Job summary
This is a high impact, strategic leadership role working at the heart of the UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) driving revenue growth and strengthening market presence across the UKHO and ADMIRALTY brands. Your work will underpin the financial sustainability of UKHO.
What you will do:
- Form part of the Customer Division senior leadership team delivering the UKHO’s global customer strategy covering defence, commercial, government and UK citizens, representing over £220m of revenue per annum.
- Report to the Chief Customer Officer and working closely with the Chief Executive, influencing decisions at the highest level with the organisation.
- Lead a talented team to ensure the marketing strategy enhances customer and partner satisfaction, driving retention, growth and revenue performance.
- Champion a data driven, customer centric approach using insights to create insightful, impactful positioning and messaging.
What we are looking for:
- A strategic thinker with proven experience in shaping customer strategies and delivering measurable growth.
- Strong leadership skills and the ability to inspire teams and stakeholders.
- Expertise in marketing, customer engagement and thought leadership at an executive level.
Hybrid working
This senior leadership role can be worked on a hybrid basis, which is an informal, non-contractual and voluntary arrangement, blending a balance between working at the Taunton office at least 3 days a week with working from home.
Job description
- Responsible for developing and implementing a marketing strategy which enables delivery of UKHO’s corporate plan and plays a leading role in developing and implementing the UKHO’s customer strategy; providing strategic thought leadership that strengthens and protects UKHO brand, reputation and content.
- Drive revenue and growth through channel marketing, establishment of a robust go to market capability and market research.
- Ensure the structure, efficacy and technical requirements of the marketing team are fit for purpose in order for UKHO to deliver its plans and vision, establishing career development pathways and a strategy to grow and flow key talent.
- Uphold the highest levels of behavioural and leadership standards and take a leading role in embedding customer centricity at an organisational level.
- Responsible for maintaining and building corporate brand and reputation, including effective external communications (website, crisis comms, social media).
- Advise the Chief Customer Officer, Chief Executive and Executive Leadership Team on Corporate & Marketing communications and potential areas of reputational risk or opportunity.
- Deploy data analytics and management information to provide evidence of the efficacy of the marketing function in delivering both the Customer and Marketing strategies to meet financial targets and the strategic objectives of the UKHO.
- Deliver streamlined marketing operations and agency management to optimise resources, budgets and processes.
Person specification
- Strategic Marketing Leadership - Proven ability to set and deliver marketing strategy in a complex, global B2B digital environment, aligning brand, product and commercial outcomes with experience of designing and implementing data-driven strategies.
- Authentic Leadership - Proven experience of growing and developing high performing, customer centric marketing teams to deliver a quality service; proven leadership and communication skills, with a collaborative, inclusive approach whilst able to influence and challenge constructively. Proven experience of leading a full marketing function with multifunctional teams (including external agencies) and marketing budgets in a complex commercial environment.
- Transformational Change - Demonstrable experience of leading a full marketing function to deliver new outcomes, improved efficiency or broader remits using a data driven, customer centric approach.
- Marketing Automation Expertise - Experience of implementing an effective marketing automation platform with successful outcomes.
- Data and Technology Proficiency – Data literate and tech savvy, with experience working across CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft D365), digital platforms (e.g., Hubspot) and analytical tools.
- Agency Management - Experience of leading agency relationship and creative outputs at pace.
- Professional Qualifications - A qualification at level 6 from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
- Seeing the Big Picture
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Changing and Improving
Technical skills
We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
- Technical Marketing Skills (assessed by the presentation at the interview)
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £76,184, UK Hydrographic Office contributes £22,070 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.At the UK Hydrographic Office, it's very important to us that our people feel valued.
We offer a huge range of benefits such as training and development, well-being support, flexible/ homeworking, a fantastic state of the art building, high spec equipment, and so much more.
See our attached Candidate Information Pack for more details.
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:
When you click "Apply Now" at the bottom of this page, you will be required to attach your anonymised CV for information, together with a 1000 word supporting statement on the experience criteria below.
Timeline:
- Advert Closes for applications: 18th January 2026
- Shortlisting: w/c 26th January 2026
- Interviews: Stage 1: w/c 9th February 2026. Stage 2 & Stage 3: w/c 23rd February 2026.
We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.
Sift/Shortlist Criteria:
All applications are processed anonymously. You will be short-listed against the following criteria (7 criteria of the person specification):
- Strategic Marketing Leadership - Proven ability to set and deliver marketing strategy in a complex, global B2B digital environment, aligning brand, product and commercial outcomes with experience of designing and implementing data-driven strategies.
- Authentic Leadership - Proven experience of growing and developing high performing, customer centric marketing teams to deliver a quality service; proven leadership and communication skills, with a collaborative, inclusive approach whilst able to influence and challenge constructively. Proven experience of leading a full marketing function with multifunctional teams (including external agencies) and marketing budgets in a complex commercial environment.
- Transformational Change - Demonstrable experience of leading a full marketing function to deliver new outcomes, improved efficiency or broader remits using a data driven, customer centric approach.
- Marketing Automation Expertise - Experience of implementing an effective marketing automation platform with successful outcomes.
- Data and Technology Proficiency – Data literate and tech savvy, with experience working across CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft D365), digital platforms (e.g., Hubspot) and analytical tools.
- Agency Management - Experience of leading agency relationship and creative outputs at pace.
- Professional Qualifications - A qualification at level 6 from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.
Please ensure that you cover all the above criteria in your 1000 word supporting statement.
Interview Criteria:
All candidates who are successful at the sift stage will be invited to attend three elements of the selection process. This will include:
- Fireside chat with either our Chief Executive Officer or Chief Customer Officer. This is an informal 1-to-1 conversation giving the candidates the opportunity to find out more about the organisation and its corporate strategy. This conversation is not scored or assessed and will not contribute to the final score obtained through the recruitment process. This will be held in person and will take place at the HQ in Admiralty Way, Taunton.
- Staff engagement session. In addition to the facilitator, the Interim CCO will observe. This will be a scored assessment against the Civil Services behaviours and will be held in person at the HQ in Admiralty Way, Taunton.
- Panel interview with the hiring manager (Interim Chief Customer Officer), Chief Operating Officer and Chief People Officer. This interview will be assessed against Civil Service behaviours and the experience criteria and take place in person at the HQ in Admiralty Way, Taunton.
Experience:
- Strategic Marketing Leadership - Proven ability to set and deliver marketing strategy in a complex, global B2B digital environment, aligning brand, product and commercial outcomes with experience of designing and implementing data-driven strategies.
- Authentic Leadership - Proven experience of growing and developing high performing, customer centric marketing teams to deliver a quality service; proven leadership and communication skills, with a collaborative, inclusive approach whilst able to influence and challenge constructively. Proven experience of leading a full marketing function with multifunctional teams (including external agencies) and marketing budgets in a complex commercial environment.
- Transformational Change - Demonstrable experience of leading a full marketing function to deliver new outcomes, improved efficiency or broader remits using a data driven, customer centric approach.
- Marketing Automation Expertise - Experience of implementing an effective marketing automation platform with successful outcomes.
- Data and Technology Proficiency – Data literate and tech savvy, with experience working across CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Microsoft D365), digital platforms (e.g., Hubspot) and analytical tools.
- Agency Management - Experience of leading agency relationship and creative outputs at pace.
The above experience criteria will be assessed at the interview.
Technical:
- Technical Marketing Skills (assessed by the presentation at the interview)
Civil Service Behaviours (Grade 6 level):
- Seeing the Big Picture (lead criteria - which will be used if there is a tie at interview)
- Leadership
- Communicating and Influencing
- Changing and Improving
The above behaviours will be assessed during the staff engagement session and the interview.
See here for further information: Success Profiles - Civil Service Behaviours (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Process:
- Interview Process as described above. For the third stage of the process, you will be contacted to book a suitable slot if you are shortlisted (see our Candidate Pack for further information)
- Interview will be with a panel of 3 people and will last approximately 60 minutes. You will be required to give a 10 minute presentation as noted above. More details will be given in the Invitation to Interview email.
Onboarding Checks:
In the event you are offered a role with us, you will be required to go through Basic Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) checks which will include Employment and Right to Work Checks. Please see our attached Candidate Pack for further details and Terms.
SC – non reserved
This is a Ministry of Defence non-reserved post and although open to UK, British Commonwealth and European Economic Area nationals, successful applicants will require a security clearance (SC) and therefore need to have resided in the UK for a minimum of 12 consecutive months within the last 5 years
Eligibility
Due to the secure nature of our work, there may be eligibility restrictions if you hold dual nationality or are not a British Citizen. We will consider each application on a case-by-case basis. We will ask you in our application form to confirm your place of birth and details of any dual or previous nationalities.
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
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.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 :
Recruitment team
- Email : recruitment.queries@ukho.gov.uk
Further information
Further InformationThe Department’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the requirement of selection for appointment based on merit, open and fair competition as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles, details of which can be found at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact recruitment.queries@ukho.gov.uk If you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can further contact the Civil Service Commission at: civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk or view more details at http://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk