Head of Maritime Audit & Verification

Job summary

Can you lead a team that drives consistent, high‑quality maritime audit and verification?

Do excel at guiding others through complex International Safety Management Code (ISM) International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS), Maritime Labour Convention (2006) (MLC) and safety requirements?

Have you built the surveyor expertise to influence stakeholders and uphold UK maritime standards?

If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is seeking a dynamic and motivated professional to join UK Technical Maritime Services (UKTMS), the directorate responsible for delivering the UK’s maritime safety, security and environmental protection objectives. UKTMS inspects and surveys UK and international vessels to ensure compliance with safety, pollution‑prevention and labour standards, supporting the Government’s aim of achieving Safer Ships and Cleaner Seas. Within this directorate, the Technical Operations (Tech Ops) function acts as the central hub for operational expertise, coordinating teams specialising in survey operations, inspection, safety management, security and maritime labour compliance.

You will join the Maritime Audit & Verification team, a small but highly specialist unit that develops, implements and monitors consistent processes, procedures and guidance across safety management systems, maritime security and International Labour Organization (ILO) requirements for UK‑flagged and other relevant vessels

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 a Head of Maritime Audit & Verification, you will lead a specialist team responsible for developing, implementing and monitoring consistent processes and guidance across safety management, maritime security and International Labour Organisation (ILO) / Maritime Labour Convention (2006) (MLC) compliance. You will act as the primary technical contact for stakeholders, oversee audit and verification programmes, support Marine Offices, represent the UK at key forums, and ensure high standards of safety and regulatory performance across UK‑flagged and associated vessels.

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

1. Lead Maritime Audit & Verification operations and act as the main contact for safety, security and labour‑standards guidance.
2. Work closely with Technical Operations teams and support Marine Offices with processes and procedures.
3. Apply and oversee compliance with ISM, Domestic Safety Management Code (DSM), Intended Pleasure Vessel Code (IPV), ISPS, MLC and ILO 188 requirements.
4. Track, support and report Marine Office progress on all audit and verification programmes.
5. Maintain clear, consistent guidance for Surveyors across all audit and verification activity.
6. Represent the UK at internal and external meetings, providing expert technical input.
7. Follow up on vessel detentions linked to safety, security or labour‑standard deficiencies.
8. Support training delivery, manage team performance, budgets, and assess exemptions/equivalences.

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:

• A valid passport for international travel
• A full UK driving license

The minimum academic qualification required is one of:

1. Nautical Surveyor: MCA Recognised STCW II/2 Master unlimited Certificate of Competency; or
2. Engineer Surveyor: MCA Recognised STCW III/2 Chief Engineer unlimited Certificate of Competency.

MCA Recognised’ means certificates issued by a country whose seafarer training is recognised by the UK. A list of those countries can be found on our website at www.gov.uk and search MCA CEC (those without UK issued STCW Certificates of Competency will need to complete UKLAP training at an early stage after entry).

or

1. Naval Architect Surveyor: Honours Degree in Naval Architecture, Ship Science, Marine Engineering, Mechanical and Marine Engineering or Marine Technology.
2. Ship Surveyor: Applicants without the qualifications stated above, may also be eligible if they are Chartered Engineer (C. Eng) (through Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) or the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.

In each of the above cases the stated qualifications need to be supported by experience in a managerial role on board ship or in a technical capacity of responsibility within the maritime industry.

Experience means exposure to working in the marine industry in a capacity that develops and broadens the knowledge gained at qualification, gaining a breadth of experiences in a variety of situations which underpins the work of a Marine Surveyor. It is expected that the marine industry experience is in a field closely related to the work of MCA Surveyors

Applicants must be able to satisfy the conditions necessary to obtain the SC security clearance.

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:

• An experienced Marine Surveyor which typically requires practice as a Marine Surveyor to gain the breadth of experience required to operate effectively.
• As a source of detailed technical advice about straightforward and routine situations postholders must demonstrate the technical competency levels specified for the post. Areas of technical competency are detailed in attached MCA document MSF 4989 which forms part of the Marine Surveyor Development Scheme (MSDS).
• Port State Control & Ship Inspection - demonstrate a knowledge of Port State Control and ship inspection procedures
• Maritime Legislation, Guidance & Codes of Practice - demonstrate a knowledge and practical experience of application of International Conventions, Domestic legislation and associated guidance
• Demonstrates a high level of technical knowledge regarding the construction, equipment, management and operation of commercial vessels
• Computer literate and familiar in the use of IT office software (Microsoft Office).

Additional Information

Successful candidates will be expected to undertake a physical medical questionnaire for this role. Please see the attached document for further 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. Whilst we welcome applications from those looking to work with us on a part time basis, there is a business requirement for the successful candidate to be able to work at least 35 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.

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

On occasion, the post-holder may be deployed to another MCA Marine Office within the United Kingdom in accordance with agreed terms and conditions.

Work/Travel on official duty within the UK and short term visits overseas or offshore, which may involve overnight stays away from home. A passport valid for international travel is required.

If you have a question about hybrid working, part time/job share hours, 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

A valid passport for international travel
A full UK driving license

Qualifications

The minimum academic qualification required is one of:
a. Nautical Surveyor: MCA Recognised STCW II/2 Master unlimited Certificate of Competency; or
b. Engineer Surveyor: MCA Recognised STCW III/2 Chief Engineer unlimited Certificate of Competency.
‘MCA Recognised’ means certificates issued by a country whose seafarer training is recognised by the UK. A list of those countries can be found on our website at www.gov.uk and search MCA CEC (those without UK issued STCW Certificates of Competency will need to complete UKLAP training at an early stage after entry).
or
c. Naval Architect Surveyor: Honours Degree in Naval Architecture, Ship Science, Marine Engineering, Mechanical and Marine Engineering or Marine Technology.
d. Ship Surveyor: Applicants without the qualifications stated in a, b or c above, may also be eligible if they are Chartered Engineer (C. Eng) (through Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) or the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology.

Behaviours

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

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

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Communicating and Influencing

Technical skills

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

• Technical: Maritime Legislation, Guidance & Codes of Practice - demonstrate a knowledge and practical experience of application of International Conventions, Domestic legislation and associated guidance/Surveyor/Level 4. (MSF4989)

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £63,645, Maritime and Coastguard Agency contributes £18,437 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, Experience and Technical skills.

How to apply:

Our selection process ensures a comprehensive assessment of each applicant's 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

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:

Behaviours – you will be asked to provide a 250-word statement on the following Behaviour:

• Communicating and Influencing

Experience – you will be asked to provide a CV (unlimited wordcount) and personal statement (750-word count). Please provide evidence of your Experience of the following:

• Knowledge and experience of the International Safety Management Code (ISM) and International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) and Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006
• Demonstrate a knowledge and practical experience of application of International Conventions, Domestic legislation and associated guidance. (Maritime Legislation, Guidance & Codes of Practice)
• Knowledge and experience of the International Safety Management Code (ISM) and International Ship and Port Facility Security Code (ISPS) and Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead Success Profile element - Behaviour: Communicating and Influencing. 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 16th March 2036

Stage 2: Interview

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

Behaviours:

• Delivering at Pace
• Leadership
• Changing and Improving
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions

You will also be required to create and deliver a presentation to assess the Behaviour: Communicating and Influencing and Technical: Maritime Legislation, Guidance & Codes of Practice - demonstrate a knowledge and practical experience of application of International Conventions, Domestic legislation and associated guidance/Surveyor/Level 4. Areas of technical competency are detailed in attached MCA document MSF 4989 which forms part of the Marine Surveyor Development Scheme (MSDS).

Guidance will be provided if you are invited to interview.

The interviews will take place week commencing 23rd March 2026

This interview will be conducted online via Microsoft Teams 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

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.

During your application, you should indicate which location(s) you wish to be considered for and, if successful, you will be placed on an individual list of candidates for each location. Candidates will be held on that list and drawn from it in merit order. We advise you to carefully consider which locations you wish to be considered for. If you decline an offer for a location you have expressed a preference in or have expressed an interest in more than one location and accept an offer, you will be withdrawn from any lists you may be held on. We may also offer candidates a location that they have not expressed a preference for where we have the requirement to do so but this will again be done on the basis of your place in the overall merit order and, in this event, you will not be removed from the list if you decline.

Appointments for this position will be made in order of merit. If you are successful in the selection process but there are no further available posts for the advertised role, you may be contacted to discuss an offer for a lower graded role (with similar experience and responsibility requirements).

If you are unsuccessful in the selection process, your application may be considered for a lower graded position if your demonstrated skills and experience meet the requirements of the alternative position. Candidates will be considered in order of merit.

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.

A criminal record is not necessarily a bar to obtaining employment.

Feedback

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.

Medical

Successful candidates will be expected to have a medical.

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 : Luke South
• Email : luke.south@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

Annex E SI Health Standards (1) 1 Opens in new window (pdf, 512kB)MSF4989 R04.22 PDF Opens in new window (pdf, 245kB)Head of Maritime Audit & Verification G7SUR Role Profile Opens in new window (pdf, 161kB)