Assistant Director of Maritime Governance and Overseas Strategic Policy

Job summary

Can you lead a programme of activities that drives an effective cultural change towards maritime safety and pollution prevention?

Do you have international experience in delivering key messages and raising awareness of international maritime issues?

Are you a qualified auditor?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is seeking an Assistant Director of Maritime Governance and Overseas Strategic Policy. The Maritime Governance and Regulatory Compliance Directorate is responsible for the external assurance for 12 Crown Dependencies (CDs) and British Overseas Territories' (OTs) maritime administrations and shipping registers, six UK authorised Recognised Organisations (ROs) and 15 UK authorised Certifying Authorities (CAs). The Directorate builds and maintains strategic and diplomatic relationships to resolve complex international problems affecting the operation of the UK flag State (UK, OTs and CDs) and delivers strategic policy and funding to support CD and OT maritime administrations in meeting United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) obligations. They provide policy direction, assurance, and accountability on all aspects of prosecutions or breaches of UK Merchant Shipping legislation through the Regulatory Compliance and Investigations Team. The Directorate delivers the MCA's regulatory compliance and enforcement policy aligning to the MCA’s strategic vision and operational requirements.

Joining our department comes with many benefits, including:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave), plus 8 bank holidays and a privilege day for the King’s birthday
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Read more in the Benefits section below!

Find out more about what it's like working at: Maritime and Coastguard Agency - Department for Transport Careers

Job description

As the Assistant Director of Maritime Governance and Overseas Strategic Policy, you will deputise for the Director of MGRC as required, chairing directorate management boards and attending the MCA executive team meetings and other external boards if required. You will lead the strategic direction for the UK’s continual support of the UK OTs and the wider Red Ensign Group (REG) of British maritime administrations. You will lead a programme of activities across the UK OTs, and Crown Dependencies (CDs) where appropriate, to drive forward effective cultural change towards maritime safety and pollution prevention. The activities will support the development of sustainable capacity and capability for continual compliance with international obligations, minimising the risk of maritime incidents and supporting growth of Blue Economies and climate change and decarbonisation initiatives. You will manage requests for assistance from other IMO Member States who are seeking the UK’s support to improve their international maritime obligations.

Your responsibilities will include, but aren’t limited to:

1. Manage business governance across the directorate, including business support teams and finance.
2. Oversight of strategic direction, development and implementation of strategic policy to support OTs/CDs in full compliance of international maritime obligations.
3. Oversight of business planning and programme management of the Directorate.
4. Develop budget proposals (circa £2-4m), working closely with FCDO and MCA financial teams.
5. Monitor and manage programme risks, using high level project management to identify and deliver a wide range of solutions to mitigate non-compliance.
6. Develop successful relationships and work closely with stakeholders from His Majesty’s Government (HMG) and other Governments to shape and deliver a wide range of strategies.
7. Represent the UK internationally, raising awareness of the international maritime obligations to senior officials in the other Governments, delivering key messages.
8. Manage the strategic policy interface and assurance of (REG) maritime administrations on behalf of the Secretary of State for Transport and Foreign Secretary. Develop and enhance links and undertake and oversee Category 1 and 2 monitoring visits.

Great line management is important to us as an organisation, and we will equip and support line managers to develop the skills they need. We aim to empower line managers to create teams where people can flourish and deliver excellent outcomes for the public.

For further information on the role, please read the role profile. Please note that the role profile is for information purposes only - whilst all elements are relevant to the role, they may not all be assessed during the recruitment process. This job advert will detail exactly what will be assessed during the recruitment process.

Person specification

Essential qualifications/licenses:

1. Lead Auditor qualified to Lead Auditor and/or ISO 9000 Lead Auditor and/or Audit Team Leader Status for International Maritime Organization Member State Audit Scheme.
2. A valid passport for international travel
3. A valid driving licence for driving in the UK and overseas

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications/licenses at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.

Required experience:

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

1. An ability to deal with complex international and European maritime issues within the context of the UK's Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies foreign policy. Be capable of evaluating alternative scenarios, often to demanding operational deadlines, and to present options to the MCA Senior Leadership Team
2. An ability to operate strategically to secure UK State maritime policy objectives through active participation in discussions within international fora such as International Maritime Organization, UK Overseas Territories Association and the Joint Ministerial Council of Overseas Territories.
3. The postholder is also required to chair high level international meetings and must possess the necessary gravitas, experience and knowledge to steer the various parties to agreed outcomes.
4. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of international/high level policy resolution. Diplomacy and the ability to remain focused on outcomes during urgent operational and significant policy development issues, where precedent does not exist, is a prerequisite.
5. Computer literate and familiar in the use of MCA IT office software (Microsoft Office).

Additional Information

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.

Working hours, office attendance and travel requirements

Full time roles consist of 37 hours per week.

This role is suitable for hybrid working, which is a non-contractual arrangement where a combination of workplace and home-based working can be accommodated subject to business requirements.

The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time a month will be spent at either your designated workplace (one of the locations cited in the advert) or, when required for business reasons, in another office/work location/visiting stakeholders. Your designated workplace will be your contractual place of work. There may be occasions where you are required to attend above the minimum expectation.

Regular overseas travel, including weekend and evening working are a requirement. Although not on call, the postholder can be expected to respond to urgent issues.

A flexible approach to working hours and a willingness to work extended hours on occasions to meet deadlines and achieve objectives.

If you have a question about hybrid working, flexible working, travelling for work, or require a reasonable adjustment, please contact the Vacancy Holder during the recruitment process to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role (see below for contact details).

Visa Sponsorship

Please note that we will only offer sponsorship for a skilled worker visa where a role has been deemed to be business critical. This role does not meet that category, and we will not sponsor a visa. Therefore, this role is not open to applications from those who require sponsorship – candidates must ensure they have the appropriate right to work in the UK before applying. Should you apply for this role and be found to require sponsorship, your application will be rejected and any provisional offer of employment withdrawn.

Licences

1.A valid passport for international travel
2.A valid driving licence for driving in the UK and overseas

Qualifications

Lead Auditor qualified to Lead Auditor and/or ISO 9000 Lead Auditor and/or Audit Team Leader Status for International Maritime Organization Member State Audit Scheme.

Behaviours

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

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Changing and Improving
• Communicating and Influencing
• Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £69,501, Maritime and Coastguard Agency contributes £20,134 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

Being part of our brilliant Civil Service means you will have access to a wide range of fantastic benefits:

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

Find out more about the benefits of working at MCA (opens in a new window).

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

How to apply:

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's qualifications, skills, and potential fit within our organisation.

The selection process for this role will be:

Stage 1: Sift of CV and personal statement

Stage 2: Interview and presentation

You must be successful at each stage to progress to the next stage.

Stage 1: Sift

At sift, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (500-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:
  • Encompassing the essential requirements for both the monitoring and lead auditor functions as well as the training and mentoring of auditors within the External Monitoring and Assurance team and wider Red Ensign Group maritime administrations, the candidate will be an experienced and proven lead auditor qualified to Lead Auditor and/or ISO 9000 Lead Auditor and/or Audit Team Leader Status for International Maritime Organization Member State Audit Scheme.
  • An ability to deal with complex international and European maritime issues within the context of the UK's Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies foreign policy. Be capable of evaluating alternative scenarios, often to demanding operational deadlines, and to present options to the MCA Senior Leadership Team

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead Success Profile element, “Encompassing the essential requirements for both the monitoring and lead auditor functions as well as the training and mentoring of auditors within the External Monitoring and Assurance team and wider REG maritime administrations, the candidate will be an experienced and proven lead auditor qualified to Lead Auditor and/or ISO 9000 Lead Auditor and/or Audit Team Leader Status for International Maritime Organization Member State Audit Scheme.” Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

Please note: the sift will be completed on a rolling basis whilst the campaign is still live, so you may receive your sift scores before the advert closing date.

The sift will take place week commencing 16/03/2026.

Stage 2: Interview

At interview stage, you will be assessed against the following Success Profile elements:

• Behaviours
  • Seeing the Big Picture
  • Changing and Improving
  • Communicating and Influencing
  • Leadership
    
    
• Experience
  • An ability to operate strategically to secure UK State maritime policy objectives through active participation in discussions within international fora such as International Maritime Organization, UK Overseas Territories Association and the Joint Ministerial Council of Overseas Territories.
  • Experience and knowledge to steer various parties to agreed outcomes whilst chairing high level international meetings.
  • A proven track record of international/high level policy resolution. Diplomacy and the ability to remain focused on outcomes during urgent operational and significant policy development issues, where precedent does not exist, is a prerequisite.

You will also be required to create and deliver a presentation to assess Experience and the Behaviour: Leadership. Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.

The interviews will take place week commencing 30/03/2026

This interview will be conducted in person at our Southampton office (Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Spring Place, 105 Commercial Road, Southampton, SO15 1EG). Further details will be provided to you should you be selected for interview.

You can find out more about our hiring process, how to apply, and application and interview guidance on our careers site (opens in a new window).

Please note that we will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change.

Further information on the selection process

Feedback on your application can only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

We will also hold a 12 month reserve list for this role, which may lead to potential opportunities beyond the role you applied for. You can read more about our reserve lists here.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

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 theHow 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.

All External applicants and current employees of accredited non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) will be required to undergo a Social Media Check. A Social Media Check is a review of your publicly available online activity, typically across platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and others. The purpose is to identify any public posts or content that could raise concerns for employers, such as:

Hate speech or discriminatory behaviour

Threats or acts of violence

Illegal activity or substance misuse

Sexually explicit material

Extremist views or affiliations

Importantly, this check does not involve hacking into your accounts or accessing private messages. It only considers content you have chosen to make public.

Employers use this kind of screening to help ensure their workplace remains safe, inclusive, and aligned with company values. It’s not about judging your personality or lifestyle—it’s about checking for potential red flags that might affect the role or company culture.

If you have questions or concerns about the social media check, we would be happy to explain in more detail what’s being looked at and how your data is handled securely and fairly.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

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.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Helen Wentworth
• Email : helen.wentworth@mcga.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact Government Recruitment Services via email: dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: Click here (https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/) to visit Civil Service Commission

Attachments

Assistant Director of Maritime Governance and Overseas Strategic Policy - APPROVED Opens in new window (pdf, 183kB)