Chief Examiner & Head of Seafarers Technical Delivery

Southampton, Hampshire
Maritime and Coastguard Agency
Job summary

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.

‘Do you have excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to communicate confidently at all levels to achieve successful outcomes?

Could you lead to ensure the UK has safety standards and regulations which safeguard ships, seafarers and the public?

Would you like to make a difference modernising Seafarer technical training to ensure skilled seafarers within the UK?

If so, 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

We have an interesting opportunity for a strong leader to join us in this key senior role as the Chief Examiner & Head of Seafarers Technical Delivery within our UK Maritime Services (UKMS) Directorate.

‘The UKMS Directorate is responsible for the UK’s Flag and Port State function including the survey and inspection operations, the UK’s safety, security and environmental regulatory regimes, seafarers training, navigational safety, civil hydrography programme and the UK Ship Register.

The MCA is taking a prominent role for enabling the training regime for future technology and autonomous vessels, both within domestic and on international arena, and the Chief Examiner & Head of Seafarers Technical Delivery will play a crucial part in ensuring that MCA endorsed Seafarer skills and qualifications are world class. They will liaise with and monitor training providers to ensure the highest standards of training are implemented, met and maintained.

The successful applicant will lead on modernising Seafarer technical training in line with Government initiatives to ensure the UK can deliver skilled seafarers meeting the economic and strategic needs of the UK, taking into account and including changing technology and future fuels being considered across the Maritime sector.

‘The Chief Examiner & Head of Seafarers Technical Delivery will be instrumental in providing leadership and direction to their direct reports made up on Examiners based at the Southampton HQ to ensure a first-class and robust training and examining regime.

This position provides a fantastic opportunity to take a high profile and very visible role leading and championing excellence in the delivery of seafarers training and standards. It offers lots of engagement and collaborative working with the Department for Transport and wider Government, as well as with external training providers, in order to deliver a regulatory climate that is clear, consistent and supportive of the UK maritime industries and ensures that the UK has safety standards and regulations which safeguard ships, seafarers and the public.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

• Being responsible and accountable for the management and work of the Technical Delivery Team with regards defining the necessary skills and qualifications of seafarers working on UK vessels (including Merchant, Fishing, Inland Waterway, Large Yachts, Tugs and Workboats).

• As a member of the UKMS Leadership Team, contributing to the direction and management of UKMS and formulation of strategy and policy at the Corporate and Directorate level by being a member of and playing a full role in the work of the UKMS Management Board, the MCA Senior Leadership Team and other Corporate/Directorate Groups. Playing a lead role in major strategic initiatives with respect to seafarer technical training policy and steer cultural change within the Technical Delivery team to implement the Agency’s operational and transformational business objectives.

• Working with the Head of Policy on UK’s influence for International Conventions including STCW, STCW(F), Maritime Labour Convention, ILO 185. Implementation of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC).

• Being accountable for ensuring the technical requirements for the education, training and examination standards for all seafarers including STCW ’78 as amended, STCW(F), and the Directive on Boatmasters Licences, are kept up to date and relevant with changes in the industry.

• Engaging with industry and DfT regarding formulation of policies for funding for seafarer training (SMarT and Apprenticeship funding). Being accountable for developing a strategy and the subsequent administration of Seafarer Funding Support for Maritime Training Fund (SMarT) of between 15 and 30 million. Ensuring government strategies are supported and aimed at boosting the numbers of UK cadets and improving the quality of training they receive. Ensuring compliance with MCA policies and procedures so that funds are distributed fairly and in accordance with DfT policy, National Audit Office Requirements and in line with The Subsidy Control Bill.

Further Information

This role will be based at 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.

‘The post-holder will operate within the Emergency Exemptions Rota which constitutes a 1 week in 5 week rota. The rota requires the role holder to be on call for a 7 day period (1 week) in every 5 weeks. Outside of this, the role holder is required to work a hour working day. The role will attract an on-call allowance.

On occasion, there will be a requirement to work outside of normal conditioned hours.

There will be a requirement for travel on official duty within the UK and overseas or offshore, which may involve overnight stays away from home. An unrestricted passport valid for international travel is required as well as a full driving licence valid for driving in the UK.

Appointment to this role is subject to meeting Health Standards, please see attached document.

Person specification

You will be a motivated and driven individual who holds one of the relevant qualifications outlined in the Role Profile. Through your experience of working in a managerial role on board ship or in a technical capacity of responsibility within the maritime industry, you’re able to successfully lead and manage diverse teams and budgetary resources.

Excellent stakeholder management and engagement skills are crucial to be successful within this role and you are able to liaise and quickly build up rapport and effective working relationships with a variety of stakeholders at different levels within a range of settings.

You have strong communication skills and are confident in expressing yourself to a variety of audiences, with the ability to tailor your communication style and break down complex technical information so that it is effectively relayed and understood.

You are a strong and experienced leader, able to inspire and empower your team to successfully deliver whilst encouraging strategic thinking, innovation and positive action.

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.

Licences

An unrestricted passport valid for international travel is required as well as a full driving licence valid for driving in the UK.

Behaviours

We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing
• Working Together

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.

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.

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.

How to Apply

As part of your application, you will be required to complete a CV and a Personal Statement. Further details around what this will entail are listed on the application form.

Please provide a CV outlining your career history, and the key responsibilities you had in each of your roles.

Within your CV and personal statement please demonstrate your:

• Experience in a managerial role on board ship or in a technical capacity of responsibility within the maritime industry.
• Leadership skills and experience in managing a diverse team of staff and budgetary resources. . click apply for full job details