordinate workloads.
• Shift/rota management for team members, ensuring adequate cover across the GB shift period.
• Engage, develop and retain team members, incorporating WTW performance management systems into the management approach, ensuring accountability and providing regular opportunities for feedback.
• Support individual professional/career development and well-being.
• Build a strong, inclusive team culture.
• Foster an inclusive team environment that values diverse perspectives, promotes equity, and ensures all team members feel respected, supported, and empowered to contribute fully.

Service Delivery

• Ensure provision of a seamless, failsafe incident response service through the GB operations centre, ensuring clients receive coherent and effective advice and support
• Liaison with clients, assistance providers and internal stakeholders such as WTW account leads and brokers in response to questions, issues and incident notifications.
• Ensure appropriate follow-up in accordance with post-incident processes, supporting client recovery efforts and embedding continuous improvement to enhance resilience.
• Develop and manage pre-incident support services such as location overwatch and journey management.
• Ensure team members are enabled to deliver timely and professional crisis support and intelligence analytical functions.
• Liaise with Head of Intelligence to ensure a coordinated approach to service delivery.
• Vetting of third-party service providers and development of a concierge service for client security and travel risk management needs.
• Assist with the development and delivery of content and intelligence products.
• Implement mechanisms to capture client feedback and satisfaction metrics following incidents, using insights to drive service enhancements and ensure continuous improvement.

Business Improvement, Quality Management and Strategic Input

• Development and maintenance of processes, procedures, methodologies and team capabilities to deliver high-quality crisis support and intelligence services.
• Adherence to procedures, methodologies, and standards, providing a quality control function and delivering quality assurance through appropriate metrics and processes.
• Assist the Risk Advisory team with business development initiatives.
• Coordinate the delivery of appropriate training to the GB team, identifying skill gaps, and implementing training plans to rectify.
• Responsibility for relevant file and data management, including analysis of data to identify trends and manage team resources accordingly.
• Contribute to development and delivery of the Crisis Support and Intelligence Services Strategy (as well as the connected Alert:24 Strategy), including the strategic development of service capabilities.
  

The Requirements:

Essential:

• Background delivering security risk and/or emergency assistance services (public service or commercial) is essential – minimum 5 years
• Team management experience and/or operations centre management experience
• Experience in providing security relatedadvice and guidance to clients in challenging circumstances
• Experience liaising with internal and external stakeholders in a pressurised environment
• High degree of self-discipline and commitment
• Resilience and ability to make decisions under pressure
• A keen interest in geopolitical and security risks
• Effective communicator both orally and written
• An enthusiastic and self-motivated team player

Desirable:

• Strong IT skills, particularly in MS Office applications such as Excel and PowerPoint
• Degree in a political science and/ or security discipline
• Working proficiency in a second language

Equal Opportunity Employer

At WTW, we believe difference makes us stronger. We want our workforce to reflect the different and varied markets we operate in and to build a culture of inclusivity that makes colleagues feel welcome, valued and empowered to bring their whole selves to work every day. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering an inclusive work environment throughout our organisation. We embrace all types of diversity.

At WTW, we trust you to know your work and the people, tools and environment you need to be successful. The majority of our colleagues work in a ”hybrid” style, with a mix of remote, in-person and in-office interactions dependent on the needs of the team, role and clients. Our flexibility is rooted in trust and “hybrid” is not a one-size-fits-all solution.