Bruce’s early career in the UK Civil Service covered a wide range of national security policy and operational roles in the Ministry of Defence and Cabinet Office, including as Head of the Nuclear Accident Response Organisation and in the Cabinet Office Secretariat dealing with terrorism and major emergencies. He was appointed in 2004 to be Director of the Civil Contingencies Secretariat in the Cabinet Office, leading work across the public and private sectors to improve the UK’s readiness to respond to major emergencies. In that role, he led the UK Government response to a wide range of domestic emergencies. After leaving the Civil Service, Bruce has provided support to a number of countries and English Local Resilience Forums seeking to develop their risk and emergency management capabilities. Bruce was Leader of the Independent Review of the Civil Contingencies Act and its Supporting Arrangements on behalf of the National Preparedness Commission, of which body he is a Commissioner. He was also an Expert Witness and Adviser to the UK COVID-19 Inquiry Module 1. He is a Senior Associate of the UK Emergency Planning College, and Fellow of the Institute of Strategic Risk Management
