About the job

Job summary

His Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth (HMNBP) has been an integral part of the city since 1194. It is home to almost two-thirds of the Royal Navy's surface ships, including the new aircraft carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth; HMS Prince of Wales; the formidable Type 45 destroyers; Type 23 frigates; and mine countermeasures and offshore and coastal patrol squadrons. 

The base is a major employer and provides lodging facilities to RN personnel serving at the base and in Portsmouth based ships.

HMNBP is one of three naval bases providing enabling support as part of the nation’s defence strategy. In doing so, HMNBP seeks to improve through science and technology to strengthen its security and defence at home and overseas. This requires continuous improvements in building capacity, capability and resilience through its people. It is the home base for assigned ships and ship’s companies preparing for operations. A key component of achieving this support is the ability to deliver the full range of increasingly sophisticated engineering support services. The unique employment opportunities offered are varied, challenging and exciting and support Navy Command’s role to generate and operate forces for today and to ensure we are ready for tomorrow by developing and delivering the Navy of the future. Navy Command provides an open, flexible and supportive work environment and Civil Servants, Contractors and Armed Forces personnel work together in a wealth of interesting and challenging jobs in different disciplines.

The King’s Harbour Master (KHM) Portsmouth is the de facto port authority for the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth, responsible for the safe and effective operation of the port primarily for the benefit of the Ministry of Defence. The port also has a wide range of commercial and recreational water users, and KHM has a duty to ensure safety for all users. In accordance with published MOD policy, KHM complies with the provisions of the Department of Transport’s Port Marine Safety Code (PMSC), and this guides the rules, regulations and safety guidance maintained by KHM.

In Navy Command, our civil servants work alongside their military colleagues in jobs that matter; jobs which often have a direct impact on the quality of the operational capabilities we deliver.

Roles can offer great job satisfaction and there are many opportunities to develop and progress both within the Department and across the wider Civil Service.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. 

Job description

The primary purposes of KHM and their team are:

- to protect the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth as required by Dockyard Port Regulation Act 1865 and the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth Order 2005 and to ensure compliance with such regulations and ancillary directions.

- to operate a navigational Safety and Environmental Management System (SEMS) in accordance with the Defence Maritime Regulators DMR-DSA02 Regs and the Port Marine Safety Code.

- to manage the port operations of the Naval Base so as to achieve the objectives defined in the Naval Base Management Plans.

In addition to deputising for KHM as directed, the Deputy King’s Harbour Master is responsible to the King’s Harbour Master for delivery of a safe and legislatively compliant environment in the Dockyard Port. This involves supervision of the Dockyard Port Safety and Environmental Management System and liaison with a wide variety of environmental agencies and other stakeholder groups. Implicit with safety management is the timely and effective investigation of incidents and DKHM takes the lead for this and subsequent follow-up action. The DKHM role also deals with all planning and licensing applications that affect the water and manages the safety assurance of a broad range of public events that occur in the Dockyard Port limits.

Specific responsibilities include:

1.  The protection of the Dockyard Port in accordance with the Dockyard Ports Regulation Act 1865.

2.  To assist KHM in the monitoring, regulation and enforcement of all matters relating to the safety of navigation within the Dockyard Port.

3.  To line manage personnel within the Port Authority area of the Department

4. To be on call Duty KHM for the periods required (usually on an alternate week basis opposite KHM).

5. To continually develop the Port to ensure it operates in a safe, efficient and effective manner.

6. To act as KHM’s lead on safety matters within the DP of Portsmouth and to assure KHM of compliance under PMSC and other appropriate MOD policy and guidance.

7. Manage and maintain the conservancy of the Dockyard Port; Monitor environmental issues within the Dockyard Port and ensure environmental issues are deconflicted with MOD interests.

8. Liaise with appropriate MOD and civilian authorities to promote the safe operation of marine matters in the Dockyard Ports and neighbouring Competent Harbour Authorities (CHAs). This includes examining Pilotage Exemption Certificate candidates with the Portsmouth International Port Harbour Master.

9. Liaise with appropriate MOD and civilian authorities to ensure that all navigational incidents and accidents are properly investigated.

10. To deputise for KHM on appropriate local marine forums.

11. To be KHM’s focal point for the management of leisure and civilian events held on the waters within the DPP.

12. To coxswain the KHM Patrol RIB for enforcement and safety patrols as well as regular surveys/rounds of the Dockyard Port of Portsmouth

13. To undertake other reasonable tasking KHM including deputising for KHM in their absence when required.

14. To be the KHM lead for Contracting, Purchasing and Financing using the MOD CP&F system for ongoing procurement of appropriate support contracts (Eg Tier 2 Oil Spill Response).

Person specification

Candidates should have good organisational and time management skills. The successful applicant will be required to proactively contribute to the work of the team, building supportive relationships. You will be expected to plan, organise and manage your own time to deliver a high-quality service, keeping customers and colleagues up to date with progress. It would be advantageous for applicants to have knowledge of marine operations in the Solent and Portsmouth areas.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £43,080, Ministry of Defence contributes £11,631 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

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.

Candidates will be required to provide a statement of suitability (250 words)

Candidates will be required to provide CV details to include job history; qualification details and previous skills and experience. 

Your suitability for the role will be assessed using the Success Profile elements that have been chosen for this campaign. Each element will be scored accordingly.

We welcome applications from everyone irrespective of gender and ethnic group. Appointment will be based on merit alone.

Behaviour evidence should be focused on marine operations.

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

At Sift and Interview you will be assessed against the following Success Profiles Behaviours: 

• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing  
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions 
• Delivering at Pace

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity. There is a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria. If you need to advise us that you need additional help or reasonable adjustments for the recruitment process, please contact: DBSCivPers-Resourcingteam3@mod.gov.uk  

As a result of the changes to the UK immigration rules which came into effect on 1 January 2021, the Ministry of Defence will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa under the points based system, where a role has been deemed to be business critical.  

The role currently being advertised has not been assessed as business critical and is therefore NOT open to applications from those who will require sponsorship under the points based system. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn. 

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

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security 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.