About the job

Job summary

Joint Maritime Security Centre

The Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) is the UK government’s centre of excellence for maritime security. Its mission is to increase awareness and understanding of maritime security threats and enable cross-government coordination to deliver a whole-system response to mitigate them.

JMSC is a multi-agency, fused military-civil organisation with staff drawn from a host of agencies including Border Force, the Royal Navy, Counter Terrorism Policing, National Crime Agency, HM Revenue and Customs, Home Office Intelligence, the Maritime Management Organisation, and HM Coast Guard. It’s responsible for ensuring the UK maintains its understanding of the maritime domain and develops the cross-government coordination frameworks to respond to threats to security, law and order, trade and commerce, and the marine environment.

JMSC offers government departments and agencies a central point of UK maritime expertise and understanding to assist policy and decision making.

JMSC works internationally - with states and with key international organisations - to support information sharing, relationship development, and capacity building efforts.

The key elements of JMSC are:

• The National Maritime Information Centre (NMIC), which since 2010 has provided a mechanism for the UK’s civilian and military maritime and law enforcement focused organisations to fuse intelligence, data, and capabilities. This maximises operational impact at home and abroad.
• Joint Maritime Security Centre - Operations, which utilises cutting edge technology to provide 24/7 monitoring of UK waters. It can swiftly identify maritime security incidents and enable the effective coordination of the UK’s aerial and at-sea assets to respond – ensuring the safety and security of all those who use our seas.
• The new JMSC Assessment capability, which will produce global strategic maritime security assessments to inform UK government and other stakeholders of threats within or emanating from the maritime domain. This also provides support to the UK sanctions regimes.
• These functions are supported by the JMSC Strategy team, which includes workforce planning, programme management, financial planning and controls, and policy development.

Job description

The Deputy Director (DD) Strategy is one of four Deputy Director’s within JMSC: one of two Grade 6 civil servants, alongside two Royal Navy Captains. Together with the Head of JMSC and the Chief Technology Officer, they make up the JMSC Executive Leadership Team (ELT). The postholder will also be a member of the broader Senior Management Team.

DD Strategy is responsible for the JMSC strategy function, which includes our business support functions (Human Resources, recruitment, finance, risk management etc); information management and security (across a complex stakeholder landscape and within an opaque legal framework); Programme Management for our extensive portfolio of contracts to deliver maritime Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance  (ISR) capabilities; corporate governance including our relationship with our Senior Sponsors; and organisational design and development. 

DD Strategy will play a key role in preparing for, and ultimately submitting, our funding bid to Spending Review 2024 in conjunction with our senior sponsors.

Please note holding a full UK driving licence is highly desirable: the site JMSC is located on is not well served by public transport.  Candidates who do not have a full driving licence should ensure they are able to meet the expectations of the post regarding presence on the JMSC site, especially if travelling a significant distance from their home address.

Please also note candidates will be required to obtain DV clearance before starting in the role.

This role is a normal office hours post with the occasional need to work out of hours, and/or to be on-call. On-call is typically for a 7 day period, once every 9-12 weeks, but there is flexibility. At this time, the demands of the role are such that it requires a full-time working pattern. However, we would actively consider a job share if there were sufficient, suitable candidates.  

We are looking for a person who can:

• Lead the JMSC Strategy and Policy function, including direct line management of 2 Grade 7/Grade 7 equivalent Assistant Directors and 16 staff in total (a mix of Civil Servants and contractors).
• Lead the preparation and submission of the JMSC Spending Review bid, in conjunction with our Senior Sponsors.
• Own the route relationship with the Home Office and Department for Transport sponsor teams.
• Lead JMSC’s development of policy and contribution to cross Whitehall policy development.
• On behalf of Head of JMSC, be the ELT owner for the JMSC People Plan and annual Business Plan.
• Ensure the effective delivery of the JMSC Governance Function, including liaison with the Senior Sponsors in the Department for Transport, Home Office and Border Force, and the provision of routine and ad hoc reporting.
• Ensure effective provision of business support functions to JMSC as a whole, including (but not limited to): HR, recruitment and workforce planning; financial planning and controls; oversight of the JMSC Programme Management function; information management and security and business resilience.
• Ensure the effective delivery of the JMSC Private Office function in support of Head JMSC.
• Horizon scan the national and international maritime security environment, identifying capability gaps or emerging trends which may require JMSC to influence government thinking or provide capability to address.
• As necessary, be prepared to sponsor or coordinate the work of bespoke reviews/commissions as required by the Head of JMSC, the JMSC Joint Governance Board or the National Maritime Security Committee (Officials).
• Be prepared to deputise for Head of JMSC, as required.
• Develop and maintain a good understanding of the UK and international maritime security landscape and current issues/challenges.
• Establish and maintain an effective working relationship with key partners in our Senior Sponsoring departments, as well as the Ministry of Defence (Royal Navy), Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs/Marine Management Organisation and across policing and wider law enforcement.
• Complete role specific training as deemed necessary by Head JMSC: this may include (but is not limited to) a bespoke induction course and external qualifications including Multi Agency Gold Incident Command (MAGIC) and National Inter-agency Liaison Officer (NILO) training.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

Candidates are expected to demonstrate and /or have experience of the following:

• Leading complex teams drawn from multiple organisations.
• Successfully working with and influencing a broad range of stakeholders and partner agencies.
• Demonstrate sound judgement and decision making, utilising all available information.
• Strong communicator, with strong drafting skills and the ability to communicate complex operational or policy matters effectively to a broad audience.
• Knowledge of working in a national security focused policy or operational area.
• Knowledge of business planning processes and/or workforce planning.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience of maritime security issues and the agencies involved in the UK’s response to maritime security challenges.
• Understanding of Government procurement processes.
• Equipment or technology-focused programme or project management experience.
• Experience of working in or with an overtly Defence or Law Enforcement focused environment.
• Critical incident command training or experience: although training will be provided for the successful candidate to ensure they are appropriately equipped and accredited for their role.
• Full valid UK driving licence is highly desirable, due to the location of the office and availability of public transport.

Benefits

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 27%

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.

This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete:

• A CV detailing job history and skills
• A Statement of Suitability (personal statement) (maximum 750 words)
• Provide evidence of the Behaviour Leadership (250 words maximum)

Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

The Statement of Suitability should be aligned to demonstrate your skills and experience for the role and how you meet the Essential Criteria as detailed in the Job Description.

For guidance on how to construct your personal statement, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links – Statement

For guidance on how to construct your behaviour examples, you are encouraged to visit Civil Service Careers. Links – Behaviours

The sift will be held on the behaviour Leadership and the Statement of Suitability (personal statement). The CV will not be scored.

The Statement of Suitability will be scored first for all candidates. Those candidates who achieve the minimum pass score for the Statement of Suitability, will progress to a further sift where the lead Behaviour (Leadership) will be scored. These candidates will therefore receive a sift score for both elements. Candidates who fail to meet the minimum pass score for the Statement of Suitability will not have their lead Behaviour scored and will therefore only receive a sift score for the Statement of Suitability.

If you are successful at sift stage, you will be invited to an interview which will be a blended approach of Strength-based questions and Behaviour-based questions on all listed Behaviours. 

Strengths are the things that you do regularly, do well and that motivate you. To find out more about strength based questions click here

The Behaviours and Strengths being assessed have been ranked in order of importance to enable us to differentiate between candidates with tied interview scores. Please note that the order in which Behaviours are listed in the advert does not necessarily reflect the order of importance.

Sift and Interview dates

Sift is expected to take place week commencing 5th February 2024.

Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 26th February 2024.

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert, however on occasions these dates may change. 

Interviews will be face-to-face at the Joint Maritime Security Centre, Navy Command Portsdown Technology Park, Portsmouth. Further details will be provided ahead of interview.

Further information

For meaningful checks to be carried out, individuals need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. You should normally have been resident in the United Kingdom for the last 3 years if the role requires CTC clearance, 5 years for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.  A lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance and applicants should contact the Vacancy Holder/Recruiting Manager listed in the advert for further advice.

Note for Candidates:

Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. All applications are screened for plagiarism and copying of examples/answers from internet sources. If any is detected the application will be withdrawn from the process. Further action, including disciplinary action, may be considered in such cases involving internal candidates. Providing false or misleading information would be contrary to the core values of honesty and integrity expected of all Civil Servants. 

If you are currently an agency member of staff working within the Home Office, a contractor or contingent worker you can only apply for roles that are advertised externally, i.e. outside the civil service. If you are eligible to apply for a role, you are required to select yourself as an external applicant and not internal when submitting your application on Civil Service jobs. This will prevent any delays in pre-employment checks should you become successful in being made an offer of employment after the Interview stage.

Are these Reserved Posts for UK Nationals only?

UK nationals who hold dual nationality are able to apply for this reserved post. If a UK passport is not being presented, then candidates will need to provide alternative evidence of UK nationality in line with the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

A reserve list may be held for a period up to 6 months from which further appointment may be made.

Every day, Home Office civil servants do brilliant work to develop and deliver policies and services that affect the lives of people across the country and beyond. To do this effectively and fairly, the Home Office is committed to representing modern Britain in all its diversity, and creating a welcoming, inclusive workplace where all our people are able to bring their whole selves to work and perform at their best.

We are flexible, skilled, professional and diverse. We work to recruit and retain disabled staff and area Disability Confident Leader. We are proud to be one of the most ethnically diverse departments in the civil service. We are a Social Mobility Foundation top 75 employer.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

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.

For further information please see the attached notes for candidates which must be read before making an application.

Existing Civil Servants should note that some of the Home Office terms and conditions of employment have changed. It is the candidate’s responsibility to ensure they are aware of the Terms and Conditions they will adopt should they be successful in application and should refer to the notes for candidates for further details.

Transfer Terms: Voluntary.

If you are invited to an interview you will be required to bring a range of documentation for the purposes of establishing identity and to aid any pre-employment checks.

Please see the attached list of Home Office acceptable ID documents.

Any move to the Home Office from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare. Determine your eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk

Additional Security Checks

As well as successfully obtaining UKSV clearance and passing the right to work and pre-employment screening, anyone who applies to work for Border Force will also be subject to additional Border Force specific security checks, as part of the pre-employment process, to determine their suitability to work for the organisation.

Please see the Home Office Recruitment Privacy Information Notice (PIN) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/recruitment-privacy-information-notice for more information on how your details may be shared for the purpose of additional security checks.

Please see the Border Force Privacy Information Notice (PIN) on Border Force privacy information notice - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) for more information on how your details may be shared.

Reasonable Adjustments

If a person with disabilities is at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes. 

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via HOrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs
• Complete the “Assistance Required” section in the “Additional Requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a language service professional

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

Feedback

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 developed vetting (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

Open to UK nationals only.

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.