About the job

Job summary

Do you possess experience supporting diverse IT systems that contribute to key project outputs, comfortably collaborating with third-party vendors?

Can you lead a team, provide assured hands-on IT support, and continually improve key processes within a critical IT environment that drives public safety.

If so, we are looking for a Senior IT Systems Engineer 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. 

Job description

This role will be based in the Southampton HQ.  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. Details of the arrangement will be discussed further with your line manager. 

Your responsibilities include but are not limited to:  

IT Support:

• Manage second line IT incidents and Service Requests through to resolution within agreed target timeframes.  
• Adhere to workload and queue management direction from senior IT Support staff (including IT Service Desk management).
• Uphold excellent customer service skills with enthusiasm and energy. 
• Offer second line technical support and knowledge across multiple IT systems and services.
• Build strong working relationships.  

IT Systems Engineering and Project Support:

• Partaking in key project delivery activity where IT Support or IT Systems Engineering action is required.
• Maintain applications using proven frameworks and technologies.
• Liaise with technical colleagues to explore and suggest appropriate technical solutions to achieve the required product features as well as monitoring technical progress against plans.
• Monitor work against the delivery schedules closely and provide progress updates and report any issues or technical difficulties to the senior leadership team on a regular basis.

For further information about the role and responsibilities, please see the attached role profile.  

Person specification

About You 

• Experience operating within a technical IT Support environment.
• Experience using and supporting diverse IT systems, including SharePoint Microsoft 365 admin.
• Experience working with third party vendors.
• Understanding of Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Principles.

Additional Information 

• The role is required to partake in the out of hours on call rota to cover high priority incidents outside of normal working hours.
• The role will require working from both Maritime and Coastguard Agency Southampton HQ office and Fareham Joint Rescue and Coordination Centre and may require travel to other MCA sites throughout the UK.
• The role requires SC Clearance.

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, Experience and Technical skills.

How to Apply   

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV and personal statement. Please see the following details on how to apply.

Within your CV and Personal Statement please demonstrate your knowledge and experience of:   

• Experience operating within a technical IT Support environment.
• Experience using and supporting diverse IT systems, including SharePoint Microsoft 365 admin.
• Understanding of Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Principles.

Your Personal Statement will be limited to a maximum of 1,250 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.   

The sift is due to take place w/c 12 February 2024

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held w/c 26 February 2024

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.

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.

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 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.