About the job

Job summary

Are you an experienced leader with an operational service delivery background, able to evaluate risk, match resource to demands and contingency plan?

Could you shape a new role to assist in driving HM Coastguard to become a world class international maritime response organisation?

Would you relish an exciting change of role where your skills will make a real difference?

We would love to hear from people from all operational service delivery backgrounds who have the necessary transferable skills to be the Assistant Chief Coastguard England & Wales.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) implements the government’s maritime safety policy in the United Kingdom and works to prevent the loss of life and occurrence of pollution on the coast and at sea.    

Safer lives. Safer Ships. Cleaner Seas.    

Our vision is to be a world-leading organisation, accelerating the transition to sustainable shipping with non-negotiable safety standards. We put our people, our customers and our planet at the heart of everything we do.   

We welcome applications from all communities, and we don’t discriminate against any identity. We’re interested to hear from you, regardless of your background.

Job description

HM Coastguard (HMCG) is the operational arm of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) with responsibility for 6 Coastguard functions:

• Search and Rescue.
• Pollution Response.
• Vessel Traffic Management.
• Maritime Safety.
• Maritime Security.
• Emergency and Disaster Management.

We are looking for a dynamic individual to join us in this new and exciting senior leadership role within HMCG, as the Assistant Chief Coastguard England & Wales.

Reporting directly to the Chief Coastguard the successful applicant will take strategic leadership for three Coastguard Divisions made up of regular officers and volunteer Coastguard Rescue Officers. The Assistant Chief Coastguard England & Wales will evaluate risk, provide effective governance and supervision and ensure effective capacity planning to manage and match resource to demand, ensuring their division works to optimal performance levels. 

The role holder has national strategic oversight for the Coastguard Rescue Management Group, Accident Prevention, Coastal Operations Business Management Group and deputise for the Chief Coastguard when required.

Stakeholder collaboration is key within this role and the Assistant Chief Coastguard England & Wales will liaise and build robust working relationships with other emergency services, local government, voluntary organisations the press and media and local resilience fora as well as internally across the MCA.

This is a rare opportunity to take up a significant senior position in a challenging and exciting new role in which you will enjoy great satisfaction in bringing your ideas to the forefront and seeing them through to fruition. The role provides the opportunity and empowerment to use your drive and passion to create innovative solutions to mitigate risk and deliver MCA business objectives in its drive to be a world class maritime emergency service. 

This role can be based in the Holyhead, Milford Haven, Southampton HQ, Fareham, Falmouth or Bridlington office).MCA supports flexible working and operates a hybrid working model between home and office for this role, giving you greater flexibility over where and when you work.   

The expectation is that you will spend a minimum 60% of your working time based at your principal workplace or out on official business. Details of the arrangement will be discussed further with your line manager.  

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: 

• Providing strong visible strategic leadership, supervision, and guidance to their direct reports to ensure that maritime, aviation, coastal and counter pollution operational delivery is effective within their area of responsibility.
  
• Providing strategic direction to ensure that HMCG meet its responsibilities as a Category 1 Emergency Services Responder as required under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 and be the operational national point of contact for the Civil Contingencies.
• Providing strategic oversight of the Counter Pollution Business Management Group to ensure that the group effectively identifies and proposes mitigation's to emerging operational risks, develops and monitors the control measures for recognised risks and raises significant risks to Chief Officers Group COG for inclusion in the directorate Risk Register.
• Responsible for providing strategic oversight to ensure that HMCG operations remain underpinned by an effective staffing structure, appropriate estate, equipment, and competency to deliver a service that is both fit for purpose and capable of adapting to meet future demands at Maritime Rescue Co-Ordination Centres (MRCCs) Humber, Falmouth, Milford Haven and Holyhead and Coastal Operational Areas of 5,6,9,10,11,12,13,14,15 within in the context and parameters of the national network.
• Being comfortable making difficult decisions and exercising sound judgement at a strategic level, often in situations where uncertainty exists and information may be scant, whilst giving due consideration to the wider impact and optics of those decisions.

For an in-depth insight into the role, please refer to the Role Profile attached to this advert.

Person specification

About You 

We are looking to be joined by a dynamic and experienced leader with a background in operational service delivery, able to manage risk and match resource to demand.  You will experienced in building strategic relationships and able to effectively operate in an ever changing environment, exercising sound judgement and analysing critical factors and variables, considering the impact, outcomes and optics of decisions being made.

You will be calm under pressure, flexible and resilient, able to face difficulties and unexpected situations head on, thinking strategically and putting thoughts quickly into action. 

You are a strong and enthusiastic leader, able to inspire and motivate your teams whilst encouraging strategic thinking, innovation and positive action.  You are comfortable working with ambiguity and uncertainly and confident navigating your teams through uncertain situations.

Fantastic interpersonal skills are integral to this role and you pride yourself on your ability to work with others successfully, building strong trusted relationships in a short space of time.  You are compassionate, empathetic and honest, able to recognise the importance of transparency and accountability in order to strengthen relationships and nurture an environment of collaboration.

Additional Information

The role holder will be required to attend formal training events and be required to travel to all parts of the United Kingdom and on occasion internationally which will involve spending time away from home and from the normal workplace.

A full driving licence valid for driving in the UK is required.

The role holder will participate in on call roster for Duty Director which will involve working outside of standard working hours.

Successful candidates will be expected to undertake a medical. This will be in line with that required for a Maritime Operations Controller, detailed within the attached document.

Please refer to the special features section on the role profile for further information.  

About Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) 

  

Operational Delivery Profession (ODP) is the largest and most diverse professional community across the Civil Service. Many of us will have an association with several professional communities or specialisms, ODP applies to all public facing roles / or a role that is primarily aligned to supporting the work of those with public facing roles. All critical to the delivery of UK public services. 

Benefits

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits. We offer generous annual leave, attractive pension options, flexible working, inclusive working environments and much more to support a healthy work/life balance.

Click here to get a copy of the MCA Staff Benefits Brochure

Find out what it's like to work at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency    

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

How to Apply

As part of your application, you will be required to complete a CV and a 1000-word Personal Statement. 

For your CV, please outline your career history, and the key responsibilities you had in each of your roles, please ensure your CV supports your Personal Statement.

Within your Personal Statement please demonstrate:

• Experience of providing strong, visible strategic leadership.
• Experience of building strategic relationships both internally and externally with multiple stakeholders.
• Experience of Strategic level risk management and development of business continuity plans.
• Experience of successfully planning and leading organisational change at Strategic level.

It is essential when submitting your personal statement that you provide as much detail as possible, and utilise the full word count given, against the essential criteria outlined above as this will be used in conjunction with your CV to assess candidate suitability to move to the next round in the recruitment process.    

Sift and Interview Dates

The sift is due to take place on 12th April 2024.

If successful at the sift stage, you will be invited to a 1st stage assessment which will include a presentation and role play.  This is due to be held from 22nd April 2024, either at the Southampton HQ or Cardiff Office.

If successful at the 1st stage assessment, you will then be invited to the final interview which will take place from 7th May 2024 at the Southampton HQ or Cardiff Office.

These assessments could be conducted face to face at one of our offices. Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within.

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

Please be aware the levels of national security clearance are changing which may impact on the level needed for this role by the time of appointment. All efforts will be made to keep candidates informed of any changes and what that will mean in terms of vetting criteria. For more information please See our vetting charter

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is counter-terrorist check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window). People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.