About the job

Job summary

Would you love to work in a supportive team enjoying a varied role?

Are you very well organised and proactive?

Do you have excellent communication skills and the drive to deliver excellent service?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

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

UK Maritime Services (UKMS) inspect and survey ships to ensure that they are meeting both UK and international safety, security and anti-pollution standards. Additionally, UKMS works closely with the Directorate of the United Kingdom Shipping Register (DUKSR) in providing certification to ships and seafarers, the registering of vessels on the UK flag and responding to pollution from shipping and offshore installations.

The Business Support Officer will play a key role within the Marine Office, to ensure that the Business Support service is consistent and aligned with Survey and Inspection priorities. Reporting directly to and working closely with the Marine Office Business Support Manager, the successful individual will provide a first-class quality survey and inspection service to both customers and clients of the Agency's maritime services.

We will look to you to provide high quality administrative support within the Marine Office which will include monitoring mailboxes and responding promptly to emails from internal and external customers, photocopying and filing to ensure documents are accurate and easily accessible. The role will involve utilising excellent customer service skills to ensure the appropriate advice and action is provided over the telephone and face to face.

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a very friendly close-knit and supportive team in a varied role, which provides services that contribute directly to the safety of the seas.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Working under the line management and direction of the Business Support Manager. Providing the day to day support to the Marine Office Technical Manager and Surveyors, including those Surveyors operating remotely [i.e. administrative processes involving Boat Masters Licences, Pelorus deficiencies, Monthly Reports etc.].
• Maintaining paperwork and records (including registered files) required by Surveyors prior to, and after survey/Inspection ensuring appropriate systems are updated.
• Assisting with the day to day bookings of survey applications taking account of Surveyor eligibility requirements and availability for job allocation. Liaising with the Business Support Manager and Business Manager [and Directorate of the United Kingdom Shipping Register as and when required] about surveyor allocation.
• Assisting with the booking of UK and Overseas travel arrangements for Surveyors. Maintaining Surveyor eligibility records.
• Providing general advice to industry and the public in accordance with MCA policies, including Marine Office public counter service.
• Providing administrative Business Support (including telephone answering, filing and post duties) and Secretariat duties to the Marine Office for internal/external meetings.

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 for a proactive, personable individual with a positive can-do attitude. You will be able to build rapport quickly with both internal and external stakeholders and will enjoy working collaboratively in order to achieve successful outcomes.

You are passionate about delivering great customer service and have excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to tailor these to suit your audience and the situation.

Computer literacy is an essential skill for this role, and you will be familiar in the use of Microsoft Office IT software.

You will be a flexible and adaptable person with excellent organisation and planning skills, which will allow you to prioritise workload and allocate resources effectively.

Additional Information

This role will be based in the Southampton HQ (or relevant 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. 

There may be a requirement for travel on official duty within the UK, which may involve overnight stays away from home.

Please note, we welcome applications from individuals seeking a part time role. However due to business requirements, this is a job share role and the successful candidate will be required to work on a Thursday and Friday to cover 14.8 hours a week. 

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, Strengths and Experience.

How to Apply

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

Please provide a CV outlining your career history, and the key responsibilities you had in each of your roles.

Within your CV and Personal Statement please demonstrate (in 750 words) your:

• Experience of communicating effectively, using both oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to prioritise your work.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office IT applications.

Sift and Interview Dates:

The sift is due to take place on 18th & 19th January 2024.

Interviews are due to take place between 31st January - 2nd February 2024.

This interview will be conducted via face to face at one of our Southampton office. Details of which 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.

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment could include:

• An interview

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.

For further information on Success Profiles visit our Careers website.

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.

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. 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.