About the job

Job summary

Do you have experience of leading a recruitment delivery team? 

Do you have the drive and motivation to introduce and oversee a project to its completion?

Do you have experience of analysing and interpreting HR information to inform business strategy?

If so, we are looking for a HR Resourcing Lead to join us at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and 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

As a HR Resourcing Lead, you will play a pivotal part in the delivery of recruitment services for the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA). You will lead an experienced recruitment team and ensure that an exceptional service is offered at all times.

Your team will oversee processes orientating around resourcing, inclusion and attraction and it will be your responsibility to align all recruitment activities with the agency’s corporate strategic objectives and its business plan.

You will drive forward innovative solutions to the MCA’s resourcing challenges (and for the agency’s workforce planning requirements) through effective management and leadership of the MCA in house resourcing function and through high level engagement with outsourced suppliers (including Government Recruitment Service and Departmental Resourcing Group), our HR Senior Leadership team and internal customers.

Another key element of the role will be the implementation of internal and external governance procedures for all MCA resourcing activity that adhere to MCA policy and procedures, the Civil Service Commission's Recruitment Principles, and all other relevant legislation.

In this role you will have the autonomy to shape recruitment processes effectively for the benefit of the agency and there will be scope for you to introduce continuous improvement methodologies, to keep recruitment policies and practices in line with current market trends and legislation.

Key Responsibilities:

• Developing appropriate bespoke attraction and resourcing strategies that enable the MCA to recruit, retain and develop a diverse workforce to deliver its business objectives. This, including recruitment for graduate and apprenticeship campaigns.
• Continually measuring results and outcomes of solutions by collecting and analysing data and reviewing feedback from stakeholders to identify improvements.
• Providing effective leadership to the HR Resourcing Team ensuring they deliver a high-quality service to MCA hiring managers.
• Ensure there is a good level of understanding across the MCA of the services provided by your team.
• Working in partnership with key operational stakeholders to build and maintain an effective resourcing strategy for front line operational roles providing specialist advice on attraction, volume recruitment and commissioning resourcing services from Departmental Resourcing Group (DRG), Government Recruitment Services or other providers.
• Continual review of assessment and onboarding processes to ensure the MCA attract and retain quality candidates.
• Working in partnership with the Pay & Reward Lead to ensure the MCA’s reward packages are promoted effectively as part of the MCA’s employer brand and employee value proposition (EVP).
• Working in partnership with the HR Data & Systems Team and DRG to gather and analyse meaningful data relating to MCA recruitment and onboarding to drive decision making and enhance service improvements.
• Taking responsibility for the effective management of the resourcing team’s budget, working closely with the HR Finance Advisor to ensure that budgets are set realistically, and forecast spends are accurate. Provide narrative for any overspends or underspends.

For further information on the associated responsibilities, please see the attached Role Profile.

This is a Full-Time post.  

Person specification

About You

• You will come to us with us with significant experience of developing and implementing recruitment solutions.
• As a strong leader you will provide your team with guidance and support, developing their knowledge and confidence in their abilities.
• You will have a strategic mindset and have the ability to proactively project ideas and continuous improvement methodologies, which can be implemented into processes and ways of working.
• You will thrive in a fast-paced environment and will possess the ability to organise and prioritise your workload effectively within set time frames.
• You will have exceptional communication and relationship building skills ensuring that difficult conversations are handled with ease.
• You will have an analytical mindset and have the ability to interpret data for workforce planning purposes.
• You will be an effective team player.

Further Information

There may be a requirement for occasional travel on official duty within the UK, which may involve overnight stays. Notice will be given prior to travel. 

Location

The principal office location for this position will be MCA Headquarters in Southampton (due to the nature of the role and positioning of our stakeholders) and so regular attendance here will be necessary.

There may be opportunities for candidates to work flexibly depending on the business needs. This will be discussed with the vacancy manager on a case-by-case basis if you are successful for the role.

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. 

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 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

Within your CV and personal statement please demonstrate your knowledge and experience of:   

• Experience of delivering against challenging strategic goals and must demonstrate subject matter expertise in recruitment, attraction, and employer branding.
• Experience of leading resourcing teams in a complex operational organisation.
• Experience of where you have liaised and built effective relationships with stakeholders of varying seniority levels.

Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 1,000 words.  

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 from 25th January 2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held w.c. 5th February 2024. 

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or 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.  

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

• An Interview. 
• A Presentation. 
• A Role Play.

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

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.

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.