About the job

Job summary

Are you looking for an opportunity to work collaboratively with wide range of colleagues at all levels?

Do you have a high attention to detail and enjoy working with data sets?
  
If so, we are looking for a Workforce Planning Officer 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

His Majesty Coastguard (HMCG) is the operational arm of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency with responsibility for 6 key functions: Search and Rescue, Pollution Response, Vessel Traffic Management, Maritime Safety, Maritime Security and Emergency and Disaster Management. There are three delivery disciplines within HM Coastguard: Maritime and Aeronautical Operations, which both task resources and coordinate activities from an operations room environment, and together form HMCG Network Operations, and; Coastal Operations, which manages resources and service provision on the coast. This role is part of Network Operations.

As the Workforce Planning Officer , it will be your responsibility for contributing to the planning, scheduling and managing of staff numbers and competency levels across the HMCG National Network, aligning operational staff numbers during a period of duty with agreed staffing levels, perceived operational risk and likely demand.

We are looking for a motivated individual to join our Programme Workforce Planning Team. Our team is responsible for ensuring that we have adequate and capable resource in place to manage the HMCG network and support senior operation staff make informative decisions.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a driven and motivated individual to join the newly created Workforce Planning Team, here at the MCA. It will be your role to not only support but work closely with the Workforce Planning Manager to create and implement new processes, giving you autonomy and the chance to bring ideas to life.

Your responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• As part of the HMCG Workforce Planning Team, contributing to the planning, scheduling and deploying of sufficient staff across the 11 HMCG Rescue Coordination Centres (RCCs) to ensure that staffing meets or preferably exceeds the Recommended Staffing Level, and that the national network at all times has the appropriate spread and depth of operational numbers and competence to effectively meet its mandated functions and match operational demand.

• Analysing operational and workforce planning data to inform decision making, and presenting findings in a clear and understandable manner, both in meetings and in written reports, and proactively identifying, highlighting and mitigating periods of emergent risk to the network, escalating those risks as necessary.

• Receiving and deciding upon (grades AO to SEO) operational staff absence requests in accordance with leave policies, network data and network management guidance, in a timely manner and with impartial, objective communicated rationale.

• Designing, maintaining and improving upon on administrative and process pathways that will ensure the centralised workforce planning remains efficient, effective, flexible and responsive to the needs of the national network.

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

Unless operational requirements for specific location and availability:

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. 

Person specification

About You 

To be successful, you will need to have experience with workforce planning, resource deployment, or scheduling within an operational delivery environment.

You will be confident and have previous experience of using data sets to make informed decisions.

You will have excellent interpersonal skills to build and maintain positive relationships at all levels across the agency.

You will be extremely organised with the capability to work with complexity, prioritise tasks and manage workloads to deliver results.

Additional Information 

Based at the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) the role holder will be required to work shifts that include regular evening shifts and will include working 1 weekend in 3.  

The role holder may also periodically rotate out of the watch rota in order to fulfil the requirements to undertake training or meetings, or conduct project work.

The role holder will be required to attend formal training events, and this may require spending time away from home and the normal workplace. 

This role is subject to health standard requirements.

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 and Experience.

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

How to Apply   

CV and Personal Statement:   

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

• Workforce planning, resource deployment, or scheduling within an operational delivery environment.
• Using data to make informed decisions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to build and maintain positive relationships at all levels.

Your personal statement will be limited to a maximum of 750 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 on 3rd & 4th January 2024.

Interviews/assessments are likely to be held w/c 15th January 2024.

This interview could be conducted online via Teams or face to face at our Fareham office. 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.

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 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.